Today’s a day to spend indoors waiting for the weather to pass. Here’s the weather radar at 7:30 am.

I’ll be doing laundry and reading until later this afternoon. It’s only 1 1/2 miles (uphill) to the next shelter, so I’ll head out there this afternoon. Today’s a “Nero” (Near Zero), in hiker terms; essentially a rest day. Oops 😬. Changed plans. I actually ended up hiking a lot further. I’m stealth camping next to the trail on top of the ridge at almost 4,000 ft.

And now the news: Hikers attacked on the Appalachian Trail! This happened about 100 miles further down the trail, but I’m headed that way. The link below is to the local news with all the details.

https://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/southwest-virginia/two-assaulted-on-appalachian-trail-in-wythe-county

And after that cheery news, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.

AT Thru-Hike Stats
Section Day #4 (5/12/19)
Start – VA Rte 621 (688.7)
End – Stealth Camp (681.1)
Today’s mileage: 7.6
Total section miles: 48.6
Total miles on AT: 765.1
Section avg daily miles: 12.2

The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. ― Michelangelo

I have now completed the “VA Triple Crown.” Tinker Cliffs, McAfees Knob and The Dragons Tooth are all behind me.

Straight up the rock face

I slackpacked 15+ miles today; hiked back to Jake and Kristi’s from Catawba. The rain started after the momentous climb to the Dragons Tooth and continued all day. When I finally finished I was a drowned rat.

I really enjoyed the Brush Mtn Wilderness, the second half of the hike. The trail was well groomed. I even found some trail magic and got a Starbucks Vanilla Late just before descending off the ridge.

I’ll be doing laundry tomorrow and laying low until all the thunderstorms pass through. Tomorrow will at most be a nero.

AT Thru-Hike Stats
Section Day #3 (5/11/19)
Start – VA Rte 624 (703.9)
End – VA Rte 621 (688.7)
Today’s mileage: 15.2
Total section miles: 41.0
Total miles on AT: 757.5
Section avg daily miles: 13.7

The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting. – Walt Disney

Campbell shelter was wonderful last night, even though we had some rain. I woke up in the morning and hiked onto McAfee’s Knob. The hike down got to be pretty tough because the weather got very hot and humid.

Packing up at Campbell Shelter

I’ll be staying with friends (thanks Robert) tonight and eating dinner at the Home Place. I’m hoping to slackpack tomorrow. It’s supposed to rain all day. A cold front is coming through!

AT Thru-Hike Stats
Section Day #2 (5/10/19)
Start – Campbell Shelter (714.3)
End – 4 Pines Hostel (703.9)
Today’s mileage: 10.4
Total section miles: 25.8
Total miles on AT: 741.5
Section avg daily miles: 12.5

Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it. – Winston Churchill

Today was a big day and it isn’t even over yet. I’m currently sitting at Tinker Cliffs looking west over the mountains in Virginia and West Virginia. I still have 4 1/2 miles to go to the next shelter so I probably will be getting there just around sunset.

There was a lot of climbing today. It seems like every time I climbed a mountain there was another just beyond it even higher. I think my total elevation gain was somewhere around 3,000 feet today, but I wasn’t really counting.

Yes, I did make it! Night hiked for last 1 1/2 miles. And Holy Crap, there was a bear right next up the trail. I scared it off… 😱

AT Thru-Hike Stats
Section Day #1 (5/9/19)
Start – Daleville, VA Rte 220 (729.7)
End – Campbell Shelter (714.3)
Today’s mileage: 15.4
Total section miles: 15.4
Total miles on AT: 731.1
Section avg daily miles: 15.4

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. – William Shakespeare

I’ll add more to this post later today (done), but I’m off! It’s travel day.

• Plane to DCA (Reagan Airport)
• DC Metro 🚇 to Alexandria
• Amtrak 🚊 to Roanoke
• Uber 🚕 to Daleville

I’m in the air now, looking down as we fly over the Appalachians. I remember last summer; we flew over the reservoir that flooded after that crazy storm ⛈

I won’t arrive until late tonight and it’s always a convoluted journey to get to the AT. It always seems to involve a train or a bus for some reason.

Pre-Hike Photo – Yikes!

Be a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings sway all the same, knowing she has wings. – Victor Hugo