take a hike with mike: Mile 857.9 Waynesboro,VA

Sun 6/1

I zeroed today in Daleville and shared a hotel room with Southbound, Big Sexy, and Smoky. We went across the street for dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Mon 6/2

Another zero day. I hung out at a coffee shop and went to BBQ restaurant in town that gives free bananna pudding to hikers. I wanted to get back on the trail tonight but ended up sharing a room with Big Spoon. A member of the Piñata Party Posse has several choices of action. One could, of course, take a hike with mike. But there are other options as well. One could stay in the room with Spoon, fuck off with Sloth, stick around with Southbound, or pet a poodle with Noodle. I chose to stay in the room with Spoon.

Tues 6/3

In the morning, the hotel had a continental breakfast. While eating breakfast, I burped loudly and then started laughing because I realized that behaviors acceptable on trail are not always acceptable in public. But this wasn't just a regular burp. This was what I call the "burp-fart." The burp-fart is a little something I invented several years ago while back in college (patent pending). To make a burp-fart, you burp and then stick your tongue out making a fart noise. I've been burp-farting on the trail since I started and it's still funny. Others are burp-farting as well, thanks to me and my invention of the burp-fart. I've been told that some other habits of mine are spreading among the trail community as well. For instance, when I climb a steep hill, I say "up-up-up." I would do this with my friend Melanie at home whenever we run up a steep hill. There is also the "marathon water method." When there are frequent and reliable water sources along the trail, I would stop and drink right at the source, not having to carry water with me. This method made sense to me, but to some, it was a novel idea. Others are now "marathoning" by downing two liters at a water source and hiking on without carrying water. "Half marathoning" is when one downs one liter and carries one liter. I haven't been doing this much in Virginia since it's hotter and we have longer stretches between water sources. Today I left Daleville in the afternoon and hiked 10 miles to Wilson Creek Shelter.

Wed 6/4

I hiked 17 miles to Jennings Creek. It rained. This was the heaviest downpour I've experienced so far. Then it stopped and the sun came out. I still enjoy hiking in the rain. The colors appear most vibrant following the rain. We got a ride to Middle Creek Campground and I shared a cabin with Big Spoon, Business Time, Hot Pop, and Ireland. There was a storm coming through with the threat of hail. We all got fries and milkshakes.

Thurs 6/5

I hiked 14 miles to Thunder Hill Shelter. It was a tough day with about 6,000 feet of climbing. Flowering rhododendron tunnels are everywhere.

This is the green tunnel. Many hikers get the 'Virginia blues' after a hiking through Virginia for a while. But I'm still loving it!

Fri 6/6

I hiked 14 miles and got a ride into Glasgow. Glasgow is a cool little trail town offering free camping and showers. We walked across the James River Footbridge today. This is the longest foot use only bridge on the AT and it's a bit of a hiker tradition to jump off the bridge. Many jumped but I didn't do it. Sometimes logs wash out into the river and you can't see what you're jumping into. If you get caught jumping, you get a $150 ticket. It's a dangerous jump from this height regardless and a someone got killed doing a jump here a few years ago.

We hung out at the shelter in town and went for pizza.

Sat 6/7

I resupplied at the Dollar General and spent some time at the library. There was a hiker feed by the bridge when we got back. At the top of Bluff Mountain, we came upon the Ottie Cline Powell monument.

Ottie was 4 years old when he wandered away from his schoolhouse and died in this spot in 1891. The Punchbowl Shelter, where we spent the night, is supposedly haunted. People report sightings of a little boy when camping there. 11 miles for the day.

Sun 6/8

I didn't sleep at all last night because the noseeums were so bad. I had lunch and a nap at the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter. I sat in the creek. Smoky left the trail here. He was having issues at home and had foot problems. I camped at Hog Camp Gap after an 18 mile day. It rained during the night. Also, over 800 miles so far!

Mon 6/9

I hiked 22 miles to camp at Harpers Creek Shelter. I climbed up Spy Rock which was just a big rock scramble.

Soon I was at The Priest Shelter. It is custom at this shelter to write a confession in the shelter log. Many confessions were about violations of the Leave No Trace principles that we follow in the wilderness- someone throwing a beer can into the woods or not digging a big enough cathole. Big Sexy confessed that he is, in fact, big and sexy. This is usually not a sin but apparently Big Sexy is so big and sexy that it is a sin and worthy of confession.

We had some great views from Priest Mountain.

Tues 6/10

Business Time and I hiked to Reeds Gap and hitched a ride to Devils Backbone along with Sweet Tea and a couple section hikers. The Devils Backbone is a brewpub not far off the trail. As well as having great food and beer, they are super hiker friendly. They welcome hikers to camp on their property and provide a hiker only breakfast in the morning for $5. We just went in for lunch. It was the best lunch I've had on trail so far. I had a hummus plate, a veggie wrap, a pint of their ginger lager, and a root beer float. We got back to the trail and hiked to a campsite on Humpback Mountain. There was a thunder storm at night. 15 miles today. Here I am with Sweet Tea.

Wed 6/11

Business Time and I hiked to Rockfish Gap and got a ride to Waynesboro. It rained again today and we thought no one would want to pick up wet and smelly hikers but we had an offer for a ride to town as soon as we got to the road. Business Time and I shared a hotel room with Sloth and her dad.

Sloth's dad treated us for dinner and paid for the hotel room. Chinese buffets are almost always a bad idea but Ming Garden was great.