Day 17 of AT in VA NOBO

Stealth camping spot near Ivy Creek Overlook parking area (897.0) to Swift Run Gap/US 33 (910.1)
Total Miles: 13.1

A windy, cold, but clear night turned into a pleasant morning. Headed off @ 7:30 am as I needed to get up and over a few high peaks before meeting up with shuttler Wayne at 3pm for my ride into Harrisonburg for my off day tomorrow.
Lots of people out today! Met “Indy”, a 65 year old LASHer (long ass section hike) like me who had just started in Front Royal and is hoping to go South all the way to GA. Indy is a retired archeologist who specialized in biblical antiquities, thus the awesome trail name (Indiana Jones).
Just after meeting Indy, I was hiking down the back side of Hazeltop Mtn when 5 ladies with matching t-shirts approached. Had a great discussion with them and it turns out they were from Wisconsin and having a girls week down in the area. Of course we talked about all things Univ of Wisc, and then they were interested in the AT and what sections they could travel to in the future that has easier terrain. Lots of laughs and it was much needed after today’s steep climbs.
Met Wayne at Swift Run Gap at 3pm, and right before he got there, “Purdy” (a fellow LASHer who I had met and hiked with this morning) came out of the woods with pretty bad blisters on both feet. He had been hiking in Altra running shoes instead of Altra trail runners. After dropping me off at my hotel, Wayne rushed Purdy over to a local outfitter before it closed for new shoes. The AT shuttlers and hostel owners take such great care of all the hikers. Extracting us during storms, helping during medical emergencies… working in concert with one another other to make distance hiking as safe and as pleasurable as possible. They really are the true mainstay “trail angels” up and down the full 2,198 mile AT route.Read more