Appalachian Trail 2010

  • Appalachian Trail 2010

    AT Best of: Springer Mountain Mile 0 to Pine Mtn Mile 500

    Reviewing the ATC book for all of the “best of’s” was a good review to remember what we’d done for those first few weeks. Time seems to creep by and go so fast at the same time. Items are in no particular order unless I otherwise specify. Best Views: Tray Mountain 4,430 elev MM 56.1 Albert Mtn 5,250 MM98.0 Siler Bald 4,600 MM 112.0 Rocky Top 5,440 MM 181.6 Charlies Bunion 5,905 MM 208.5 Bradley’s View 5,200 MM 213.8 Max Patch Bald 4,629 MM 252 Lovers Leap Rock 1,820 MM 273.2 Big Firescale Knob 4360 MM 295.7 Overmountain Shelter 4550 MM 379.2 Little/Hump Mtns 5439/5587 MM 380.8/383.0 Best Section: Newfound…

  • Appalachian Trail 2010

    Cypripedium acaule, Pink Lady Slipper Orchid

    Climbing out of Pearisburg my dad spotted a flower. Turned out to be a flowering lady slipper orchid! SWEET! We’ve seen lots of foliage but haven’t seen anything in bloom yet. On the way out on Wednesday we found a whole bunch of them! Pretty nice to see! I wondered how many other people walked right on by and didn’t notice? Sometimes you get involved in the one foot in front of the other and forget to look around—rather, if you look around you end up tripping on a rock or stump.

  • Appalachian Trail 2010

    Beautiful Woodshole Hostel

    While on our walks through the woods Chris and I will talk about what we want after the hike. We definitely want a place in the ‘country’, quiet somewhere in Texas. Where…who knows? However, after getting to the Woodshole Hostel here outside of Pearisburg, VA I have decided I want a place modeled after this. Smells of lavender and herbs, Pandora radio on the computer in the kitchen, wood floors…oh this place is awesome. Probably the best hostel ever. Yet…at least! We are actually staying in the cabin because my dad is meeting us here in a few hours and not in the hostel, but from what I hear of…

  • Appalachian Trail 2010

    Section Hikers

    Hawk, Jay, Cheap Shot and Crazy Talk, section/day hikers from the VA/DC area. Nice people! Thanks so much for entertaining us and I’m glad you enjoy your new trail name Cheap Shot! It’s always nice to see people who aren’t thru-hikers to get a different perspective on things.

  • Appalachian Trail 2010

    500 Miles….

    Well, I managed to find a computer and didn’t expect it. There’s an Exxon gas station where we are at with two computers! Sweet! It’s a rainy, kinda cold afternoon and we made it 4.5 miles from the last shelter into ‘town’—aka: a highway, two gas stations, a restaurant and a motel. Surprisingly the gas stations have a good resupply; I think they are used to hikers! We aren’t the only ones staying in ‘town’ for the day, several others are ‘neroing’ it as well. Since leaving Damascus we thought we were going to battling nasty thunderstorms and they ended up holding off until late Saturday night and then some…