4/16-4/23/08 near Damascus to Pearisburg, VA

4/23/08  24.2 miles  Wapiti Shelter

Today’s’ hiking followed another series of patience-thinning ridges littered with jagged rocks and dismal views. But unusual surprises halfway through served to enlighten my mind. Descending the ridgeline we seemed to walk into spring—unfurled in all of its glory. The blooming trees and bushes were the most captivating part of the day. In addition to my sensual luxury we journeyed half a mile down the state road to Trent’s Grocery Store where I took the $4.50 fried chicken, mashed potato, macaroni and cheese special without hesitation. The last eight miles of the day wound through pine flats, spongy black dirt and dense wetlands, all a part of an ecosystem I have only just discovered. In addition to the evening’s benefits, I soaked my feet in the numbing water of Dismal Creek, and built a fire later. Pearisburg tomorrow!

4/22/08  14 miles  Helvey’s Mill shelter

A day of Bland hiking and Bland town exploration concluded quietly and peacefully. I wrote a long letter home and have a chance to read—things that I have had regrettable little of in the timeless land of freedom. It is hard to remember tat there is utter lawlessness when surrounded by other competitive people.

 4/21/08  19.1 miles   Jenkins Shelter   Bland, Virginia

Virginia is certainly not as easy as the popular conception. A 2,000 foot ascent to the Chestnut Ridge and eight miles of walking a jagged ridgeline were both challenging yet mundane. The Chestnurt Knob Shelter was gorgeous; unfortunately I moved on to stay here (Jenkins Shelter) and devour close to 5,000 calories. Tomorrow is the stop at Bland. I hope it is not entirely confined to its name.

4/20/08  18 miles Knot Maul Branch Shelter

After escaping the clutches of hotel living and childish thirty-year olds I returned to the sweet solace of the woods. Today’s terrain sloped over pasturelands and grassy hillsides—conducive to stopping, relaxing, and eating many Nutella-laden tortillas. Rabbit’s Foot and I changed places many times today being the only two on the trail and so relaxed by the landscape. I saw many bovine today. Virginia really is the territory of private lands and hungry cows. Tonight we cooked a whole bag of marshmallows, courtesy of Furniture.

4/18/08  30.6 miles   Partnership Shelter  Marion, Virginia

It seems an eternity has passed within the last two days. Time and space are intertwined, and I feel like I have crossed the plane of them both so rapidly. After reaching Trimpi Shelter, Furniture urged me on to another 10 miles to Partnership Shelter, a challenging test but an excellent medicine for sleep.  This morning Furniture and I made a swift resupply in Marion, VA after the ease of quick hitchhikes. I planned to walk another 3 miles past my current location tonight, but violent thunderstorms forced me into a room with the Asa Dachi Clan who are surprisingly hospitable. I just have to drift with the wind.

4/17/08  18.9 miles  Wise Shelter

I feel like I have already conquered the hardest stretch of Virginia; that I have already harpooned the biggest whale. Climbing Whitetop Mountain was an invigorating challenge, but Mt. Rogers, Virginia’s highest peak, was hardly memorable. I spent another day almost alone, and in sparse company when I wasn’t. The statistic says that half of thru-hikers are gone by Damascus, and I can easily see a thinning crowd. Furniture and I had the adventure of encountering wild ponies, a practically unbelievable episode.

I am unfortunately situated between two ends of the hiker spectrum—the full pacifying of Lady and the Tramp, a couple in their mid-fifties and the trite asinine thirty-year old crew, men who come to the woods to escape authority. Otherwise things are sweet on the AT.

New clever food technique… “fruit leathers”… dehydrated fruit and coconut puree, blended first, then dried.  (From Steadyon, Texas) 

4/16/08  15.8 miles  Lost Mountain Shelter

It is difficult to capture life out here on the lines of a journal and it is easy to transform the simple joys into pompousness and pride in writing.   Between the time I spent in Damascus and the campfire I enjoyed tonight, I learned that companionship really is the strongest force on the trail. I wish I could elaborate more in writing, but telling stories around a fire and a full moon are some of the greatest joys.

Lady and the Tramp stayed holed up in the shelter while the Asa Dachi crew-chief Daddy, Bill, Scooter, Hammerdown; Beavis and Dog, Major Miles, Captain Jack, Furniture, Free Hugs and I relived what it means to be young. 

 

4/12 Hampton, TN 2 Zero Days

My first extended relaxation from hiking put an entirely new perspective on life on the AT. Just as the corporate peons and cubicle workers deserve 2 days of leisure for every 5 days of work, so do we hikers need our time off. Yesterday was my first zero day; a day which includes no mileage and total vegetation. I used the opportunity to eat inhuman amounts of food, and play a tense game of Monopoly with Furniture on the porch of the Kincora hostel. I felt that Bob Peoples is extraordinarily generous in all the services he provides to hikers, and I am grateful that he opens his doors to tired hikers.

Today was my second sabbath day, which I spent with my loving mother and brother. We hiked about 4 miles of trail, and I was able to demonstrate a little piece of life on the AT. Afterwards we basically enjoyed the comforts of town living, including barbershops, antique stores, and restaurants. I feel reborn from all the great relaxation, but also eager to rejoin the trail and resume homelessness once again. 

More Photos

  look very closely... there's a deer on the trail.

photos

4/9/08 Mountaineer Shelter 17 miles today

In addition to the typical extravagantly simple joys of hiking, today was filled with all the other delights we can expect in the woods.  I passed Glen, the section-hiker and his voracious dog on Hump Mountain, an astounding pinnacle. I indulged in TrailMagic from RoDo, a 2007 thru-hiker in the company of Gloworm   and Viewfinder and got to saunter right through the smoldering woods of a controlled burn. In addition, I arrived at the plush, newly constructed Mountaineer Shelter to find Furniture amble in later. Tomorrow we invade Kincora!

4/8/08 Overmountain Shelter 13 miles today

Overmountain Shelter

Another day spent in solitude, another day for introspection. It is near impossible to catalogue all of the daily happenings within my mind and body, but my transformation will supersede any writings in a journal.

Today was the climb of Roan Mountain, a crucible of a hike. The summit wasn’t rewarding in views or company but it felt very satisfying to conquer my last 6000 foot mountain until the Whites.  I am staying in Overmountain Shelter, the luxurious renovated barn. My company tonight was Glen, a section-hiker for whom I created a fierce campfire. My efforts were rewarded further when Gloworm and Viewfinder arrived, eager to share the warmth.

I don’t know if it is effective for people to convert hikers through leaving Bibles in Shelters. Obviously we are on a quest of uncertainty or in a certain direction away from a stifling religion.  Bibles certainly aren’t food. 

4/7/08 Clyde Smith Shelter 15 miles today

Today has been an exciting chapter in my quest for independence. I seem to be in a void of hikers, between my old clan of friends including Free Hugs, Furniture, Rabbit’s Foot, Gloworm and Viewfinder, and an entirely new pack of hikers. I traveled virtually in solitude with the occasional meeting of slackpackers coming south at the service of Uncle Johnny’s. But the silence of the woods gives me wonderful time for introspection.

            Today I conquered Unaka Mountain, a stupefying maze of pine forests. I saw a wild turkey and a roaming pack of white-tailed deer. Combined with the blooming foliage, the forest lets me know a new season is ripe at hand. We are both eager to shed our bitter winter defenses.

            Tonight I am alone at the shelter, but I built a roaring fire to keep my company—it was my first successful creation too. Tomorrow I climb Roan Mountain, the last 6000 foot peak until the White Mountains. This weekend I will see Mom, which makes me more excited with every step.  Good night.

4/6/08 Beauty Spot Gap 10 miles today

What a transition in trail life! After one night of town rejuvenation, stories have rapidly unfolded. Furniture and I reached Uncle Johnny’s Hostel to find Fish waiting around. Surprising considering he was many miles behind. He found a hitch on the highway and plans on continuing his journey westward—leaving for San Diego. But he promises he will rejoin us. Aside from that, fellowship grows stronger. The trail community is forever growing into one, integrating into a family. 

4/4/08 Bald Mountain Shelter 19.1 miles today

Sometimes when it is easiest to throw fiery curses at the world and dwell in the pit of misery, whatever cosmic force that binds us redeems life with something glorious. Whether it is fate or God, some power still smiles on our minuscule endeavors.

            The weather today was absurd. I know I have reached a point of simplicity when the weather is the greatest influence on my day. This morning began with fiery sleet that subsided to incessant rain. Climbing Bald Mountain under the assault of rain only tempered my mind for the glorious summit. As I reached the top the clouds dissipated and the horizon reveals its infinite stretch, unfurling into misty oblivion. Hopefully tomorrow I can reach Erwin, Tennessee and secure some relaxation time. I need it. 

4/3/08 Flint Mountain Shelter 20 miles today

Both in my demeanor and the demeanor of the world around me today has been one of the most turbulent on the trail. The morning’s mellow weather quickly deteriorated into violent wind and storm clouds, corresponding with the steep terrain. I left my friends behind at the roadside Trail Magic, resisting temptation and costly delays. However, I wandered through the foggy oblivion in solitude today with a clear mind.  

On top of the ridgeline I was bombarded by turbulent wind and gusts of rain, and veiled from the worldly dense clouds of fog. But there is something even more awesome in seeing the opaque infinity than the real views themselves. What we see is pleasant, but what we cannot see touches far more than our eyes alone. 

I braved the rain for a final six miles, pushing past Jerry Cabin Shelter where POW and TLC were safely encamped. I enjoyed a peaceful evening and dinner with only the calm company of Gloworm and Viewfinder—a most tranquil end to the violent day.  But just as I was extinguishing the candles, Fish, furniture and Dog stumbled in along with their horrific odors, upsetting the 9pm peace!

4/3/08 13 miles out of Hot Springs

A day in Hot Springs was both relaxing and strenuous, certainly nothing that I could expect. Town certainly offered its respite, but I was forced to scramble to get my laundry and resupply done before fulfilling my work-for-stay contract.  For the exchange of my $28 stay, I spent four hours of manual labor removing two tree sumps, digging trenches and tilling soil.  I was rewarded with a plethora of food and a raging sunburn. The evening settled into a relaxing ambiance as my companions and I chatted with the gregarious Elmer himself and enjoyed the companionship of peanut butter cookies.

            Today the hiking journey is complicated by my sunburn and the indulgences I saturated from town. It certainly is hard walking away with the extra weight. 

4/1/08 Hot Springs, NC Elmer’s Sunnybank Inn

        "FREE HUGS" IN HOT SPRINGS

My greatest fears are over, and the fierce Smoky Mountains are far behind. I am continuously acquiring new company as well as hiking techniques. And just as with any craft, only practice brings you close to perfection.

            I feel guilty about my lack of correspondence home. As always, I am overwhelmed with pride and joy to receive letters and trinkets from everyone in the family, but ironically in the timeless wilderness I don’t have time to write everyone back separately. Upon reaching town I am always instantly bombarded with priorities. It seems like I collide with all the momentum society has gathered since the last time I left it. For instance, this morning I rushed into Hot Springs, arrived at Elmer’s Sunnybank Inn at 9am to secure the last vacancy. I scrambled to find the nearest place to do laundry, collect my packages, resupply food and visit the outfitter. I then spent four hours removing tree stumps from Elmer’s garden for my work-for-stay contract. I finally found time to write and call home after reassembling all my gear and eating, and it is now almost midnight.

            I hope everything is peaceful in every area of your lives. Always be grateful for what is around you. 

3/30/08 Deer Mountain Shelter 10 miles today

After a relaxing day we arrived at a relaxing shelter, listening to the gentle voices of or elders Piece of Work and Tender Loving Care (POW and TLC.)  Fish and Free Hugs went on to Hot Springs and Furniture and I will meet them early in the morning for adventures.

3/29/08 Walnut Mountain Shelter 13 miles today

I am glad to walk in good company, especially today on the slopes of Max Patch. We paused to relax for hours and met a true vagabond and former thru-hiker named Jeff or Phoenix. The afternoon was near perfect.

            However, there are many pretentious people on the trail. These insecure old men all treat the wilderness like on of their glorious competitions. I am glad to travel with fresh minds.

3/28/08 Groundhog Creek Shelter 17mi today

After a triumphant and hasty procession out of the Smokies, I paused with my band of friends at Standing Bear Hostel for resupply. Aside from buffering my body with massive amounts of fat and carbohydrates, I had the opportunity to meet up with old lost friends. Handyman, Longstep, TLC and POW all congregated at the hostel to tell stories of friends far and fading. This hiker community is lone large roving band of nomadic people all seeking company.

            Afterwards we were challenged with a climb harder than the entrance to the Smokies, barraged with rain and mist. It was haunting and frustrating at first to climb an endless hill shrouded in mist and bleak trees. But upon reaching the top, Furniture and I were rewarded with an amazing summit view as the mist cleared. We are pushing onwards to Hot Springs in the next few days. 

3/27/08 Crosby Knob Shelter 13 miles today

Today was filled with beautiful glimpses of both people and panoramas. We have practically escaped the Smokies, stronger from the challenge. On the ridgeline today Trainwreck, Pearl, Fish and I pondered the woes and joys of the world, attempting to simplify the human race to AT Logic.  I also discovered how to make cheese quesadillas on a windscreen over my stove.  

3/26/08 Peek’s Corner Shelter 21.6 miles today

It has been a crucible of a day, both a strain of my hiking endurance and faith in the trail. But so many amazing things happened in such a short time.  Beginning with a 4:30am rise I set out with the three F’s (Fish, Furniture and Free Hugs) to witness a glorious sunrise from Clingman’s Dome—the highest point on the entire AT.  Instead, after 3 miles of hiking in the dark we were greeted with frigid windy conditions and overcast skies. However the triumph was still alive being at the literal top of this journey.

            After more miles of hiking through Evergreen forests we stopped out of exhaustion at Indian Road Gap. It was barren and magic-less, but I salvaged good cream cheese from the trash—an act of desperation. Furniture and I pushed on with fortune at our heels and Fish and Free Hugs stayed behind haplessly to miss our upcoming break.

            Newfound Gap was tense with the tourist dregs, but not without generous trail magic. A kind thru-hiker from 2006 spoiled us with chips, dip, beer and hot dogs.  I chose salmon and bagels instead out of vegetarian principle. Coincidentally, another hiker from 2006 arrived with a van laden with fried chicken, cupcakes, cookies, crackers and fresh fruit!  Steak n’ Shake, Rabbit’s Foot, Beavis and Dog all joined later to partake in the Trail Magic, but Free Hugs and Fish sadly pushed on to the next shelter without respite.

            After all joining together again we took a brave plunge to the next shelter—7.5miles after an already long 15-mile day. The mileage was tantalizing and harsh, but not without spectacular views and a rewarding shelter to reach.

            Being alone to confront the odds against oneself makes one grateful for the joys of company, both simple and subtle.

3/25/08 Double Spring Shelter 13.5 miles today

Perhaps it is my excessive food weight and perhaps it is the terrain, but the Smokies have been easily fatiguing. Tomorrow we plan on leaving early enough to see the sunrise on Clingman’s Dome. This requires battling steep terrain in icy darkness. Hopefully it will be a life-redeeming moment.

3/24/08 Spence Field Shelter 17 miles today

I have conquered anxiety and fear and with the pressure I’ve banished I have also gained new sufficiency. I have grown into my backpackers’ mind, literally and figuratively. I am glad I have friends around; community is the essence of this journey. Things are too subtle for expression.

3/23/08 Fontana Dam "Hilton" Shelter 1.5miles today

I am anxiously stationed on the edge of the Smokies, bidding me time against the weather. It is certainly below freezing because it has been snowing sporadically all day. After a pampered morning resupplying at Fontana Village, I set out with Fish, Furniture and Free Hugs as well as Beavis and Dog to eliminate the possibility of a zero day. Since about 2:00pm we have been pent up in the spacious Fontana “Hilton” shelter crowded around a campfire and devouring camp provisions. 

            I am ready to finally enter the Smokies, the greatest crucible of this hike, and end all the awkward tension circulating around the nature of the terrain. The community is obviously growing stronger, but frays in integrity develop at the edges, just as in any group, and people are prone to dishonesty. Regardless, I am ready to cross Fontana Dam. 

Footprints in the Snow

I wish I could express all of the harboured emotions from the last three days, but only now that I can feel my fingers can I write it all down.
After being pampered by a visit from my mom and brother in Hampton, Tennessee, I set out into the most abysmal weather I have yet seen. A spontaneous cold snap settled over the ridgeline between Wautaga Lake and Damascus, Virginia, blanketing a 50 mile stretch with thick snow. All of Sunday and Monday I walked through dense snowfall, hidden from the sunshine, my tracks hidden by the constant accumulation. I spent the nights shivering, wishing I hadn't sent home my zero-degree sleeping bag.
I came to a clearing in the ridgeline yesterday to look at the horizon, only to be terrified by the sky. I had seen mist before, but truly the sky was nothing but a dense veil of charcoal colored clouds. There was no depth, no shading- just an opaque shroud of snow. I was really scared.
But then I realized that the weather is a thoughtless, feelingless force- neither here to win nor lose. It has no sympathy, pride or malice, and to be scared of it is to be scared of nothing. I hiked with a braver step after thinking about this, occasionally yelling 'suck a duck' from the top of the ridgeline, or other phrases. Walking into Damascus today was like walking into a different season.

Erwin, Tennessee

As I trudged up the steeply graded Bald Mountain in the relentless rain, only dismal thoughts clouded my mind. In those conditions, it is hard to justify a two mile climb. But once I broke through the treeline the rain stopped, and once I reached the summit the clouds parted, leaving nothing but a panorama of the boundless horizon. Just when it seems I am at the pit of misery, ready to fling curses at the world, fate teaches me that there is beauty in every angle of the world. Now I have come 70 miles from Hot Springs, and 338 miles from the beginning- a long way to trudge with new eyes.
For practical advice, never hike with sunburn on your back.

Hot Springs, North Carolina

I reached Hot Springs today, the first city directly on the Appalachian Trail. Tonight I am staying at the Sunnybank Inn Hostel, a Victorian Home converted by a radical vegetarian into a hiker haven. I have already completed my work-for-stay: cutting tree stumps out of the ground and tilling garden soil. I am hiking with three guys from Masachusetts: Furniture, Fish and Free Hugs. We are all enjoying the luscious appearance of spring in this little town, and taking advantage of good food. Appreciate the things around you which you might overlook: the sunshine, laughter, and clean fingernails.