May 15, 2022. Mile 730, Daleville, VA.
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Reunited at Catawba, VA |
Greetings from mile 730 -- 1/3 of the distance for north-bounders hiking to Maine. In Canadian terms, Daleville is about 1,175 km north of the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia.
The Virginia portion of the trail, to this point, is absolutely stunning and more varied in terms of topography than the previous three states. The mountains may not be as lofty as they were further south, but there are plenty of ridge lines to gaze at, and large erratics to scramble over, under, or between. The views from up high are spectacular. My agricultural roots get a stir when I emerge from the forest and hike across a hilly pasture, or spot cattle 2000 feet below from where I happen to be standing. The forest has come alive with the warmer weather -- the canopy is filling in, as is the forest floor.
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Symm's Gap Meadow, May 8, 2022 |
I left Pearisburg on the 8th (Mother’s Day) with only 73 miles to complete in the following 5.5 days to reach my rendezvous point with Pam. As a result, the pace was not as demanding as what I had been doing previously. Two days of rain had left the forest floor lush and green. I made it to a beautiful campsite in Lost Spectacles Gap late in the afternoon on the 12th.
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Rhododendrons in Bloom at Lost Spectacles Campsite |
This spot was notable for 3 reasons: 1) I had made it down the north descent from Dragon’s Tooth earlier that afternoon without killing myself (the sketchiest section of trail I had seen to date), 2) the rhododendrons were suddenly in blossom here, and 3) I had an experience reminiscent of an episode of the Flintstones I remember from perhaps 50 years ago. The Flintstones and Rubbles go camping and score themselves an isolated and exclusive campsite. When the families wake up in the morning, they find themselves in the middle of a sea of Boy Scouts arrived for their world jamboree. How 2000 Scouts can stealthily set up camp overnight without making a sound is beyond me, but you can get away with a lot in an animated cartoon. In my case, as soon as I had set up my tent and got my bedding in order, the skies opened and the rain began to fall. So I retreated to my tent and cooked my supper in the vestibule. When I emerged an hour later after the rain had eased, I counted a dozen tents that had been pitched while I dined, and I had no idea this had all gone down. It was a group of men who were out for three days and 2 nights. They were soaked and most had little or no drinking water. I was in no immediate mood to share as I had gone to the trouble to lug 3 extra litres (heavy!!!) almost 7 miles over this dry section of trail.
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Hikers working up the Nerve to Approach the Dragon's Tooth |
I got my first taste of night hiking the next morning when I left camp an hour before sunrise, as I had 7.5 trail miles and another mile of road-walking to get to the post office in Catawba, VA where I would pick up my re-supply box, and more importantly, meet Pam who was getting shuttled there by an outfitter in Daleville. I arrived at the post office an hour ahead of Pam thanks to the outfitter who slept in and forgot all about the shuttle. It all worked out in our favour, as I was able to send my tent and winter clothes back with him in favour of the 2-person tent Pam brought, and he (John) drove us back uphill to the A.T. trailhead.
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Pam Found her Jamie Fraser* atop McAfee Knob! |
In her 3 trail days, Pam hiked a total of 20 miles (32 km), endured her hairy, smelly husband, a full pack on her back, one pounding rainstorm, some serious climbs, rock scrambling, ticks, and trail food. She lost her taste for ramen noodles pretty quickly in favour of instant mashed potatoes with nutritional yeast. Our first night was spent at Pig Farm campsite (no kidding!) and night 2 at Lambert’s Meadow, which was a stunning location beside a creek. Pam also climbed 2 of the 3 “Virginia Triple Crown” peaks, including McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.
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Above the Clouds at Tinkers Cliffs |
She missed Dragon’s Tooth by a day. We pushed it on day 3 and did over 9 miles, which is a lot for a beginner. We were prepared to stealth camp, but the topography did not allow for that. So we pressed on and made it to Daleville late in the afternoon on the 15th, having reached the 1/3 mark in the process.
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Just Some of the Rocks We Climbed Under, Over or Between |
On May 16, we picked up our vehicle and some re-supply boxes at the outfitter, and then set out on a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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One of the Spectacular Views along the Blue Ridge Parkway |
We had a picnic lunch at Peaks of Otter and then drove back to the lovely hamlet of Fincastle, VA and the most amazing accommodation: 25 East Main B & B, owned and operated by Bobbie and Mitch Bowman. We were absolutely spoiled for 2 days by this lovely couple in their gorgeous home.
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25 East Main B&B, Fincastle VA |
On Tuesday Bobbie and Mitch offered us the opportunity to drive up to their cottage for a paddle on Craig’s Creek, which we readily accepted!
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Enjoying a Peaceful Paddle on Craig's Creek |
All in all, those were a couple of days that Pam and I will not soon forget, nor will we forget the breakfasts, and the friendship and kindness extended to us by the Bowmans. If you are EVER anywhere near Fincastle, do yourself a favour and treat yourself to Bobbie and Mitch’s hospitality.
https://www.facebook.com/25EastMainBandB/
TRAIL BITS
Nutrition: Hiker “Hawkeye” lamented that his pack of ramen noodles had expired 6 months earlier. He ate them just the same. None of us figured old ramen could be any worse or better than new ramen.
Watersheds: I crossed the eastern continental divide on May 11 on Sinking Creek Mountain. Water draining down the western slope makes its way (eventually) to the Gulf of Mexico, and water down the eastern slope to the Atlantic.
Big Oak: I saw and photographed the Keffer Oak on May 11. This is the largest oak on the southern A.T., and when last measured was 19 feet in circumference.
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The Keffer Oak |
Flora and Fauna: wood thrushes, indigo bunting, pileated woodpeckers, black vulture, five lined skink, red eft (a newt), black flies, eyed click beetle, giant millipede, flat backed millipede, pink lady’s slipper orchid, mountain laurel, deer galore, ticks, nice photo of a timber rattlesnake that I just missed but hiker, Hare (see below), encountered just south of Dragon’s Tooth.
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Red Eft |
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Eyed Click Beetle |
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Flat Backed Millipede |
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Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid |
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Mountain Laurel |
Trail Names:
“Effervescent”…the name I gave to Mickey, the dive motel manager in Pearisburg who communicated via grunts and grimaces.
“Oklahoma Tom” …I never quite figured out where he hailed from...
“Moon”…from Raleigh N.C. who was rehabbing a knee injury. Moon got his name when he bent over and split his pants early in his hike.
“Boost” and dog “Scout” from South Carolina. I was with Boost at Laurel Creek Shelter on May 10 when she successfully built and lit her first campfire. Unfortunately her stay soured early the next morning when another camper’s dog, left to roam loose the night before, caused a ruckus which resulted in Scout exiting the tent thru a sidewall to defend his mistress.
“Tortoise” and “Hare”. Hare was always waiting along the trail for Tortoise to catch up.
“Wilberforce”….who disqualified me from a particular trivia question around the fire one evening…..”What’s the capital of Canada?” he asked a group of hikers eating dinner. “Ontario?” NO! “Quebec?” NO! “Ottawa!!” YES “You would have gotten that one, right?” Wilberforce says to me. “Ya I think so.”
“Determined”…a guy who, like me, had recently retired and was trying a section hike to see if he wanted to attempt a thru hike. “I’m not really sure I want to do all this” said he, but I reckon he was determined to find out.
“Matrix”, “Strange Brew”, and “Rooster”: 3 absolutely delightful 40-somethings, all recently retired from the military. Had I been able to keep up with these 3, I would have really enjoyed their company as we became buds instantly, and they were all delighted to meet Pam later on. "You've got a great smile," Rooster told Pam, "Keep smiling!"
Pam and I met “McLovin” from Boston, who just wanted assurances we hadn’t brought Justin (Trudeau) along with us. Once assured we had not, we had a nice chat.
In over 700 miles of hiking, I had yet to find a tick on my carcass, and I checked often, as best I could, out of concern over Lyme disease. In her 3 trail days, Pam found 3…. 2 on her and one beside her. We therefore dubbed her “Tick Magnet”.
Epilogue: Hikus interrupticus
I have decided to take a leave from the the Appalachian Trail and head home with Pam after our time together in Virginia. I had pretty much made up my mind before we met up in Catawba but wanted her input. As a Canadian, I have 180 days to be in the U.S. When I concluded the 20 miles with Pam, I completed 33% of the trail, but used up 40% of my allotted days. Given my abilities and the onset of hot weather, it’s very unlikely that I can maintain the pace of averaging 17.5 miles per day, let alone increase upon it. Once that reality set it, the prospect of spending the summer with my immediate and extended family was just too strong. I did not anticipate this sort of ending. I knew that it was unlikely I could complete the entire thing before I set out in March, but am a bit surprised to be walking away from it happy. I am happy to have had the opportunity and the family support to try this, and happy that I enjoyed the journey, both literally and figuratively. I will miss the simple lifestyle the trail affords, the peace and quiet (no media!), and the ability to just get lost in thought. I will miss the characters I met along the way and the birdsong, but I can always go back and continue in a year or 2, all the wiser from what I have learned about long distance hiking over the last 10 weeks.
I might take up knitting, given that our first grandchild will be here some time in November!
To all of you who followed this blog, thanks for your encouragement and kind words. If you got a smile or two in the process, then that’s all Pam and I could have hoped for.
Thanks America, for your hospitality, your humour, err I mean humor, and for giving me a good long look at this remarkable slice of Turtle Island. I hope to return and pick up where I left off. Y’all rock!
Thank you, Pam, for being behind this 100%, for taking care of business on the Homefront, for making these blogs look the way they look, for all of the logistical arrangements and the driving, and for donning a pack and joining me for the last chapter of this adventure.
Thanks to Alida and Alex for taking care of business in Stratford during Pam’s absences, and for catering to Robbie’s every need.
It really has been an amazing experience, and I am glad I have all of the photos and notes to help me recall these times in the years to come.
Sponge FOB signing off.
* Jamie Fraser is the dashing Highland warrior from the novel and television series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.