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Week of 6/9/03

We also hiked over what is known as the Dragon's Tooth.  This is a very famous landmark, a large rock outcropping on top of the mountain that is shaped like a tooth.   This landmark was named by Tom Campbell, who played a major part in locating the present day AT route.  He also named Lost Spectacles Gap (which is north of Dragon's Tooth), after his glasses disappeared while he was working on the trail.

Anyway, we did about 15 miles today and when we got to Highway 624, we hiked another half mile to the 4 Pines Hostel.  This is another great, great hostel, owned by a man named Joseph Mitchell.  He converted a huge four-car garage behind his house into the hostel.   It is very pretty here.  The hostel has showers, fridge, microwave, stove, radio, and 75 cent beer.  There is also a small pond.  Greenman and Fubar rode bikes down a ramp into the pond.  I have pictures coming of this, too.  They're great.  Joseph cooked deer meat hamburgers for us and that was no easy task.   Here's the gang that is here:  Me, Greenman, Sniper, Fubar, Tripp, Indiana Slim, Bodhi, Knuckles, Bluebird,  Dirtnap, Roamin', Sunkist, Puff Daddy, Feral, Dirty Frank, and Baltimore Jack. Today, Fubar and Tripp are leaving the trail sadly.  Two more Mairnttt Boys gone.

One thing I cannot explain -  Thorn, the vegetarian, has gained 8 pounds since he started the trail, and I have lost 40 pounds since I started the trail on March 11.   My Mom says hiking the AT is better than any of the Jane Fonda bun burner tapes, Billy Blanks' Tae Kwon Do tapes, the Atkins Diet, or Weight Watchers.  I've always worked out at the gym at least 4 days a week and have never been fat, but I am actually skinny now.  I weigh about what I weighed coming out of high school.  All you girls who say you can't hike the AT because you are too out of shape, come on out.   You'll be in shape in no time.  All you need is perseverance and determination!

Wednesday - We hiked 16 miles into Troutville today. Greenman, Jack and I stayed at the Best Western.  In case I have not mentioned it, Greenman is from a town in Alabama that is aboaut 30 miles from the foothills of the Appalachians.  He hiked more than half the trail last year and has picked back up this year.  Fubar and Tripp are off the trail due to personal reasons.  That only leaves me and Thorn from the original Section 8 (Crazy 8) group that are still on the trail.  I called my Mom to send me a "care package".  I needed some razors and film, tabasco sauce, and tape for my video camera, maps for Shenandoah National Park, and additional pages from the Trail Guide and Data Book.  Mom also received a new tee shirt and cap from the Mountain Dew people, and she is sending that along.

Thursday - We did 12 miles today and tented at Black Horse Gap, which is the southernmost junction with the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The Blue Ridge Parkway (and later on, Skyline Drive) is a scenic highway through the mountains and is a beautiful drive.  The AT parallels the Parkway, which means we are hiking just off the highway.  A lot of the AT route long this Parkway (which is south of Roanoke, Va.) was displaced by the Parkway when it was built.  We will not set foot in the Shenandoah National Park until about Monday or Tuesday of next week.  A local came by the Gap while we were here and brought the guys some beer and boisenberry moonshine.

Saturday - Today Greenman yellow blazed ahead to Waynesboro, Va. to work and earn money for the group in order to do an aqua blaze.  Yellow blaze is only a phrase.  There are only white blazes and blue blazes on the trail.  The white blaze is, of course, on trees and other things to mark the AT so you don't get off the trail.  The blue blaze is also a marker on trees and other objects that leads to shelters, water, landmarks or another route which takes you from one point of the AT to another, i.e. skipping a mountain (going around) or a difficult climb.  You would really be surprised how many thru-hikers "blue blaze" all and still claim to have hiked the entire AT.  It is the opinion of several very experienced hikers  that less than 5% of thru-hikers actually hike the entire distance.  These  hikers are called "purists".  That's what I am trying to do.  How could you claim to have "thru-hiked" when you know in your heart that you missed one mountain or one little section ?  I guess to each their own though.

Anyway, yellow blaze is just a phrase (there are no yellow blazes or aqua blazes) for getting off the trail and going to town or skipping a whole section of the trail.   Greenman yellow blazed into Waynesboro to work so he could "aqua blaze", which is to take a raft/canoe up the river from one section to another.  He, Thorn, and some others wanted to canoe from Waynesboro to Harper's Ferry, which is about 150 miles upriver (Shenandoah River).  Unfortunately, he has found out that the water level of the river is too high, and the Outfitters will not rent rafts or canoes until the water level goes down.  I'm not at all surprised since it has rained, rained, rained ever since I started the trail back in March.

Sunday - Baltimore Jack, Sniper, and I stayed at Thunderhill Shelter tonight.  It has been raining for 2 days.  In the last 10 days, we have passed Sinking Creek Mountain, Dragon's Tooth, Tinker Cliff, Bobblets Gap, Apple Orchard Mountain, and Bearwallow Gap.  Don't you just love these colorful names!