850.5

Waynesboro, Virginia, mile 850.5. After a day off here today, I'll head into the Shenandoah National Park. Life is good ... body is tired, but we're moving right along. Virginia has had some of the best spots so far and some of the toughest terrain. When you talk to most former thru-hikers, read the books, and watch any of the documentaries, they all say that Virginia is easy ... hmmm. It has been good, but not easy. In the last 3 days I've climbed 3000+ foot mountains and had a 3000 foot descent - that hurts a bit - I don't care who you are - and the views have been spectacular. Shenandoah should offer some more gentle climbs and descents and give the body some rest. I still feel great though (I'll feel even better after my 3rd shower today!) And for all of you who may have had some concerns about me keeping on weight ... don't worry. As of yesterday I've gained 7 pounds - yup, gained, not lost, so I'm in good shape.

It's hard to believe that I'm only 238 miles from the halfway point. It's also hard to believe that after another 238 miles I still have another 1088 miles to go. One day at a time, one step at a time ... and when I do get frustrated I have to laugh and remember that I'm just walking.

Pictures: lunch; The Guillotine; rattlesnake; breakfast atop Big Rocky Row; one last look after breakfast on Big Rocky Row

Cutest Angel I Ever Saw

On June 12th we got a real treat. That's the day I was fortunate enough to meet the cutest angel I ever met, John Hasty. He met Samson at a shelter right after we left and offered to make some dinner for the thru-hikers and made an arrangement to meet us up the trail a bit. John pulled out a grill and made us homemade pancakes, grilled sausage, and eggs. Wow! The meal came complete with orange juice. He kept making up the good eats as long as we kept gobbling them down. He was even so gracious to make a little take-out for our friends Mas and Blazing Star who had hiked up the trail a bit earlier than us.

John said his son, Snakebite, had completed a thru-hike northbound last year and that he was just trying to give back to the trail what so many others had done for his son on his trek. Thank you John! You made our day and as you can see ... Mas and Blazing Star were elated to have some non-dehydrated dinner once we caught up to them. Take care!

Water, Please

Okay, we have gone from a cold snap a couple of weeks ago to one of the worst heat waves in Virginia's recent history. Really Mother Nature .. c'mon, work with us. Lately it seems as though we're melting half of the time and we have to drink our weight in water everyday. They say the temperature should drop down to normal, the 80s, in a couple of days. Here, in Daleville, we ended up taking a zero because it hit 100 degrees today and there was no way we were going to climb the 1400 feet out of town today. When we do see water, we generally jump in and share it with whomever and whatever may be around. As a matter of fact I am typing at breakneck speed so I can run and jump the the motel pool. Pictures: Jogle & I in a stream; Animal; crayfish; fish; self-portrait of facewash after hiking through hot open fields

Thank You Audie

A few days ago we set out for another day of the trail that included a two and a half-mile uphill climb. Much to our chagrin, we hit the hill at 3:00 in the afternoon in the direct sunlight when it was 96 degrees out. How's that for bad timing? Luckily, we had just received a little trail magic in the form of ice cold watermelon and sodas just before the climb. At the top of the climb was the Audie Murphy memorial marking the place where Audie Murphy's plane crashed in 1971. As beautiful as the memorial was, the nice bench sitting there was much-appreciated and enjoyed by all of us. By the sight of the growing rock cairns, I would say that many a hiker has enjoyed that bench at the end of the tough climb. Audie, thank you for your service to this country and thank you for your beautiful park bench. Pictures: Eastern Continental Divide; trail magic cooler and Jogle; Animal, Donnie & Jogle; bench at memorial; Audie Murphy memorial

Climbing High

Over the past couple of days we have hiked and climbed in some gorgeous areas of Virginia. They have been tough days in the middle of this heat wave (95+ degrees, a backpack, and a couple thousand feet of climbing can be a little draining), but it has been worth it even though it does not always seem like it is when we're dragging ourselves uphill. Here are a few pictures. The places are truly indescribable and the pictures do not do them justice, but I'll try to describe them to you all once I find the words. Pictures: me atop McAfee Knob, ditto, Jogle & I on Dragon's Tooth, steep section of trail (drop off) trying to get down from Dragon's tooth, roots/rocks at Dragon's Tooth

A Green Tunnel No More

The AT is also sometimes referred to as The Green Tunnel because there are viewpoints, but not a lot of wide open spaces along the trail. Most of the time we are just hiking through the forests, which can be frustrating and monotonous for some. However, over the last couple of weeks, the wildflowers have popped and the trail is now alive with a myriad of colors and fragrances. I only wish the computer had a scratch 'n' sniff program so everyone could get the full effect of these flowers. Here are just a few pictures: Me on the trail surrounded by a rhododendron thicket; azaleas; mountain laurel; trail blaze by wildflowers; yellow iris

Critters

There have been lots of critters along the way: Wild ponies in the Grayson Highlands; catepillar; Eastern ribbon snake; deer; newt

624!

Well, I've hiked over hills and mountains and through the woods for 624 miles. It's hard to believe ... especially since the average American walks approximately one mile per week. I'm in Pearisburg, Virginia taking a day off. I'm still feeling great. I've been hiking with the same loose group since Damascus and we've seen some wonderful things ... various critters, wild ponies, and a day of torrential rain. We've jumped in and rinsed off in streams and basked in the sun when it returned. Within one week I will have completed 1/3 of the AT and be moving into central Virginia. I still love hiking the AT even though there are a lot who have been walking off lately for various reasons. The crowds are definitely going to start thinning soon. I love the fact that everyday is different since my portable home moves further along the trail each day and that there is always something new just around the corner. I love the vast majority of the people on the trail out here with me. They're some of the best men and women I've ever met. I also enjoy the experience of not knowing what day of the week or month it is. In the "other" world everything is on such a strict schedule - the opposite is definitely an experience. Here are a few more pictures: Jogle after our waterlogged day; me atop Buzzard's Rock; Jogle with a well-deserved beer after drying out; Campfire on the trail in the Greyson Highlands; Jogle, Mas, Blazing Star and Samson