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  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 39

    Day 37 & 38: Section done/going home!

    April 3 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Courtyard at Roanoke Airport. April 3rd @ 4th.

    Fly out on Thurs April 4th

    The past 5.5 weeks has been a spectacular experience. Wild spring weather (transitioned from ice to temps in the 80's), encountered many wonderful locals from all walks of life that couldn’t have been nicer or more gracious, idyllic farmlands with hundreds of cows & sheep, and trecherous/rocky boulder scrambles at 4,000 ft elevation.
    Never a dull moment during this trip/section (mile markers 297 to 704). And the hikers I met along the way became fast friends and helped make the trip unforgettable.
    Flying home today and can't wait to come back next spring to continue northward on this amazing American journey…    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 38

    Day 36 of AT in VA NOBO

    April 2 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Sarver Hollow Shelter (681.8) to VA Route 620 (697.0)
    Total miles: 16.2

    A beautiful start to the day… heading slowly uphill through beautiful farmlands and grazing cows who were very interested in why I was disrupting their breakfasts.

    A few miles in, I passed by the Keffer Oak, the 2nd largest tree on the AT. Estimated to be 300 years old, it looked to be @ 10-12 feet in diameter. I’m always in wonder when looking at something that was around when George Washington was born.

    Came up on Drifter & Blue at mile 8. A husband & wife team in their early 60’s who I’ve seen back and forth over the past couple of weeks. A salt of the earth couple from Michigan. Have enjoyed our conversations and look forward to following their thru hike north.

    Miles 9-11 saw a treacherous rock face scramble over large 45 degree angle slabs that were slightly wet/slippery. I can’t imagine what this would be like when raining and/or with ice.

    At mile 12 (3,400 ft), I crossed the Eastern Continental Divide on top of Sinking Creek Mtn. Very interesting, actually. This is where waters on the west side of this mountain flow into the Mississippi River and then the Gulf of Mexico (1,920 miles away), while rivers on the east side flow into the James River and then into the Atlantic Ocean (405 miles away).

    The day ended in tense fashion as everyone on this 100-mile area of the trail were urgently advised to get into town due to severe tornado warnings that had been posted for this section of Virginia. We were finally able to line up a shuttle driver by 7:30pm and headed further down the mtn with our headlamps on to be safely extricated! 🤞

    This ended up being the end of my hike for this section, cut short by one day. Seeing as we had to be shuttled into Roanoke (where I was to end tomorrow night anyway), I decided to call it a trip and not go back out in the torrential rain the next day.    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 37

    Day 35 of AT in VA NOBO

    April 1 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    War Spur Shelter (669.7) to Sarver Hollow Shelter (681.8)
    Total miles: 12.1

    Was a warm and humid day, but after the recent cold weather, no one was complaining.

    I saw both hiking couples Trawler & Tender and Spam & Lift at different points in the day. Has been fun getting to know them and hearing about their lives and reasons for trekking. Can’t wait to read their journals and follow them on their journeys north.Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 36

    Day 34 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 31 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Peter’s Mtn Trailhead (657.3) to War Spur Shelter (669.7)
    Total miles: 12.4

    Happy Easter! Headed north from mile marker 657.

    Mountain Mike took Spam, Lift and me to the trailhead at 9am.

    Not supposed to rain today, but at Noon at 4,000 ft, the skies opened up for @ 1.5 hrs. Then, at 2:30, another 10 minute cloudburst, this time pea-sized hail. Was very cool.

    By the time I got to the War Spur Shelter campsite, most of my stuff had dried out. The temp rose to near 80 when the sun came out by mid afternoon.    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 35

    Day 33 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 30 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Peters Mtn Trailhead 657.3) southbound to Clendennin/ Pocahontas Rd (641.7) to
    Total Miles: 15.7

    Spam & Lift got to Angel’s Rest last night and the three of us were shuttled up trail at 7am to hike 15.7 miles southbound back to town.

    Was the warmest day yet… Sunny skies highs in the 70’s.

    Lots of day hikers out today enjoying the beautiful weather as it’s a Saturday.

    Trawler & Tender were surprise check-ins to Angel’s Rest for tonight! We’re turning this place into a full-fledged assisted living facility!    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 34

    Day 32: Zero day in Pearisburg, VA

    March 29 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Hot Tamale (Operations Mgr.); her dog Turk; John & Mountain Mike (shuttle drivers and grounds maintenance) & owner Doc Peppa were all very nice and welcoming. I had one of the three private rooms in the hiker house that had its own bathroom, kitchen & tv room. Very clean and comfortable.

    Food Lion (5 mins), a Mexican restaurant (6 mins), a Dairy Queen (8 mins) and a solid gas station (9 mins) were all easily walkable and frequented by my for all meals, food resupply & atm.    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 33

    Day 31 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 28 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Sugar Run Rd. campsite (625.8) to Clendennin/Pocahontas Rd (641.7)
    Total Miles: 15.9

    Started hiking early. Was a beautiful day and warmed up quickly. Heading uphill to begin the daily trek helped!

    The town of Pearisburg, VA came into view early in the day and continued right through the afternoon.

    The rock formations (including Angel’s Rest Lookout) were very cool. And you could see for miles from the top of them. Many of the formations were as big as small homes. The issue became the jagged rocks in the trail that were common throughout this current stretch of trail and on into Pearisburg.

    l entered into the outskirts of Pearisburg in the afternoon. Crossed Rt. 100 and then up onto a fairly major highway bridge that had a pedestrian walkway on it. Paralleled the New River for a ways even once we got back into the hills and forest. The New River had the look and flavor of the Potomac River once that river gets into heart of Maryland.

    The last 4 miles of day was mostly rolling uphill to the junction of Clendennin & Pocahontas streets. Hot Tamale from Angel’s Rest Hostel picked me up and drove me the 15 minutes to comfy quarters for the next 2 nights.    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 32

    Day 30 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 27 in the United States

    Weary Feet Hostel/Rt 606 (610.5) to Sugar Run Rd. campsite (625.8)
    Total miles: 15.3

    Started north with Nomad and St. Bernard this morning at 8:30am. After heavy rains last night, and fog early this am, skies cleared quickly and it warmed up to 55 by midday.

    Met Spam & Lift, a husband and wife team from Wash DC, who are thru-hiking north. We had heard about each other from Trawler & Tender. All of us cross paths for the most part as we are still ahead of the big bubble of hikers still to come up trail. Hikers/shuttle drivers/hostel owners all communicate to each other who’s where and doing what distances.

    After trekking uphill most of the day, got to campsite at 6pm. Set up tent and ate dinner in warm’ish and dry weather for a change.    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 31

    Day 29 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 26 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    Stealth campsite (596.5) to Weary Feet Hostel/Rt 606 (610.5)
    Total Miles: 14.0

    Was hoping to breakdown camp and get going by 8:30am before the forecasted rain started. Mission accomplished.

    After doing almost 21 miles yesterday, I was looking a bit of a lighter day today (15 miles) and was happy that I did as the rain started in earnest at noon, and continued the rest of the day and night. And temps never got above 42.

    A few miles in, I came across the 600 mile marker on the trail (both in stones and in sticks). Hikers usually get pretty creative with these milestones.

    Saw Trawler and his wife Tender again (they were slack-packing south, so we crossed). They are very nice and took a picture of me the other day for that day’s journal entry. Trawler’s journal is on: trailjournal/Trawler2024

    A few of the hikers I saw were looking to stay at Weary Feet Hostel (610.0 mark) based on being cold & wet, and the stellar reputation of its owner (Julie Sloop). It didn’t take much to get me to join the crowd out of the storm.

    The last minute of trekking for the day was crossing a 100 foot long suspension bridge that swayed left and right with each step. (See video).

    The hostel is a 1906 Victorian home on 82 acres. The hot water for the shower was HOT, the Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes & greens beans for dinner were HOT, and the chocolate cake was AMAZING.

    Great hospitality & lodging for the 4 of us: Upsilon, his dog Zet, Nomad (from Mobile, AL) and St. Bernard (from South Africa).    Read more

  • TravelerHeading North on AT from TN
    Day 30

    Day 28 of AT in VA NOBO

    March 25 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    VA Route 623 (576.0) to
    Stealth campsite (596.5)
    Total Miles: 20.5

    My first 20+ mile day!Beautiful weather and the deer were out & about and plentiful.

    The green tunnels of rhododendrons are starting to take shape as each day passes. The mountain laurel that are found at even higher elevations than rhody’s will begin blooming in 2-3 weeks.

    Spent the middle part of the day ridge running, with Bland, VA discernible in the distance for a good part of it. One of the benefits of the trees not having leaves on them yet.

    It’s always fun when the trail runs under or over an interstate highway. Today, we went over over I-77, which goes North/South from Columbia, SC to Cleveland, OH.

    Set up camp at a stealth tenting site at the top of a ridge at 6pm. Was very windy and cold (low 40’s), but was able to get my tent up and food cooked. Had a nice night alone in the woods!    Read more

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