A “Nero” is a near zero. We will do twenty mile into Troutville tomorrow and catch Mcaffee Knob. Will be an iconic day.
We just needed some rest today.
The Appalachian Trail also had a lot more millipedes than other trails.
And an old mill wheel.
A good day.
We had a few days with no service. Now I could catch up on email, food and rest. It had been so very humid.
It was a hard decent with some iron rungs.
But we got past Dragon’s Tooth.
Almost 1/3 of the way done.
It was several days. Some 45 degree slopes. Some long days.
Family is important.
So. We are off the trail taking care of some family issues. Hope to be able to get back out in August.
Nothing dire is happening, but important things need our tune and will delay our return to the trail if that makes sense.
A “Nero” is a near zero. Our plan was to do twenty mile into Troutville tomorrow and catch Mcaffee Knob. Will be an iconic day.
We just needed some rest. So we grabbed a Nero.
We also caught up since we had internet after a long gap.
Of course we got showers and laundry
Family is important.
So. We are off the trail taking care of some family issues. Hope to be able to get back out in August.
Nothing dire, but important, if that makes sense.
This meant we got off trail again at this point.
Took care of family.
That is where catching up led us.
We had a few days with no service. Now I can catch up on email, food and rest. Has been so humid.
We covered some difficult trail on the way to Four Pines. The “train” with their dog arrived just after we did. Suddenly they were claiming it was perfectly well behaved.
The trail here had places with iron rungs for climbing.
One place the Appalachian Trail differs from the PCT is that getting on trail before 7:00 is really early on the AT. On the PCT and CDT getting on trail around 5:30 am was just a good day.
The issue we had was that Angel’s Rest to Four Pines is about 70 miles or more without a resupply in between. We wanted to not carry more than four days of food.
Our solution was to slack pack 21 miles which made it 50ish miles. Once we hit the trail with a full resupply.
We had some long days. The last stretch was only 7ish miles but was really rough. We beat the rain to get off the roughest sections before it hit.
The market and store at Four Pimes is really oriented to through hikers. Neat for what they stock.
Yesterday we made it to War Spur Shelter. No cell service for a bit.
Pine swamp to War Spur Shelter
Then today we went War Spur to Sarver Hollow. Difficult to get to but a beautiful shelter.
We got off to an early start.
We crossed some open fields (95% of the time we are under trees.
Another place the AT differs is just how rare open fields are. Open is natural to some trails.
We would later have someone ask us to move our Bear hang so they could set up a tent where it was and then try to hang their food in the shelter.
Given there was bear activity in the area and hikers posting in FarOut about getting hassled by bears, we were not receptive.
Yesterday we made it to War Spur Shelter
We went from Pine Swamp to War Spur Shelter. No cell service.
Happy had packed out rib eyes for Father’s Day.
Spring was in full green.
After War Spear we we went War Spur to Sarver Hollow. Difficult to get to but a beautiful shelter.
We came to the iconic Keefer Oak.
These fields suddenly generated such an open feeling of joy.
War Spur to Sarver Hollow Shelter. Mile 681.2.
FarOut had comments about a bear so we were careful to hang our food. A camper asked us to move it so they could tent where we had our hang and then wanted to hang their food in the shelter.
I was not amused.
Angels Rest is another iconic hostel. Famous for its vortexes it even sells vortex merchandise.
It also offers slack packing so we did a 21 mile stretch.
The hostel:
Next we plunge into a long stretch. Without the 21 miles today we would have been 70 miles between resupply. Now it is just fifty.
Mcafee Knob is next on the big landmarks. I am hoping for good weather for some iconic pictures.
We caught a slack pack. Angels Rest is famous for its vortex.
The hostel:
Next we plunge into a long stretch. Without the 21 miles today we would have been 70 miles between resupply. Now it is just fifty.
Mcafee Knob is next on the big landmarks. I am hoping for good weather for some iconic pictures.
This was when four days seemed like an impossible time to go past. And ten mile days seemed normal.
We’ve made the trip from Wood’s Hole to Angel’s Rest.
Even ate fresh blackberries on the vine on the trail.
