Two Months on the Trail

Day 55

Chameleon and I successfully hitched into and out of Pearisburg! It took three rides each way but we didn't have to wait too long in between each one. I was definitely glad to have someone with me even though these communities are accustomed to seeing hikers.

I got my summer package from the post office. My new sleeping bag takes up so much less space! Everything except my ukulele now fits into my pack when I'm fully stocked with six days of food. It weighs less now too!

Day 56

Today I saw two hikers I hadn't seen in a long time. Bean Counter passed by our camp site this saying he had been chasing me for a while. I met him during my first week on the trail in Georgia and hadn't seen him since.  Then I saw Ninja Face when I stopped for a snack. The last time I had seen him was in the Smokies. You never know who will turn up!

This morning was quite nice. There was some leaf cover that kept things cool. The afternoon was very hot with a lot of sweat. I was glad to see the shelter to cool off and rest my feet.

Day 57

Happy Mother's Day! Today I had multiple great views out over a valley. At the first lookout I watched rain move over the mountains in a sheet with sun shining behind it. At the next overlook a bird was riding the wind currents the dove and spun straight down before swooping back up to the sky.

The sunset was beautiful tonight. I am so lucky to be here.

Day 58

This morning I got an earlier start than usual. As I walked up the hill and over the ridge I saw mountain tops emerging out of a see of fog. They looked like islands on a smokey gray sea.

 

As the weather gets warmer streams are more important. First, they provide water which is much cooler than the water that has been sitting in my bottle for hours. Second, I can rinse off and cool down. I didn't realize just how lucky we were on the beginning of the trail.  I never had to worry about where the next water source would be, I never ran out of water.  Now, in the mornings I look and plan how much water to carry. Running out of water after five miles and not finding water for another five would be terrible.  Thankfully that has not happened to me yet, but there are others who have not planned so well.

For the first time I have partially  set my tent up inside a shelter. I saw a mouse while cooking dinner and there were just two on the wall. As long as they don't eat a hole in my tent at least they won't be running over me.

Day 59

The thunderstorms did arrive last night. I was glad to be in a shelter with the thunder and lightning right over head. The good thing was that it seemed to scare the mice into hiding for the night. The cloudy morning turned into a beautiful day. The air felt fresh and crisp, perfect for hiking.

Day 60

There was a great cool breeze all day today. It was a bit chilly last night but certainly not cold. I hiked along a ride today with large rounded grey rocks. The terrain reminded me of New Hampshire and hiking I did as a kid. The sun was warm from the south and every time there was a break in the rocks cool wind would blow over from the north. Lovely hiking weather.

 

Chameleon and I stopped to make dinner by a river around five, then kept hiking. There weren't going to be any water sources in the next 10 miles or so. We hiked into the evening, found a great camping spot and set up our tents to watch the sunset.

Day 61

Today marked two months on the trail and we walked through the 700th mile of the trail!

I saw my first rhododendron in bloom on the trail this morning! After seeing so many of the bushes and buds, seeing the flower was very exciting. Later in the day whole bushes were in bloom. I also saw mountain laurel in bloom. The buds look like the stars made of icing.

I hiked up to Dragons Tooth. It was a large rock formation jutting up from the mountain. The climb down was steep and a bit challenging with a pack on. I was glad to have hiked some extra miles yesterday!

I'm staying at a hostel tonight. Unfortunately the grocery store listed in the guidebook had closed, so I bought food for the next few days at a gas station. Thankfully they also had burgers, pizza, homemade brownies, and ice cream. Yum!

Day 62

I slept late this morning, until 7:30, at the hostel. We decided to rest and take a lazy morning and to take three days to hike the next section rather than two.

There was a good rain shower this afternoon. I think that was the first time my new boots had gotten soaked. Not bad since I have been wearing them since Damascus!

Day 63

This morning I woke up early in an attempt to see the sun rise. I didn't get to see it but the early morning om McAfee's Knob was beautiful. Fog was in the deeper valleys, the silhouettes of the mountains faded into the distance, and the sun glimmered through the clouds.

 

On my way up to Tinker Cliffs I saw a mama bear with her cubs. I don't think she ever saw me. At first I wasn't even sure what I was looking at. She was on all fours and was hidden by brush. I could tell she wasn't moving like a deer so I stopped on the trail. As she wandered I realized she was a bear and that the rustling behind her must have been cubs. They were tumbling around after her. I watched and waited for a while giving them plenty of time to move on.

We ate lunch with a fellow hiker on the cliffs. The houses in the valley were surprisingly large. So many great things to see today!

It was a short walk down the mountain to the next shelter. It was another short day, but with waking up early I was glad for a relaxing afternoon.