In Pearisburg Emily found a "career" landmark in her email: it's official, she's been awarded a fellowship at Memorial U of Newfoundland! Starting Sept. 1 she'll be studying cod with Drs. Fleming and Purchase. ( - and hiking awesome terrain in her free time!) So, along with doing town errands, she put together another scholarship application. [That's why she's not using her limited computer time to compose these entries herself.]
Congratulations Emily!
Friday, April 30, 2010
"Rolling Hills" of Southwest Virginia
[This update courtesy of Emily's mother, thanks for typing this one up!]
Emily phoned from Pearisburg on Wed., April 21. Yes, she did hike the half-mile side trail to summit Mt Rogers, VA's tallest peak at 5,729'. There was no view, covered with red spruce and "the northernmost natural stand of Fraser fir." [a superlative detail from the AT Guide] She seemed to regret that "there are no alpine zones," but there are plenty of gorgeous views along the ridgelines: the large deciduous trees that cover them aren't yet leafed out. Chestnut Knob on the 17th offered a great view of "God's Thumbprint," one of the nicknames for Burkes Garden, a five-by-ten-mile fertile valley completely ringed by mountains.
She's enjoying "Spring again, cold in the mornings, 60's during the day." Much of the treadway is on old overgrown logging roads, relatively free of rocks and roots. Hiking through rhododendron thickets "seems like hiking through someone's private landscaping," rather than natural growth. Her overall reaction to hiking southwest VA is, "I don't feel like I'm in mountains."
Switchback has been averaging 20 miles a day comfortably. Most nights she's in her tent, but at The Scales on the 14th she simply "cowboy camped" under the stars.
The evening's entertainment was a comparison of her night-sky-print bandanna to reality. Another evening's relaxation was provided by the music of pack guitar from Picker's tent interspersed with the sound of raindrops on her tent. By the 19th, the enthusiastically anticipated Trent's Grocery was on nearly every hiker's mind, but Emily wasn't suffering from any cravings for particular foods. [She doesn't like hot dogs or tomatoey pizza sauce, and the care packages have been "EXCELLENT!"] Her reward for that day's good hike was to set up camp a little early and read for a good long while next to the Falls of Dismal. [This one's nominated for Eeriest Place Name! - just happens to be on Dismal Creek.]
Emily phoned from Pearisburg on Wed., April 21. Yes, she did hike the half-mile side trail to summit Mt Rogers, VA's tallest peak at 5,729'. There was no view, covered with red spruce and "the northernmost natural stand of Fraser fir." [a superlative detail from the AT Guide] She seemed to regret that "there are no alpine zones," but there are plenty of gorgeous views along the ridgelines: the large deciduous trees that cover them aren't yet leafed out. Chestnut Knob on the 17th offered a great view of "God's Thumbprint," one of the nicknames for Burkes Garden, a five-by-ten-mile fertile valley completely ringed by mountains.
She's enjoying "Spring again, cold in the mornings, 60's during the day." Much of the treadway is on old overgrown logging roads, relatively free of rocks and roots. Hiking through rhododendron thickets "seems like hiking through someone's private landscaping," rather than natural growth. Her overall reaction to hiking southwest VA is, "I don't feel like I'm in mountains."
Switchback has been averaging 20 miles a day comfortably. Most nights she's in her tent, but at The Scales on the 14th she simply "cowboy camped" under the stars.
The evening's entertainment was a comparison of her night-sky-print bandanna to reality. Another evening's relaxation was provided by the music of pack guitar from Picker's tent interspersed with the sound of raindrops on her tent. By the 19th, the enthusiastically anticipated Trent's Grocery was on nearly every hiker's mind, but Emily wasn't suffering from any cravings for particular foods. [She doesn't like hot dogs or tomatoey pizza sauce, and the care packages have been "EXCELLENT!"] Her reward for that day's good hike was to set up camp a little early and read for a good long while next to the Falls of Dismal. [This one's nominated for Eeriest Place Name! - just happens to be on Dismal Creek.]
Superlatives
1. Favorite meal and/or snack: trail meal = Knorr broccoli and cheese pasta side, tuna or salmon with mayo and relish, chocolate for dessert; town snack = potato salad and swiss cake rolls
2. What is the best song or mantra that has found its way into yer head on th' trail? The Happy Wanderer is the most common song in my head, although I have different tunes every day. I’ve also composed one that gets stuck in my head a lot, to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”.
3. Who has been the most unlikely thru-hiker? Bulldog, who is trying to be the first blind guy to thru-hike the AT using just sticks (hiking poles)...although he has a camera man with him who is filming for a documentary...good intentions, and it sounds really challenging (what does he do at trail junctions???), but they skipped the Smokies and several other sections so far.
4. Most unusual hiker? (Please describe!) On March 20 I decided to tent camp at Locust Cove. I heard some voices down by the spring. I knew I was in the front of my thru-hiker group for that day, and a jeep trail led from the valley toward the spring, so I was unsure who might be down there on the weekend. Then three guys (plus a dog) walk up from the spring, wearing all camouflage clothing, carrying HUGE external frame packs with all sorts of gear hanging on the sides, hunting knives strapped to their belts, and one carrying an axe. The normal questions arise, how are you, where are you hiking to, etc. They said they were hiking to Fontana to go fishing. Hmmm. A pack of my fellow thru-hikers showed up, and we all pitched our tents. These guys didn’t even lay out sleeping bags for the night. Hard core!
5. Best Trail Magic? Unicoi Gap, Georgia (day 6). I’d been hiking in the rain for a few days. Coming steeply downhill to the gap I was thinking it’d be really nice to sit down out of the rain for a few minutes before climbing the next mountain. Wayne and Linda had a large tent, folding chairs, sandwich fixings, cookies, fruit, donuts, chips, soda, sweet tea, etc.
6. Best/Most Unusual Trail name? Little Spoon and Big Fork are a couple from Maine…we call them Cutlery. Grandma…who is a guy…he’s just really slow at packing.
7. Best weird conversation overheard in a shelter (or participated in)? March 17, Wayah Shelter. A conversation on the merits, characteristics, properties, and varied uses (of which there are many) of Livermush. Scruffy had packed some in from town and was sharing with everyone (yes, I tried some and it was good). For those of you unfamiliar with this southern delicacy, livermush is a processed meat product, similar to liverwurst, which can be eaten cold, fried, in omelets, etc. Use your imagination. We then proceeded to refer to Livermush for aobut 3 or 4 days afterwards, normally wishing we had some (it’d be really good in ramen, wouldn’t it?).
8. Greatest missed photo op? Documenting all the snow when I crossed into North Carolina, since my camera had gotten wet and wasn’t working, but more specifically it would have been March 14 at Muskrat Crek Shelter. Due to cold rain and snow, the shelter was full, with a couple tents pitched right next to it, and one guy (Picker) sleeping on the picnic table under the awning.
9. Largest mudhole? The entrance and floor of Double Spring Shelter in the Smokies (thanks to melting snow)
10. Friendliest hiker? Dr. John—a two-time thru hiker (’04 and ’07), he packed out some treats for me when he stopped at towns and I didn’t (milk, grapes, summer sausage).
11. Best shelter? Mountaineer Shelter in Tennessee (although I didn’t sleep there).
12. Eeriest place name? Dismal Creek Falls
13. Longest day? 21.2 mile on April 14 from Lost Mtn. Shelter over Mt. Rogers and the Grayson Highlands to a cowboy camp at The Scales.
14. Best mountain? Roan High Knob
15. Favorite section? Virginia Highlands/Grayson Highlands
16. Funniest moment? March 17, I had to push on to Wayah Shelter because there was too much snow at the campsite. I arrived late, in the rain, tired, hoping for a spot in the shelter. I hadn’t met any of the guys there before. I walk in and one guy (Scruffy) hands me a bottle filled with a warm, yellowish liquid…to warm my hands (turns out it was tea, but I didn’t know!). Then another guy (Sofa King) hands me a plastic grenade and tells me to pull the pin! (turns out it just makes noise). An interesting way to meet these guys, with whom I ended up hiking for a couple days.
2. What is the best song or mantra that has found its way into yer head on th' trail? The Happy Wanderer is the most common song in my head, although I have different tunes every day. I’ve also composed one that gets stuck in my head a lot, to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”.
3. Who has been the most unlikely thru-hiker? Bulldog, who is trying to be the first blind guy to thru-hike the AT using just sticks (hiking poles)...although he has a camera man with him who is filming for a documentary...good intentions, and it sounds really challenging (what does he do at trail junctions???), but they skipped the Smokies and several other sections so far.
4. Most unusual hiker? (Please describe!) On March 20 I decided to tent camp at Locust Cove. I heard some voices down by the spring. I knew I was in the front of my thru-hiker group for that day, and a jeep trail led from the valley toward the spring, so I was unsure who might be down there on the weekend. Then three guys (plus a dog) walk up from the spring, wearing all camouflage clothing, carrying HUGE external frame packs with all sorts of gear hanging on the sides, hunting knives strapped to their belts, and one carrying an axe. The normal questions arise, how are you, where are you hiking to, etc. They said they were hiking to Fontana to go fishing. Hmmm. A pack of my fellow thru-hikers showed up, and we all pitched our tents. These guys didn’t even lay out sleeping bags for the night. Hard core!
5. Best Trail Magic? Unicoi Gap, Georgia (day 6). I’d been hiking in the rain for a few days. Coming steeply downhill to the gap I was thinking it’d be really nice to sit down out of the rain for a few minutes before climbing the next mountain. Wayne and Linda had a large tent, folding chairs, sandwich fixings, cookies, fruit, donuts, chips, soda, sweet tea, etc.
6. Best/Most Unusual Trail name? Little Spoon and Big Fork are a couple from Maine…we call them Cutlery. Grandma…who is a guy…he’s just really slow at packing.
7. Best weird conversation overheard in a shelter (or participated in)? March 17, Wayah Shelter. A conversation on the merits, characteristics, properties, and varied uses (of which there are many) of Livermush. Scruffy had packed some in from town and was sharing with everyone (yes, I tried some and it was good). For those of you unfamiliar with this southern delicacy, livermush is a processed meat product, similar to liverwurst, which can be eaten cold, fried, in omelets, etc. Use your imagination. We then proceeded to refer to Livermush for aobut 3 or 4 days afterwards, normally wishing we had some (it’d be really good in ramen, wouldn’t it?).
8. Greatest missed photo op? Documenting all the snow when I crossed into North Carolina, since my camera had gotten wet and wasn’t working, but more specifically it would have been March 14 at Muskrat Crek Shelter. Due to cold rain and snow, the shelter was full, with a couple tents pitched right next to it, and one guy (Picker) sleeping on the picnic table under the awning.
9. Largest mudhole? The entrance and floor of Double Spring Shelter in the Smokies (thanks to melting snow)
10. Friendliest hiker? Dr. John—a two-time thru hiker (’04 and ’07), he packed out some treats for me when he stopped at towns and I didn’t (milk, grapes, summer sausage).
11. Best shelter? Mountaineer Shelter in Tennessee (although I didn’t sleep there).
12. Eeriest place name? Dismal Creek Falls
13. Longest day? 21.2 mile on April 14 from Lost Mtn. Shelter over Mt. Rogers and the Grayson Highlands to a cowboy camp at The Scales.
14. Best mountain? Roan High Knob
15. Favorite section? Virginia Highlands/Grayson Highlands
16. Funniest moment? March 17, I had to push on to Wayah Shelter because there was too much snow at the campsite. I arrived late, in the rain, tired, hoping for a spot in the shelter. I hadn’t met any of the guys there before. I walk in and one guy (Scruffy) hands me a bottle filled with a warm, yellowish liquid…to warm my hands (turns out it was tea, but I didn’t know!). Then another guy (Sofa King) hands me a plastic grenade and tells me to pull the pin! (turns out it just makes noise). An interesting way to meet these guys, with whom I ended up hiking for a couple days.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
New Trail Notes and Pictures
Today (Tuesday April 27th) Emily is in Bedford, VA at her Uncle’s house. She's taking a zero day, as in hiking zero miles, to recharge and upload photos. For the next few days she'll be doing some slack packing, which means to day hike and use the same sleeping location every night. In this case the sleeping location is a real house!
While not really a journal entry, Emily had this to say:
Keep thinking of superlatives and random facts you'd like to hear about. Right now the list is less than ten items, we can do better than that!
While not really a journal entry, Emily had this to say:
While walking all day (often by myself), I have re-written a couple songs. “Ode to Maintainers” (to The Man on the Flying Trapeze): “You maintain the trail with the greatest of ease; cut blowdowns in pieces move branches and trees; though just volunteers you’re as busy as bees; three cheers for the trails maintainers…ees; (where are you please??)”. For those of you familiar with Michael Cooney’s song about Bosco: “I hate blowdowns, they’re bad for you and me. When you try to walk them they’ll scrape up both your knees. Push through slowly or end up your belly, and then you’ll hate the blowdowns—just you wait and see!” The good news is the maintainers have been out now on most sections, so you can once again hike (rather than clamber) along the trail.
Keep thinking of superlatives and random facts you'd like to hear about. Right now the list is less than ten items, we can do better than that!
So after Damascus:
MAN was my pack heavy on that uphill climb out of town (yes, it is always uphill after town stops). I’ve definitely gained a hiker appetite…so trying to carry 8 days of supplies was a challenge (but still possible). I did my first 20 mile day on the 14th, and have done several since. I climbed Mt. Rogers, the highest mtn in VA. No views, but the summit is covered with Fraser firs, so I felt like I was on a real mountain. Most mountains/ridges down here have large deciduous trees so it feels like low elevation to me, and all the rhododendrons make me feel like I’m walking thru someone’s tropical shrubbery garden. The VA highlands and Grayson Highlands were beautiful. Grassy ridges (lots of views), rocky trail…and wild ponies. They are eager to be scratched, and love to lick the salt off sweaty hikers and their gear.
April 15
500 miles hiked so far. The night before Frost, Picker and I had a celebratory campfire. The trail so far in Virginia has been a lot of ridge walks, and then it dips into valleys and crosses cow pasture. I’ve climbed over a lot of stiles (wooden ladders over fences), and even had to shoo cows off the trail. Definitely a difference feel than the Maine AT.
April 17
Met some maintainers (Piedmont ATClub) building rock steps—they asked if I wanted to help them collect rocks, and then suggested I take some back to Maine (or at least take a Pulaski back). I declined. I also had to convince them I was from Maine, since I don’t really have much of a Maine accent. The next day two guys (Pine and Dreamcatcher) tried a 50 mile day. Turns out they only did 47 b/c of bad signage, and they were sore for a couple days after…but they said they’d do another 50 again. Crazy. I like 20 mile days just fine.
April 21
Ducked into Pearisburg to resupply, but decided not to spend the night (false rumor that the hostel was closed) so I camped a couple miles out of town. Met up with a new group of hikers: Mellow Yellow, Cookie Monster, Sockburn (from Germany, he burns his worn out socks), Hobbot. The birds are singing around 6:15 in the morning, so I’m getting early starts. Lots of birds out, lots of flowers (trees and shrubs too), and high humidity. Dragons Tooth and McAfee Knob are highlights of the non-descript trail. After hiking miles along view-free ridges, large rocky outcrops are a welcome sight, especially when the trail goes over/through them. We spent an hour on McAfee knob, but some ominous thunderclouds sent us to the shelter before sunset.
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