Month: October 2017

When it rains, it pours. – Morton Salt

About six days ago I started having trouble sleeping because my side hurt. I thought I had pulled a muscle, or dislodged a rib. Right under my shoulder blade I was having a ton of pain that would keep me up, or wake me up at night. It was sore during the day too, but it didn’t seem to bother me as much when I was walking. Yesterday I broke out in a rash and realized I had shingles. The fun on the Appalachian Trail never stops!

If you have never had shingles I can only describe the pain as if someone had used you as a punching bag. You are simply uncomfortable and hurt. The strange thing is I feel much better when I’m hiking. I think there is so much more to worry about  – the rocks, going uphill, freezing your butt off, that you don’t worry about the shingles.

Shingles are a virus and they just have to run their course. So I’m going to let them and keep on walking. With that as the plan Hugh dropped me off and I hiked up a mountain only do find… Snow!

Granted it wasn’t a lot of snow, but the weather was 32° and it was cold. Immediately my feet got wet, and stayed wet for the entire day.

It was so cold on top of the mountain that I wore my puffy coat hiking all day long.

The snow had clung to the leaves and the branches of all the trees which made it very interesting when the sun came out and started melting the snow. Clumps of ice fell from the trees and of course they had to land on my head. I felt like someone was out there tossing ice cubes at me.

The snow also made it difficult at times to see the Blazes. Twice today I had to backtrack to pick up the trail when I had gone the wrong way.

Today’s hike was across a mountain ridge. As soon as I started down the snow went away and it became a beautiful day. Unfortunately that was only the last 45 minutes of my hike.

Hugh picked me up at our designated spot and we drove to the Ford dealership to find out what was going on with the RV.

We pulled in and learned that we needed a new engine. This last week of the trail has been full of surprises. Many of them bad.

The Ford dealership has ordered a new engine and it should be here Thursday morning. It will take two days for them to put the new engine into the RV. So we are without a home until Friday evening. That is if everything goes perfectly. It might be the next Monday.

So we will continue to stay in motels and use the rental car to take me back-and-forth to the trail. It looks like both the mechanic and I will be done on Friday if everything goes according to plan.

I keep thinking of the saying… Men plan, God laughs.

The first day started off at 33°. With a crisp wind blowing I felt for sure that the actual temperature is lower. I headed up into the mountains. But first I had to traverse a big meadow.

By traverse I mean I had to be sure I didn’t step in the cow pies. Cows I have come to learn can be very noisy.  When you’re zooming by cows on the highway in your car they look so peaceful. But when you’re hiking next to them they are loud animals!

If you’re outside and you’re cold, here’s a hint…don’t hike up a mountain. It’s colder at the top. The wind is stronger. And there’s nowhere to hide.

As the wind picked up I put on my rain gear as a wind blocker – it helped tremendously.

I lost the trail a couple of times that day. I had to backtrack and find it. Neither time did I go very far. I am always on the lookout for the White Blazes. If I do not see them I check my map on my phone and it shows me whether or not I’m on or off the trail.

I took a side trail to visit an old cemetery. It was surrounded by a fence and badly kept. Still it was interesting to see graves dating back into the mid 1800’s.

I can’t do the autumn colors justice with my iPhone. The scenery is magnificent.

The next day was a little warmer, but still a cold morning. Walking through the rhododendrum tunnels helped block the wind.

With both my buffs on my head and two shirts to keep me warm – I looked liked E.T. walking on the Appalachian Trail!

The Virginia mountains kind of just roll. It makes for somewhat easy hiking.

The sun finally popped out in the afternoon on the second day.

I love this flower. It is a weed! I have seen it on roadsides and here and there on the trail. It is attached to a very stickery stem. Quite beautiful in my opinion.

Hiking onward!

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West

Miles hiked 43!

One day perfect weather – the next day drizzle and spitting wet. I made good time both days. The terrain was not too hard.

I had beautiful views throughout the first day.

And because it was a weekend there were many people on the trail between Damascus and the Grayson Highlands.

The Grayson Highlands was one of the things I was looking forward to on the trail. Wild ponies roam the Highlands and I desperately wanted to see them.

When I saw the first of the ponies I was passing a group of five ladies hiking. Each lady had a dog. The dogs went crazy and started chasing the ponies. I could’ve screamed!. They scattered to the ponies far and wide.

The women finally got their dogs under control, but I decided to outpace them and put on the speed. I was glad I did because I came upon another small herd. Even though they’re wild, they see so many people hiking they are not scared.

I don’t know much about horses but I’m assuming this one is pregnant.

The highlands were a beautiful place to hike.

I met this little fellow on my way to the parking lot where I met Hugh. He followed me all the way up until the gate.

On Monday I did not take many pictures because of the drizzle. Right before I ended my hike at Katahdin I dropped my phone and cracked the glass. When I got it repaired they told me it was no longer waterproofed. So I was afraid to pull out my phone in the rain and drizzle.

The fall colors in the trees are magnificent whether rain or shine. No visitors today just plodding along.

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”—Robert H. Schuller

Miles hiked 19.8

It’s getting colder here. It makes me start my hike around 9 o’clock nowadays. It warms up pretty quick, but that first hour – it gets you moving.

Today I climbed up to the ridge and then followed the ridge. All day long it was up-and-down following the line of the ridge. This makes for a long day.

I would much rather climb one very tall mountain and then go down it than go up-and-down up-and-down up-and-down in little fits and starts. It seems like your legs never get in the groove.

When climbing a tall mountain your muscles become accustomed to going up, and you just climb! With the PUD’s your muscles never quite know what you want of them.

You think smaller climbs would be what a hiker would want. Not me! Especially since they are shorter up in distance the architect of this portion of the trail thought they could be steeper.

I only had one vista all day long.

I did come across this marker for a hermit that lived in these hills. I’m not sure if you can read it or not but below his name, Nick Grindstaff, it says – “Lived alone… Suffered alone… And died alone.”

I’m glad I have Hugh to go home to every day!

“The saddest journey in the world is the one that follows a precise itinerary. Then you’re not a traveller. You’re a tourist.” Guillermo del Toro

Miles hiked zero.

Since we came back to finish this journey I have been trying to figure out how to end it. After climbing Katahdin, just coming to a town seemed a let down. Then I looked at a map and realized that if I continued hiking south one more day I would be at McAfee Knob.

McAfee Knob is probably the most photographed place on the Appalachian trail because of its wonderful view and a rock that hangs over a valley. I decided it is where I wanted to end this last part. So Hugh and I got in the RV and headed south to Tennessee to pickup where I left the trail.

I will now hike north once again and end up at McAfee Knob. It will be a fitting place to end this monumental hike.

Today was just a rest day. I will start hiking again tomorrow.