One thing that is always on every thru hiker's mind is food. By most estimates we are burning 6-7,000 calories a day. It is virtually impossible to carry that much food if you are going out for more than 2-3 days at a time. So we either to shorter resupplies, or we do not get enough calories on the trail. So when we get into town we overload, like eating the entire Wendy's Value Menu. The pint of Ben & Jerry's is also a time honored tradition. This is usually a light snack and does not replace a meal. They have enough flavors that I have not had to repeat a flavor yet. It is also funny watching a thru hiker in a gorcery store. We are very nutrition conscious. If we are deciding between two comparable products, we will also choose the one with the most fat and most calories (or the cheapest).
Another key is to switch up the menus. Lipton sides can get old very quickly. For breakfasts, I started out with oatmeal, but I hate oatmeal. Then I switched to Poptarts, but I did not get enough energy from them, and I got sick of them very quickly. Then I started with Carnation Instant Breakfast, but that wasn't enough, so I am now adding cereal. However that gets heavy and bulky very quickly. Lunches, I started out just snacking on energy bars and trail mix. But that wasn't satisfying enough. So I have also had bagels with goober (peanut butter and jelly mixed) or cream cheese, but the goober only comes in a glass jar. I have gone through pretzel and Nutella fazes, a hummus faze, and a couple of cheese and jerky fazes and I am currently sick of all of them. So this next resupply I am back to snack bars and now Goldfish.
My dinners have had the most variety. One friend recommended Stove Top stuffing and chicken. I had that once, but it was not for me, sorry Footslogger. I have gone through mashed potatoes, good, but not always a full dinner, and most Lipton sides. I will requently go for the generic version without any noticable taste difference. I tried some Trail Foods at Trail Days, and those are great, but too expensize to eat all the time. I have not paid for a Moutnain House meal, because those are even more expensive. I have tried almost all the generic shells and cheese combination, and found out that paying a little more for the Kraft Bistro Deluxe pasta and sauce is worth the price. Based on the ridgerunner in the Shenandoahs I am trying tortellini on this next section. I am also adding tuna, salmon or chicken to each meal for the extra protein, and that adding cheese or some addition seasoning, Chez Paul's or Mrs. Dash, adds a lot to the meal.
Most of my meals changes come from seeing someone else cook and thinking that looks good, and I am always open for suggestions. So if any of you have some great, or not so great ideas, let me know. Please post all of your favorite backpacking meals so that I can change up my diet.
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Day I Joined a Cult
About two and a half months ago I packed my worldly possesions into a backpack and went down to Georgia. A friend and intitiate met me at the aiport and took me to a sacred place, Springer Mountain. He showed me the path and told me to follow the white blazes north to Katahdin and the land of lobster. Since then every morning I wake up and follow the path. I follow even when the path goes south or completely circles something and comes within 100 feet of itself. I follow in the sun, in the rain, and in the snow. Every morning I wake up, pack my bag, and keep going.
Along the way I have met many other people following the path. We help each other in the common goal of Katahdin. We try and keep everyone following the path. We debate the rules of following the path and whether every single inch of the trail needs to be covered. Do you need to backtrach after circle some windfall? Are you still following thw whole path if you take one blue blaze trail into a shelter and leave on another? If you take a blue blazed loop that goes to a lookout and returns further up the trail are you still following the path? Does it matter if that trail is shorter or longer than the white balze? The one answer we have found is that everyone needs to hike their own hike.
In the shelters at night we dicuss the problems we encounter on the path. How to get enough food, what has the most calories, how to lighten your pack, and how to avoid butt itch. We also talk about our pains, for this is a masochistic cult. One of our mantras is "No pain, no rain, no Maine."
Along our path we encounter other people who are not walking the full path. Some of these people are unbelievers. Some do not even know of the path, while others are walking part, or getting ready to walk the full length. Those who do not know of the path, we will talk to them, and enlighten them, but only if they give us food.
Some of the people along the path are enlightened and help out those who are currently walking, these people are angels. They help us out by providing food and drink and rides into and out of town. Many of these people have walked the full path themselves, or they are related to people who are walking. They give comfort to us, and help keep us heading in the right direction.
Every year in mid-May in Damascus there is a gathering of cult members. The former walkers meet up and catch up on news and relive their glories. The curent walkers reunite with people they met a month ago and strategize about meeting again. While future walkers get advice and motivation to follow the path for themselves. This is also a place to see new equipement and learn about better ways of following the path, and learning about other paths to hike.
In about four days I will make it to one of the sacred places, Harper's Ferry. This town houses the cult headquarters, where we will stop in and get our picture taken to be immmortalized with other followers of the path. This town is also sacred for it means we are finally out of Virginia, just about to cross the Mason-Dixon line and almost physically half way. It is the physcological half way.
Tomorrow morning I will wake up, pack my bag, and start hiking north. For Katahdin is calling, and I must answer.
Along the way I have met many other people following the path. We help each other in the common goal of Katahdin. We try and keep everyone following the path. We debate the rules of following the path and whether every single inch of the trail needs to be covered. Do you need to backtrach after circle some windfall? Are you still following thw whole path if you take one blue blaze trail into a shelter and leave on another? If you take a blue blazed loop that goes to a lookout and returns further up the trail are you still following the path? Does it matter if that trail is shorter or longer than the white balze? The one answer we have found is that everyone needs to hike their own hike.
In the shelters at night we dicuss the problems we encounter on the path. How to get enough food, what has the most calories, how to lighten your pack, and how to avoid butt itch. We also talk about our pains, for this is a masochistic cult. One of our mantras is "No pain, no rain, no Maine."
Along our path we encounter other people who are not walking the full path. Some of these people are unbelievers. Some do not even know of the path, while others are walking part, or getting ready to walk the full length. Those who do not know of the path, we will talk to them, and enlighten them, but only if they give us food.
Some of the people along the path are enlightened and help out those who are currently walking, these people are angels. They help us out by providing food and drink and rides into and out of town. Many of these people have walked the full path themselves, or they are related to people who are walking. They give comfort to us, and help keep us heading in the right direction.
Every year in mid-May in Damascus there is a gathering of cult members. The former walkers meet up and catch up on news and relive their glories. The curent walkers reunite with people they met a month ago and strategize about meeting again. While future walkers get advice and motivation to follow the path for themselves. This is also a place to see new equipement and learn about better ways of following the path, and learning about other paths to hike.
In about four days I will make it to one of the sacred places, Harper's Ferry. This town houses the cult headquarters, where we will stop in and get our picture taken to be immmortalized with other followers of the path. This town is also sacred for it means we are finally out of Virginia, just about to cross the Mason-Dixon line and almost physically half way. It is the physcological half way.
Tomorrow morning I will wake up, pack my bag, and start hiking north. For Katahdin is calling, and I must answer.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Shenandoah
I am now in Front Royal, VA 955 miles from Springer Mountain and only about 45 miles to the border with West Virginia. Right now over half of the hike has been in Virginia and in three more days of hiking I will finally get in to a new state. Then West Virginia is 9 miles and Maryland is 40. So we are only about a week away from the Mason-Dixon line and then another 2-3 days to the official half way point. It feels like we are finally starting to make progess again. Coming down from the Shenandoahs we dropped below 2,000 feet and we do not get back above that until Vermont. That does not mean it is flat, just not as high and not as cold. Which is good since I sent my winter sleeping bag home from Montebello, and I have only been using my silk liner and a feece blanket. I have been warm enough, but that has been while wearing everything I still have, including my tent. Although I imagine that very soon I will be longing for the old nights again.
The last 107 miles from Waynesboro was mostly in Shenandoah National Park. This is one of the better maintained sections of trail. The grade is nice and easy and relatively free of rocks. Great for making big miles. We did over 80 miles in four days, and then realized we needed to slow done a bit, so we cruised into town with a 14 and a 13 mile day. Tomorrow we are taking a well deserved rest before I meet up with my parents on Saturday. They will be in DC for the weekend and will make the hour drive to come out and meet with me and take me to breakfast. Then on to Harper's Ferry and the ATC headquarters.
Shenandoah was frustrating for a number of reasons. We managed to hike through the park over Memorial Day weekend. This meant a huge number of day hikers and weekend backpackers. So the trails and shelters were very crowded. Also Skyline Drive which goess through the park is the route of the old AT. When the Drive was put in the trail was moved to go over all of the ridges. However most of the summits are wooded so most of the view points are on the road. It is frustrating that we are now working harder to get less reward. About every two miles the trail crosses over Skyline Drive so in some ways it is hard to feel like you are in the wilderness. Half of the shelters are within Harley earshot of the Drive. Tha is not the sound I like to hear while sleeping in a shelter. Although it did drown out some of the snoring.
On the plus side there actually is a lot of wildlife in the park. Deer too numerous to count and almost tame. I was within 10 feet of several. Everyone I was hiking with, me included, saw black bears. I saw two clubs that skedaddled when they saw me. I spent a minute or two looking for the mom, and when I did not see her, I kept going. Along the road there are several restaurants and waysides and lodges. The waysides have great black berry milkshakes, so after each time I saw a black bear, I atea blackberry milkshake. I thought that it was the only appropiate thing to do.
Since Trail Days I had been talking to Peacock about the Wendy's Value Menu Challenge. Eat everything on the value menu in one sitting and keep it down. Since there is a Wendy's here, after showering that is where we went. Not everything on the value menu is 99 cents, so we capped it at everything under $1.30. This gave us a crispy chicken sandwhich, 5 crisy chicken nuggets, a Jr bacon cheeseburger, a Jr deluxe cheeseburger, a small frosty, small fountain drink, small fries, small chilli, baked potatoe with sour cream and chives, side salad, side caesar salad, a cup of mandarin oranges and just about 3,000 calories for $14.26. It took us a while, but we both finished and we are nowing digesting and thinking about not having dinner.
The last 107 miles from Waynesboro was mostly in Shenandoah National Park. This is one of the better maintained sections of trail. The grade is nice and easy and relatively free of rocks. Great for making big miles. We did over 80 miles in four days, and then realized we needed to slow done a bit, so we cruised into town with a 14 and a 13 mile day. Tomorrow we are taking a well deserved rest before I meet up with my parents on Saturday. They will be in DC for the weekend and will make the hour drive to come out and meet with me and take me to breakfast. Then on to Harper's Ferry and the ATC headquarters.
Shenandoah was frustrating for a number of reasons. We managed to hike through the park over Memorial Day weekend. This meant a huge number of day hikers and weekend backpackers. So the trails and shelters were very crowded. Also Skyline Drive which goess through the park is the route of the old AT. When the Drive was put in the trail was moved to go over all of the ridges. However most of the summits are wooded so most of the view points are on the road. It is frustrating that we are now working harder to get less reward. About every two miles the trail crosses over Skyline Drive so in some ways it is hard to feel like you are in the wilderness. Half of the shelters are within Harley earshot of the Drive. Tha is not the sound I like to hear while sleeping in a shelter. Although it did drown out some of the snoring.
On the plus side there actually is a lot of wildlife in the park. Deer too numerous to count and almost tame. I was within 10 feet of several. Everyone I was hiking with, me included, saw black bears. I saw two clubs that skedaddled when they saw me. I spent a minute or two looking for the mom, and when I did not see her, I kept going. Along the road there are several restaurants and waysides and lodges. The waysides have great black berry milkshakes, so after each time I saw a black bear, I atea blackberry milkshake. I thought that it was the only appropiate thing to do.
Since Trail Days I had been talking to Peacock about the Wendy's Value Menu Challenge. Eat everything on the value menu in one sitting and keep it down. Since there is a Wendy's here, after showering that is where we went. Not everything on the value menu is 99 cents, so we capped it at everything under $1.30. This gave us a crispy chicken sandwhich, 5 crisy chicken nuggets, a Jr bacon cheeseburger, a Jr deluxe cheeseburger, a small frosty, small fountain drink, small fries, small chilli, baked potatoe with sour cream and chives, side salad, side caesar salad, a cup of mandarin oranges and just about 3,000 calories for $14.26. It took us a while, but we both finished and we are nowing digesting and thinking about not having dinner.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Gear
I have had a fair number of gear changes since the beginning of the hike. I mentioned one, my new backpack, in the last post, but I will now go through all my gear. At first I did not think I was going to change much gear. However most of my old gear is about 7 years old, so I will update some things as it becomes feasible or justifiable. At first I didn't really know what else was out there, and I wanted to use what I already had.
Backpack: I started with a Gregory Baltoro 70. This is a very nice comfortable pack, but big. I filled it up to start the trail and immediately regretted it because of the weight. I sent the lid back home a couple of weeks ago because I did not need the space and to save weight. But it is still too big. I have ordered a Granite Gear Vapor Meridian which should have been in Waynesboro today. It is a 52 liter pack and is 2 and a half pounds lighter than the Gregory.
Sleeping Bag: I started with an EMS 25 degree down. It has warmed up a lot, so I am now using my silk liner and a fleece blanket. When I get to New Hampshire I will go back to a warmer bag. My first thought had been to use this bag for the whole trail and then buy a new one, but I think I may buy the new one and use it for the White Mountains. If I do I will get a Western Mountainering Ultralite 20 degree bag.
Sleeping Pad: I started with my old Thermarest, and I think I will keep it the whole way. I could get a much lighter one, but it would not be as comfortable.
Stove: I started with an MSR Whisperlite. It is a great stove, if you are cooking for 4. For one, it is overkill, so I now have a SnowPeak GigaPower. It is much lighter and a better one person stove, just a little slower boiling water.
Shoes: I started with a pair of full leather boots and gaiters. I was worried about ankle support at the beginning. In Hot Springs I switched to a pair of Inov-8 Terrocs. These were much lighter and my ankles felt much better after I made the switch. Those lasted about 450 miles, but I wore them for 540 to get my monies worth. Next time I will switch once they start to wear out. I am currently wearing a pair of Montrail Hardrocks, and so far, so good. I have also gotten rid of the gaiters.
Water Bottles: I started with a Camlbak 100 oz and a nalgene. I got rid of the nalgene, because of weight, and I have been buying a new powerade bottle every 10 days or so. The Camelbak bite valve had been leaking on me, and then the bladder broke. I tried to replace it at Walmart, but their version is too cheap and broke right away. I currently have a Platypus 80oz bladder and I am happy with that.
Spoon: I started with a LightMyFire spoon that broke in two weeks. Replaced that with a cheap plastic which I accidentally sent home. Then I acquied a new one from an AYCE Chinese buffet, and then replaced that with a titanium spoon, which will hopefully go the distance.
No other major gear changes other than sending home two long sleeve polypro tops, one short sleeve hiking top, fleece pants, a bandana, my heavy fleece jacket and the ground cover for my tent. With luck I should not have to change out anything else other than shoes. I am expecting to need two more pairs before I finish since they only last about 500 miles.
Backpack: I started with a Gregory Baltoro 70. This is a very nice comfortable pack, but big. I filled it up to start the trail and immediately regretted it because of the weight. I sent the lid back home a couple of weeks ago because I did not need the space and to save weight. But it is still too big. I have ordered a Granite Gear Vapor Meridian which should have been in Waynesboro today. It is a 52 liter pack and is 2 and a half pounds lighter than the Gregory.
Sleeping Bag: I started with an EMS 25 degree down. It has warmed up a lot, so I am now using my silk liner and a fleece blanket. When I get to New Hampshire I will go back to a warmer bag. My first thought had been to use this bag for the whole trail and then buy a new one, but I think I may buy the new one and use it for the White Mountains. If I do I will get a Western Mountainering Ultralite 20 degree bag.
Sleeping Pad: I started with my old Thermarest, and I think I will keep it the whole way. I could get a much lighter one, but it would not be as comfortable.
Stove: I started with an MSR Whisperlite. It is a great stove, if you are cooking for 4. For one, it is overkill, so I now have a SnowPeak GigaPower. It is much lighter and a better one person stove, just a little slower boiling water.
Shoes: I started with a pair of full leather boots and gaiters. I was worried about ankle support at the beginning. In Hot Springs I switched to a pair of Inov-8 Terrocs. These were much lighter and my ankles felt much better after I made the switch. Those lasted about 450 miles, but I wore them for 540 to get my monies worth. Next time I will switch once they start to wear out. I am currently wearing a pair of Montrail Hardrocks, and so far, so good. I have also gotten rid of the gaiters.
Water Bottles: I started with a Camlbak 100 oz and a nalgene. I got rid of the nalgene, because of weight, and I have been buying a new powerade bottle every 10 days or so. The Camelbak bite valve had been leaking on me, and then the bladder broke. I tried to replace it at Walmart, but their version is too cheap and broke right away. I currently have a Platypus 80oz bladder and I am happy with that.
Spoon: I started with a LightMyFire spoon that broke in two weeks. Replaced that with a cheap plastic which I accidentally sent home. Then I acquied a new one from an AYCE Chinese buffet, and then replaced that with a titanium spoon, which will hopefully go the distance.
No other major gear changes other than sending home two long sleeve polypro tops, one short sleeve hiking top, fleece pants, a bandana, my heavy fleece jacket and the ground cover for my tent. With luck I should not have to change out anything else other than shoes. I am expecting to need two more pairs before I finish since they only last about 500 miles.
Post Office
I am currently in Waynesboro, VA 848 miles from Springer. I was realizing that all the milages are from the 2007 guidebook, and that they are all off from the 2008. Also since I just did some trail rerouting with Hardcore, and I assume that other trail clubs are constantly doing the same that the 2008 mileages are probably also wrong at this point. Anyway it is all approximate. In about two weeks after I get to Harper's Ferry I may start talking about the milages to Katahdin.
The only reason I am still in Waynesboro is because something I was expecting did not arrive. Last Saturday I ordered a new backpack. It should have been mailed on Monday with priority mail. Unfortunately it did not get mailed until Wednesday. So I will be spending tonight at the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Hostel. It is a free hostel and I will be eating food I have already purchased, so it is not costing me anything besides some agravation. It was easier to wait the extra day here than to bounce the package to the next stop at the end of the Shenandoahs. Anyway tomorrow we start the Shenandoahs for Memorial Day weekend. We are expecting it to be fairly busy. So there may be opportunities to yogi some free food. Although there are some restaurants in the park right by the trail, so we are thinking that we do not need to carry too much food. Even with that in mind we still bought a lot.
Because of some interesting distances between shelters, 16 miles, yesterday we did a 22 mile day and then 5 this morning where I was met by my friend Clement. Clement is the 5th person connected with Nekton that I have met up with in the last two weeks. If you want to read about what he has been doing recently you can check out his blog at http://clementsworldtour07anewbeginning.blogspot.com/
Clement was nice enough to ferry Daddy-O, Peacock, and myself around Wayneboro. Now I am fresh from a shower at the YMCA, relaxing and waiting for the hostel to open at 5pm.
The only reason I am still in Waynesboro is because something I was expecting did not arrive. Last Saturday I ordered a new backpack. It should have been mailed on Monday with priority mail. Unfortunately it did not get mailed until Wednesday. So I will be spending tonight at the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Hostel. It is a free hostel and I will be eating food I have already purchased, so it is not costing me anything besides some agravation. It was easier to wait the extra day here than to bounce the package to the next stop at the end of the Shenandoahs. Anyway tomorrow we start the Shenandoahs for Memorial Day weekend. We are expecting it to be fairly busy. So there may be opportunities to yogi some free food. Although there are some restaurants in the park right by the trail, so we are thinking that we do not need to carry too much food. Even with that in mind we still bought a lot.
Because of some interesting distances between shelters, 16 miles, yesterday we did a 22 mile day and then 5 this morning where I was met by my friend Clement. Clement is the 5th person connected with Nekton that I have met up with in the last two weeks. If you want to read about what he has been doing recently you can check out his blog at http://clementsworldtour07anewbeginning.blogspot.com/
Clement was nice enough to ferry Daddy-O, Peacock, and myself around Wayneboro. Now I am fresh from a shower at the YMCA, relaxing and waiting for the hostel to open at 5pm.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hardcore
On the Saturday of Trail Days, I had no more gear errands to run, so I checked my email at the public library and then wandered around to see more people. I ran into some former guests from Nekton who had both hiked the trail, and plenty of current thru hikers who had been reading my shelter journal entries. I had one person tell me that they were starting to get too short, and I need to stop slacking. The most random encounter was after the hiker parade (or giant water ballon fight). I was with Peacock and Vagabond, and Vagabond started talking to someone he knew. That person asked if Vagabond knew Tangent. Since I was right there I asked why he was asking for me. It turns out that Bilgerat is currently taking a seven month leave from Nekton where he is an engineer on the Rorqual. We spent some time together and it runs out that he even started the same day I did, but I have been hiking faster and we had never met.
Sunday was the start of Hardcore. Bob Peoples, the head of the Tennessee-Eastman Trail club had a brain storm a couple of years ago. Lots of hikers come back to Damascus for Trail Days, and a lot of them want to give back to the Trail. There are also some projects that just need a large number of in shape people to complete. Put the two together and a lot of good work can be done. This year there were two sections of trail that needed to be rerouted. The first section was by Iron Mountain, and the second was coming off of Jane Bald. So for two days we were given large tools and a couple of instructions. The trail should be three feet wide, and you should have about a 45 degree angle on the uphill side. Other than that just make the trail like you want to hike it. Sunday was a cold rainy day and the new trail was super slick at the end of the day. There were several slips and near spills, but no major accidents. At the end of the day we were able to open up that section. That meant that there were new white blazes to be painted and old ones to be removed. So I now have one blaze going Northbound on the AT that is mine. I helped build the trail and I painted a blaze.
On Sunday we went to Jane Bald which is a little beyond Roan Mountain and went to work again. This time it was breezy and sunny and a perfect temperature for working. I was in a short sleeve shirt and long pants and not really sweating while working. This section had a lot more rock work and tree removal. We worked alomst twice as long and built about the same amount of trail. This was also one of my least favorite sections, and steep rocky decent with bad drainage, so it was nice to be able to improve it. All in all we built about 3,800 feet of new trail. To put it in perspective this is about 1/5,000th of the total trail.
Tomorrow we get back on the trail and start heading north again after about a week off the trail. I am ready to start hiking again. It is nice to come into towns and refuel, and every now and then take a day off to recover, but this break was slightly too long. Trails Days was fun, but not worth two full days. Anyway, tomorrow back on the trail to the Priest.
Sunday was the start of Hardcore. Bob Peoples, the head of the Tennessee-Eastman Trail club had a brain storm a couple of years ago. Lots of hikers come back to Damascus for Trail Days, and a lot of them want to give back to the Trail. There are also some projects that just need a large number of in shape people to complete. Put the two together and a lot of good work can be done. This year there were two sections of trail that needed to be rerouted. The first section was by Iron Mountain, and the second was coming off of Jane Bald. So for two days we were given large tools and a couple of instructions. The trail should be three feet wide, and you should have about a 45 degree angle on the uphill side. Other than that just make the trail like you want to hike it. Sunday was a cold rainy day and the new trail was super slick at the end of the day. There were several slips and near spills, but no major accidents. At the end of the day we were able to open up that section. That meant that there were new white blazes to be painted and old ones to be removed. So I now have one blaze going Northbound on the AT that is mine. I helped build the trail and I painted a blaze.
On Sunday we went to Jane Bald which is a little beyond Roan Mountain and went to work again. This time it was breezy and sunny and a perfect temperature for working. I was in a short sleeve shirt and long pants and not really sweating while working. This section had a lot more rock work and tree removal. We worked alomst twice as long and built about the same amount of trail. This was also one of my least favorite sections, and steep rocky decent with bad drainage, so it was nice to be able to improve it. All in all we built about 3,800 feet of new trail. To put it in perspective this is about 1/5,000th of the total trail.
Tomorrow we get back on the trail and start heading north again after about a week off the trail. I am ready to start hiking again. It is nice to come into towns and refuel, and every now and then take a day off to recover, but this break was slightly too long. Trails Days was fun, but not worth two full days. Anyway, tomorrow back on the trail to the Priest.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Trail Days
I am now back in Damascus, VA for Trail Days. This is a fairly big festival celebrating the Appalachian Trail. Lots of former hikers, and current thru hikers come back for this, as well as friends of the trail and a fair number of different gear companies. This makes it a great opportunity to see other thru hikers that you may have passed as well as getting your gear serviced. I have been able to get a new housing for my water filter, a new pair of socks, new hip and shoulder belts for my backpack, as well as pick up two free water bottles, plenty of stickers, a new wind shirt and plenty of free food. That was just on the first day.
I have also been running into plenty of people that I passed and spent either a night or two with. It is great to see who is still on the trail. Almost half the people I have talked to are in Pearisburg. Wwe are glad that we are ahead of the big wave. We still find room in shelters. Plenty of people, some that I knew and some I did not, have been reading my shelter journal entries. It is cool to have people talking about stories that you wrote down. Although some of my stories end up having multiple parts and I have had to fill in the missing pieces to some of them.
The ride down here was not too eventful. There were four of us, Shadow, Daddy-O, Peacock and myself starting from New Market. We had lunch at the school where Bigfoot works, and then piled in the suburban. We were faily noticable at the school, four thru hikers (clean ones) in a private religious high school. Although both Shadow and Peacock were wearing kilts, so it was only the beard that gave Shadow away, Peacock almost fit in.
On the way down we picked up a South bound section hiker named Stamp that Shadow had met. He had just gotten off the trail and had not yet had time to shower or wash his clothes. Normally we all smell as bad as he did, but not right then. We had all showered that morning, and did laundry the night before, so we had clean clothes on (we were still trying to get used to that). When Stamp got in the car the smell immediately changed. He then took off his shows and socks and we had to force him all the way to the back and open the windows. After a couple of minutes we were all able to breathe again. It is amazing how the hikers sense of smell changes. We do not smell ourselves until we have cleaned off. However when we are on the trail we can smell someone in perfum almost before we can see them.
I have also been running into plenty of people that I passed and spent either a night or two with. It is great to see who is still on the trail. Almost half the people I have talked to are in Pearisburg. Wwe are glad that we are ahead of the big wave. We still find room in shelters. Plenty of people, some that I knew and some I did not, have been reading my shelter journal entries. It is cool to have people talking about stories that you wrote down. Although some of my stories end up having multiple parts and I have had to fill in the missing pieces to some of them.
The ride down here was not too eventful. There were four of us, Shadow, Daddy-O, Peacock and myself starting from New Market. We had lunch at the school where Bigfoot works, and then piled in the suburban. We were faily noticable at the school, four thru hikers (clean ones) in a private religious high school. Although both Shadow and Peacock were wearing kilts, so it was only the beard that gave Shadow away, Peacock almost fit in.
On the way down we picked up a South bound section hiker named Stamp that Shadow had met. He had just gotten off the trail and had not yet had time to shower or wash his clothes. Normally we all smell as bad as he did, but not right then. We had all showered that morning, and did laundry the night before, so we had clean clothes on (we were still trying to get used to that). When Stamp got in the car the smell immediately changed. He then took off his shows and socks and we had to force him all the way to the back and open the windows. After a couple of minutes we were all able to breathe again. It is amazing how the hikers sense of smell changes. We do not smell ourselves until we have cleaned off. However when we are on the trail we can smell someone in perfum almost before we can see them.
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