Days 82-87
June 23-26
Jones Run Trailhead,
Shenandoah National Park,
to Front Royal, Virginia
Day 82
Slack Pack
Jones Run Trailhead to Black Rock Trailhead
Commando and I arranged two more slack packing days with Stanimal's Hostel in Waynesboro, Virginia. Today we hiked 18 miles in Shenandoah National Park. It was another hot day, but luckily there was plenty of water on the trail.
The grass along this section of the trail is starting to turn brown.
I came up on a grouse in the trail. I stealthily crept up on the bird, and it didn't budge. I put both of my hiking poles in one hand along with my granola bar. In my other hand, I had my camera ready.
The next thing I knew, the bird flew up, grabbed my granola bar, and knocked it on the ground. I picked up the bar, ate the part that wasn't covered in dirt, and gave the rest to the bird.
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| But what if the wildlife helps itself? |
We passed the 900-mile Appalachian Trail marker today.
Skyline Blvd. runs the length of Shenandoah National Park. The AT crisscrosses the road. About every 20 miles they have a Wayside, a store and restaurant. I stopped by one and ordered a smash burger with pepper jack cheese. It was a bit pricey but extremely tasty.
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| Day 82 Trail Profile |
Day 83
Slack Pack
Smith Roach Gap to Big Meadows
Today I tried something different. I did some retro and yellow blazing. The path of the AT has changed over the years for a variety of reasons. Retro blazing is following an old section of trail. Yellow blazing is walking/hiking on a paved road.
The original AT path through the Shenandoah National Park is now Skyline Blvd. I've been hiking in green tunnels and corridors for the last month with only glimpses of the mountains and valleys I've been hiking by. Today I made the decision to walk 19 miles on Skyline Blvd.
Today's temperatures were a bit cooler than the last few days, and there was a nice breeze. A perfect day to walk the road. I found it interesting that a lot of other hikers made the same decision.
There was very little vehicle traffic on the road, but there were multiple cyclists. I talked to one cyclist who started his ride in Florida and was headed to Maine. He is meeting his wife in Bar Harbor to celebrate their 40th anniversary at the hotel where they spent their honeymoon.
The views along the road were fantastic. It was great to be able to see the mountains and valleys. I found it amusing to watch families pull into the overlooks, pile out of their vehicles, look over the edge, take pictures, load back in their cars, and leave, all in about five minutes' time. I also found it interesting to see that if the parents were skinny, so were the kids, and if the parents were heavy, so were the kids.
Although walking the road is not something I would do on a regular basis, the even surface was easy walking, and I did enjoy the change of scenery and chance to talk to folks other than hikers.
Day 84
Zero Day
Stanimal's Hostel, Waynesboro, VA
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| Shoe Tree |
Today Commando and I rested, did our laundry, and organized our backpacks to head out tomorrow with full packs and continue our journey through the Shenandoahs.
Note from Sally:
Back at home, Rocky has been cleared by his vet, Dr. Rick, to begin running again at home and then head back to the AT. I will be meeting Titanium in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, on July 4th, to reunite the hiking team. Rocky is ready!
Day 85
Big Meadows to Byrds Nest #3 Hut
As I write today's blog, I'm in my tent eating Oreos and and listening to the wind, thunder, and rain. It's been so dry for the past couple of weeks that the rain is much needed and is an enjoyable experience.
There was no water on this 15-mile stretch of trail. I was desiring something cold to drink. I took a detour down to the Skyland Resort, went to the bar, drank a lot of very cold iced tea, and talked with the bartender. I was the only customer in the bar, and I think the bartender enjoyed the company.
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| Day 85 Trail Profile |
We camped near Byrds Nest #3 Hut. The shelters in Shenandoah National Park are called huts.
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| Byrds Nest #3 Hut |
This is a very windy thunderstorm we're in the middle of as I write. The trees above the tent are making a creaking noise, and it's a bit unnerving.
Day 86
Byrds Nest #3 Hut to Gravel Spring Hut
It was a bit cool this morning, thanks to last night's thundertorm. It didn't take long for the fog to clear and the heat to return.
The trail itself was variable with smooth sections, very rocky sections, and quite a few ups and downs. These 20 miles were definitely earned the hard way.
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| Day 86 Trail Profile |
There was no water on the trail for 18 miles. We left the trail to get water up at a roadside rest and then later on at Elk Wallow Wayside.
Commando and I camped for the night near Gravel Springs Hut.
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Gravel Springs Hut |
Day 87
Gravel Springs Hut to Front Royal, Virginia
Last night I had a mouse issue. I assume it was one very insistent mouse that was after something in my tent. It kept running around and over my tent trying to get in. I would chase it off, and it would return after I fell asleep. There was no food in the tent because I had put the food in a bear-proof cabinet. That damn thing just kept waking me up.
When I was taking down the tent this morning, I found a hole in the mosquito netting. That little guy is really lucky that I couldn't get ahold of him.
Today's weather was a bit cooler and definitely nicer to hike in. We completed another milestone -- we hiked through the Shenandoah National Park.
The trail was pretty smooth until we got through the Shenandoahs, and then the trail turned to loose, round rocks. This type of terrain is the hardest for me to hike. Both my knees and my hips seem to work against me when I encounter loose cobbles.
There was actually water on the trail at six miles and ten miles. This allowed me to carry only two liters of water compared to four. Water on this dry trail is always welcome.
We passed by Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter, located outside the Shenandoah National Park.
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| Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter |
According to Sarah Jones Decker's The Appalachian Trail Backcountry Shelters, Lean-tos, and Huts, Tom Floyd was a trail conservancy volunteer who originally purchased the land on which the shelter was built to "secure the corridor before the National Trails System Act provided federal protection."
Commando and I dropped down to the highway where a trail angel picked us up and took us into the town of Front Royal for a resupply. Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, is about 58 miles away. Our intent is to carry enough food for five days. We're heading into a section of trail known as the "Roller Coaster," which is reputed to be very hard and could result in a slower pace than my average of two miles an hour.
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