Experiment in Logistics -- June 2014

For our second hike of 2014 (all have to catch up on other hikes soon), we decided to experiment with a concept I called "leapfrogging," for lack of a term that I knew.  The plan was to slackpack between cars, with our camping gear in the cars, driving around to hike the next day back to the first car.  That was the plan, and in theory, it is doable.

So the plan was that Rhino and I would drive down Friday morning, hike 8 miles.  Our sister Princess (trail-name still in flux) -- joining us for the second time -- would pick us up, we would stay at a place in Blacksburg, hike about 17 miles the second day, camp out, and hike about 11 miles on the last day.  I figured that slackpacking, we should be able to manage that.

That was the plan.

Then reality hit.

Day 1
Rhino and I got a little bit of a late start, but was able to hit the trail about 3:30 on Friday.  We started out on 601, which turned out to be pretty rough with some deep ruts from erosion.  As we were getting ready to begin, several individual through hikers came past, including CropDust who chatted with us for a while.  As we began, we kept an eye out for a camping spot within a reasonable distance from the car for the second night, but there was nothing for while over half a mile.  We did run through some stinging nettles, and that provided some distraction.

The highlight of the day was the sunset, where we met a German couple, who I'll call Hansel & Gretel.

We got to Princess around 8:45 on Route 613, just as it was getting dark.

The hotel we booked on Hotwire.com turned out to be The Inn at Virginia Tech.  We got checked in, and proceeded to PK's, which we understood had pizza, something Rhino had been craving for the last few miles of the hike.  The rest of the evening included darts, tequila, and pitchers of beer, but not in that order.

Day 2
The next morning began much later than expected, and included a much needed awful waffle from the local Waffle House.  Instead of the 17 miles that had been planned, we looked for the next road up the trail from my car and that turned out to be Route 42, about 6 miles worth of hiking.  There was no crossroad between the 6 miles and the 17 miles.  To be honest, the wine festival at VT looked much more appealing, but we maintained some dignity and headed out to the trail.

All in all, it was a good hike, and felt like much more than 6 miles, primarily due to a nearly 2,000 foot climb. We started out in a meadow, but a nearby beaver dam made the meadow into a swamp, so we started out with wet feet.  Some Three Brothers Great Outdoors provided for a nice afternoon pick-me-up after we let it chill in the mountain stream we stopped at to refill water.  (Oh, did I mention I left my water bottle at the hotel?  I brought beer, but forgot water.  Shows my priorities.)

Some rocks provided for a nice overlook as some ominous, but dry, clouds rolled around the area.

As we reduced the distance to my car, we were already beginning to think that we might not camp out.  Perhaps Princess had no intention of camping, but she maintained the ruse for a little longer.  The descent down to my car was relatively steep (and we passed several through hikers trudging their way up that hill).  Halfway down the hill, Princess declared firmly, "I am not climbing back up this hill to camp."

We agreed that we would head back to civilization in Blacksburg, got Princess's car, and managed to book another night at The Inn on Hotwire, where I joyously recovered my water bottle.  Our tummies were satiated at Cabo Fish Taco, where Princess noted, "I've been to the one in Charlotte.  I didn't know this was a chain!"  Turns out they have only two locations:  Charlotte and Blacksburg.

Day 3
We bid a fond farewell to The Inn and breakfasted at Hardees.  Rhino & Princess each stashed away a chicken biscuit for their afternoon pick-me-up.  We decided to continue from where we left off last year at the Dragon's Tooth parking area, so we dropped my car off at 620, the first road South of Dragon's Tooth.  The drive from there to the parking area turned Princess's Nissan into a ford.

The climb up to Dragon's Tooth proved to be quite a challenge, not at all overrated.  Princess managed to catch herself on her chin at one point.

My two compatriots stayed on the ground around the Tooth, but the view was spectacular.

The trek down the other side towards 620 was rather uneventful, except for one moment where Rhino was truly airborne for several seconds.  Hint: it involved a rather large black snake.

By my car, we chatted with a hiker for a while who was trying to meet up with some nearby friends, but had lost contact with them.  After a while, another hiker, Hamster, joined us, and we provided him with some food we had with us and in my car to ease his food anxiety.  We all drank a beer together.  Cheers!

Invading Pennsylvania

It has been way too long since we have posted, but contrary to popular belief, we are not dead.

We had a nice 37 mile hike south of the James River in central Virginia in May 2011.  I will have to provide an update on that one later, in addition to the last day hike in Maryland, which had its moments.

Tomorrow, Rhino and Bullfrog and our other brother, Skeet, will begin into Pennsylvania, taking on about 30 miles over 3 days.  We will provide a post and picture when we get back -- if we get back.

By the Numbers: Status to Date

2: Sections of the trail that we've completed (Northern Virginia/Maryland and Shenandoah National Park)
4: States in which we've hiked (Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania [so it's a 1/10 of a mile?])
4: Dayhikes it took to complete Maryland
5: Years that we've been doing this
7: Maps that we've completed (Maryland, 2 Northern Virginia, 3 Shenandoah National Park, 1 Central Virginia)
12.8: Percentage of the entire trail that we've completed
234: Miles that we've hiked in Virginia
279: Total miles that we've hiked -- From the Mason-Dixon Line to the James River
316: Miles left in Virginia
1900: Miles remaining of the entire Trail
2,179: The entire AT, our one goal

On to the James River

On July 24-26, 2009, Rhino & Bullfrog continued their journey south on the AT, picking up from where they left off in August 2008 at Hog Camp Gap. But just getting there was a chore as we began to fully be impressed by how far south we have hiked in total.

After meeting up at Gander Mt. for some last minute supplies, we hopped on 81 South, settling in for a couple of hours. We were glad that the traffic in the Northbound lanes was not in our -- or that we were not bound for the north -- as that traffic was stopped or slowed for some 40 miles as the result of three separate accidents. Nevertheless, before our exit, I was beginning to worry about my car which is really showing the signs of its age ... and that little leak in the radiator. Oh, and the CV joints badly in need of replacing.

After stopping in Lexington for some grub and some replenishment of my precious automobile fluids, we headed back over the Interstate and away from cell phone coverage. Passing through Buena Vista, we went past Glasgow and followed the James River east and found the AT footbridge and parked my poor little car there. I hopped into the successor to Gray Ghost and we went back through Buena Vista before heading back to east again into the wilderness and up the Forest Service road that is the only means to Hog Camp Gap.

As we picked up our third leg of the Central Virginia section of the AT, we weren't sure how many hikers we'd see on this trip. Not only was it a miserably hot time of the year, it was too late in the season to see Sobo through hikers. Plus, any Nobo hikers would be way too late to have an honest chance of making it to Mt. Katahdin before it was life-threatening. Nonetheless, the first hiker we came upon, about an hour and a half into our hike turned out to be just that, a Northbound purportedly through-hiker. Yet, it was apparent that this hiker knew that he was done. Never was defeat so palpable to me in the body language (of an adult) than this hiker, who was sitting with his pack off, leaning against a rock. It looked like he had given up even on death. I didn't know how crazy he was, so we didn't dally long by him, but wished him luck and continued on our way.

We had a good, hot time; climbed some nice hills; went around the Lynchburg Reservoir; discovered the remains of a lost civilization, a sort-of self-sufficient commune that was tucked up in a valley, and provided a haven for newly-freed slaves at the end of the 19th Century. We crossed more of these little wooden foot bridges than ever before, by the time we got to the James River. We were exhausted but triumphant once again, and relaxed a little soaking our feet in the River before we headed back to civilization. Another 27.5 miles under our belts. But some of those mountains south of the James looked rather menacing.

Bullfrog: Back to the Trail to the South

Tomorrow, we're picking back up where we left off last August. Hopefully, we'll make it to the James River. We might be having a guest join us; stay tuned.

Bullfrog: A hike without Rhino...

is like a day without sunshine.

Seriously, Rhino had to be out of town and two other guests bailed on me. So, Robert and I went instead on June 19-21. We hiked from Snicker's Gap (Route 7, Bear's Den) to Chester Gap (Route 522) just southeast of Front Royal. It was the same section Rhino and I had done in hikes #2 and 3. Rob and I did about 11 miles the first day, about 17 miles the second day, and coasted to my car on Sunday around 11 am with about 6 miles for a grand total of a little over 34 miles. Not bad. Then I went to the farm and fished all afternoon and got a sunburn on my legs.

Highlights:

• It rained Saturday morning, but then cleared up. Not nearly as much water through there as Hike #3.
• Sunday was Father's Day and also the First Day of Summer, also known on the AT as Naked Hiking Day. We saw only one naked hiker, a dude with bandana strategically placed on the waist-strap of his backpack, so we didn't see any of his junk.
• We camped at the top of the hill just south of I-66. There was a wonderful meadow at the top ... laced with poison ivy.

Who says the Washington Post has nothin' good!

Here is a good article about thru-hiking the AT. Someday, someday.