Just four trail miles from Tennessee and less than four weeks from Springer Mountain we have a lot to celebrate this Thanksgiving (in addition to the simple excitement brought about by an all-you-can-eat turkey dinner). We pushed our miles over the past eight days to make it to Damascus for the holiday and are warm and cozy in a local bed and breakfast, excited about the trail we have ahead of us.
This past week took us through some of the most beautiful terrain we have seen recently, the Grayson Highlands. At 5000', the open grassy terrain is reminiscent of our time out west and grazing ponies completed the scenic vistas (see our pictures posted below for a visual). Despite some rain and colder temperatures, we are surviving well in the outdoors and appreciate the advantage being Mainers has provided for us in this area.
After several weeks of solitude, we have also encountered more southbounders here in Damascus than anywhere else on our journey so far. Upon entering town yesterday, we went to the local burger joint (food always takes precedence over showers and laundry) with three other hikers. There, we met another hiker who has been ahead of us for months and the numbers kept growing for the following hour. After several rounds of milkshakes, burgers, and chili dogs Chomp was as close to full as he has been in weeks. It has been fun to have the company (we have apparently been dubbed some of the only "normal people" out here) and have others to share our reflections with as we collectively approach the southern terminus of the trail, Springer Mountain.
As we enter the final month of a journey we have both anticipated for years, we have many emotions. Excitement to return home to our dogs remains paramount in our minds, as well as a return to a lifestyle that is less taxing on our bodies. Simultaneously, we realize that the end of this journey will be bittersweet, as the simplicity and flexibility of this life will be difficult to replicate in our lives back in the "real world." Looking back, we have lots to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving. As sparsely as we may have lived this past four months, we truly have received so much through this experience. As we chow down on turkey today, we will be thankful for...
*The simplicity of the experience that allows us to notice how things come our way exactly when we need them out here (we believe it's this way in all of life, but the "noise" sometimes prevents us from noticing)
*How much a sunny day means to us when its been preceded by rain
*The feeling of a warm shower after eight days without one
*Sharing an intense experience as a couple
*The time and space to focus on how fortunate we are both out here and at home
*To still enjoy the hiking when so many around us have blinders on for the finish
*The support we've received from those we know--particularly our families--and complete strangers we have met along the way
*Time to notice how friendly strangers can be (last week, a couple pulled over as we road walked just to ask if there was anywhere we needed to go)
*Calories! (and the luxury of eating everything we can get our hands on)
*Seeing the sun rise and set each day
*Being in the mountains everyday and seeing this country at 2.5mph pace (which provides the opportunity to visit small-town America)
*The camaraderie of other hikers, even if we only see them every 500 miles
*Being at point in the hike where we feel our goal, for so long far away, is now within reach
Happy Thanksgiving! Feel free to peruse our experiences in Virginia at http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/Virginia.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Pearisburg, VA - Mile 1552
We reluctantly left Daleville just as tropical storm Ida hit Virginia earlier this week. Technically speaking, Chomp informed Half Full she was plain old crazy to leave a dry hotel in the midst of the ensuing rain, but she insisted. A day later they found themselves hunkered down in a shelter watching the wind blow 30mph gusts of rain across the ridge. Needless to say, Half Full admitted that Chomp had been right afterall! Thankfully, the rain let up by Thursday afternoon and we were moving again.
By the weekend, the weather had turned dramatically and we found ourselves in shorts and t-shirts again. Most of the week's hiking took us along ridgelines for several miles, then through an open valley, and up on the ridgeline again. We passed McAfee's Knob, one of the most photographed places on the trail, in near full fog. Thankfully, our ascent up the Dragon's Tooth (also a notable trail spot) was more clear and provided scrambling reminiscent of our hiking in Maine.
We arrived in Pearisburg by lunchtime today. Somehow our trail legs kick into full gear when food is in order. We'll be taking a zero tomorrow here and then pushing south with the hopes of making it to Damascus in time for Thanksgiving dinner. I have a feeling the meal will be motivation enough.
By the weekend, the weather had turned dramatically and we found ourselves in shorts and t-shirts again. Most of the week's hiking took us along ridgelines for several miles, then through an open valley, and up on the ridgeline again. We passed McAfee's Knob, one of the most photographed places on the trail, in near full fog. Thankfully, our ascent up the Dragon's Tooth (also a notable trail spot) was more clear and provided scrambling reminiscent of our hiking in Maine.
We arrived in Pearisburg by lunchtime today. Somehow our trail legs kick into full gear when food is in order. We'll be taking a zero tomorrow here and then pushing south with the hopes of making it to Damascus in time for Thanksgiving dinner. I have a feeling the meal will be motivation enough.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Daleville, VA - Mile 1459
What a great week we've had in central Virginia! The sun has been bright, the weather warm, and the views excellent. Despite walking in ankle-deep leaves much of the day, the lack of leaves on the trees provides for great views from nearly everywhere. Much of the trail over the past 100 miles has traversed the side of mountains, followed ridgelines, and summited peaks above 4000 feet. Being back in the mountains has renewed our appreciation of the trail.
Our mileage continues to increase despite climbing up and down several thousand feet each day and our bodies are holding up well. Daylight is our only obstacle now and the headlights are coming out more regularly for the last miles of the day. Our increased exertion on the trail has also brought our appetites back in full force and trail talk again revolves around food. During the 25 miles of trail we covered yesterday we strategized about the McDonald's Dollar Menu Challenge (eating one of each item), which we completed just hours ago.
Our standards for food have taken a sharp decline, most notably yesterday when Half Full excitedly discovered a ziplock of peanuts hanging in a shelter. Together we devoured the peanuts without a second thought. It was truly a "you know you're a thru-hiker when..." moment, as we would never in our "normal" lives eat food we found in a public place.
Mile by mile we can feel ourselves getting closer to Springer Mountain. We are counting down the miles now rather than counting up what we have already hiked and trying to find a balance between being excited about getting farther south and simultaneously soaking in each day on the trail.
Our mileage continues to increase despite climbing up and down several thousand feet each day and our bodies are holding up well. Daylight is our only obstacle now and the headlights are coming out more regularly for the last miles of the day. Our increased exertion on the trail has also brought our appetites back in full force and trail talk again revolves around food. During the 25 miles of trail we covered yesterday we strategized about the McDonald's Dollar Menu Challenge (eating one of each item), which we completed just hours ago.
Our standards for food have taken a sharp decline, most notably yesterday when Half Full excitedly discovered a ziplock of peanuts hanging in a shelter. Together we devoured the peanuts without a second thought. It was truly a "you know you're a thru-hiker when..." moment, as we would never in our "normal" lives eat food we found in a public place.
Mile by mile we can feel ourselves getting closer to Springer Mountain. We are counting down the miles now rather than counting up what we have already hiked and trying to find a balance between being excited about getting farther south and simultaneously soaking in each day on the trail.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Waynesboro, VA - Mile 1325
NOTE: We will be arriving in Montebello, VA earlier than expected. Please let us know if you have sent anything there that will not arrive by Wednesday, November 4th.
You know we're south of the Mason-Dixon line when country music is on the radio everywhere, Half Full is routinely referred to as "mam," and biscuits are available as a common side. We did also meet a local hiker with a thick drawl who raised a bobcat on "buttermilk and cornbread" but that's another whole story... The good news is that we're solidly in Virginia and have begun counting down the miles (about 850 to go) rather than counting those we've covered.
This past week has been a full one. We hiked through the Shenandoahs at a fast pace, covering over 160 miles in the past 8 days. The heavy fog and several days of rain closed in many views, although we did have moments of sunshine to dry our gear and jumpstart our spirits. Our bodies are feeling the wear and combined with the cold, wet weather, I (Half Full) struggled to find the motivation to get out of a wet tent mid-week. Thankfully, Chomp and I are able to pull each other through our toughest moments and we increasingly are realizing the good fortune we have in having one another.
His company was particularly useful on Saturday night, when we arrived at a shelter to discover in the logbook (a notebook at each shelter where hikers sign in and share their thoughts) that a crafty resident raccoon had discovered how to get food down from the bear pole. We, along with Ody (a fellow southbounder), decided to instead hang our food in the shelter with us for the night. Around midnight, a loud noise startled me from my sleep as Chomp banged on the shelter floor. He awoke just moments earlier to see the raccoon, paws on Ody's hanging food bag, just feet from his head. Soon, the two boys (Chomp and Ody) took it upon themselves to have a midnight mission of permanently scaring away the raccoon. With childlike enthusiasm both collected an small arsenal of small rocks (this, in the rain mind you) to keep with them in the shelter. At each of the raccoon's returns, they threw a rock in its direction. Thankfully, the animal was scared off shortly thereafter and my fears of waking up with a raccoon on my face were alleviated. Perhaps this event, along with the giant mutant mice we had seen in a shelter earlier in the week, will illustrate why we usually prefer to tent!
We are spending a zero day in Waynesboro today where we're trying to gain some weight (the mountains have brought our appetites and weight loss back!) and relax at the local YMCA pool. We'll be back on the trail tomorrow--onward to Springer Mountain!
You know we're south of the Mason-Dixon line when country music is on the radio everywhere, Half Full is routinely referred to as "mam," and biscuits are available as a common side. We did also meet a local hiker with a thick drawl who raised a bobcat on "buttermilk and cornbread" but that's another whole story... The good news is that we're solidly in Virginia and have begun counting down the miles (about 850 to go) rather than counting those we've covered.
This past week has been a full one. We hiked through the Shenandoahs at a fast pace, covering over 160 miles in the past 8 days. The heavy fog and several days of rain closed in many views, although we did have moments of sunshine to dry our gear and jumpstart our spirits. Our bodies are feeling the wear and combined with the cold, wet weather, I (Half Full) struggled to find the motivation to get out of a wet tent mid-week. Thankfully, Chomp and I are able to pull each other through our toughest moments and we increasingly are realizing the good fortune we have in having one another.
His company was particularly useful on Saturday night, when we arrived at a shelter to discover in the logbook (a notebook at each shelter where hikers sign in and share their thoughts) that a crafty resident raccoon had discovered how to get food down from the bear pole. We, along with Ody (a fellow southbounder), decided to instead hang our food in the shelter with us for the night. Around midnight, a loud noise startled me from my sleep as Chomp banged on the shelter floor. He awoke just moments earlier to see the raccoon, paws on Ody's hanging food bag, just feet from his head. Soon, the two boys (Chomp and Ody) took it upon themselves to have a midnight mission of permanently scaring away the raccoon. With childlike enthusiasm both collected an small arsenal of small rocks (this, in the rain mind you) to keep with them in the shelter. At each of the raccoon's returns, they threw a rock in its direction. Thankfully, the animal was scared off shortly thereafter and my fears of waking up with a raccoon on my face were alleviated. Perhaps this event, along with the giant mutant mice we had seen in a shelter earlier in the week, will illustrate why we usually prefer to tent!
We are spending a zero day in Waynesboro today where we're trying to gain some weight (the mountains have brought our appetites and weight loss back!) and relax at the local YMCA pool. We'll be back on the trail tomorrow--onward to Springer Mountain!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
