Day 63

Mile 635.5

Before Damascus I melted the soles of my shoes trying to dry them off by a campfire (womp womp). The outfitters in Damascus didn’t have the same Hokas that I’d been enjoying so I got some Obos. They turned my feet into bruised stumps of pain so I ordered those Hokas online. It meant however, waiting in the resplendent metropolis of Marion VA until they showed up. Tiger kindly sacrificed putting in the miles to stay with me.

After I got my sweet new kicks with intact soles we set off for a pretty interesting day. Starting from Mt Roger’s HQ we walked through loamy hills blanketed in ferns. The foggy chillness of the morning burned off into a pleasant sunny afternoon walking through tunnels of Rhododendron by a creek. Near the end of our day there was an old schoolhouse that a church set up trail magic for hikers.

We ended our day at the Long Neck Lair, an alpaca farm that lets hikers camp on their lawn. Right next to the alpacas! I’m sure Tiger was relieved to finally be there because I wouldn’t shut up about it. WE HAVE TO CAMP AT THE ALPACA FARM! They also had a pretty sweet shower and hot tub.

I made it to the fourth way point. It just blows my mind that I’ve walked over 500 miles.

Inexplicably the next few days I was feeling pretty lethargic and meh. I fell behind and lost Tiger for a couple of days as he nimbly trudged on. I don’t if it was the heat or lack of sleep or what but I couldn’t muster the energy or mental fortitude to keep up.

It didn’t help that I found what seemed to be an abandoned fawn on the trail one morning. I could hear loud noise that I thought was a raven. As I turned a corner this little fawn came ambling up to me crying its little head off. From what I could remember of wildlife rescue was that I shouldn’t touch it and keep moving with the hopes that mama deer would come back. But it kept following me down the trail crying. Eventually I had to jog a bit knowing the fawn couldn’t keep up. Other hikers up ahead told me the fawn had been there since the night before. I spent the next couple of miles bawling my eyes out and unsuccessfully dodging rocks and roots. I made myself feel better about it by pretending the Mama Deer came back and the little fawn is living it’s best life.

I came to Chestnut Knob Shelter which provided a beautiful view of the valley below. It was a bit of soul balm.

I finally caught up with Tiger, mostly because he decided to stop for the day rather than my own hiking prowess. We hiked towards Bland VA where the promise of a cold beverage awaited. It’s been hot and a lot of the trail around Bland is scarred by fire. It seems to make everything hotter when you are walking through burnt trees.

Dismal Falls is a local hangout and I’m glad we didn’t go there on a Saturday. As it turns out we took a zero there and brought some PBR from the gas station nearby. It was a fine day sitting in a creek and sipping beer.

Woods Hole Hostel is an AT staple. It’s one of the first hostels opened for thru hikers on the Appalachian Trail and occupies an idyllic cabin. Still family run, they serve food they grow themselves. It was a little too crunchy granola for my tastes but I sure did enjoy befriending all the cats. And it was actually a peaceful place to stay.

From Woods Hole it was a quick walk into Pearisburg. By quick I mean that whenever you get near town the feet move a little eaiser…despite the heat. Dreams of fresh food and cold drinks dance through your head. I should have done a little less daydreaming because I got stung by a vicious evil hornet! It came out of nowhere with its electric fire death poison and hit the thumb web of my left hand. It slowed me down only using one hiking pole and a hand full of fire. But I eventually made it to the Pearisburg Food Lion and downed a Peach Nehi. So all is right with the world.

Credits

Staff Blog Photographer Intern: Tiger