No Rules, Just Right

Day: 65 (May 29)
Starting location: Reeds Gap
Ending location: Waynesboro,VA
Miles today: 19.1
Miles total: 853.1

Our morning started with another great breakfast from the folks at the Dutch Haus. We said our goodbyes to the new friends we had met during our stay and got a shuttle back to the trail.

It was 19 miles to Waynesboro where we knew there was an Outback. All I could think about was a bloomin onion and a steak salad. It sure made the day fly by.

We got to town around 4:30 and checked into the Comfort Inn. After we cleaned up we headed straight to the Outback. We bellied up the bar and ordered our bloomin onion along with an order of cheese fries. It was glorious. When it was all said and done our bill at Outback cost just as much as our hotel room.

We retired back to our room and proceeded to watch the E channel. I would say it was a great day!!




Oh yes, bloomin onion and miller lite

Conan + Backwards

Slackpacking

Day: 64 (May 28)
Starting location: Dutch Haus B&B
Ending location: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 20.0
Miles total: 834.0

We woke up to a great breakfast which included eggs, sauage, french toast, and fresh fruit. Kristen really gets excited for fresh fruit becuase we almost never get fruit on the trail. We arranged to do our first slackpack today. Earl drove us the 20 miles north to Reeds Gap where he dropped us off with our daypack to hike back to Dutch Haus B&B. The normal pack weight for Kristen and I is in the lower 30s but our daypack weighted only 6 pounds. It included 2 liters of water, lunch, cell phone, and camera. I can't tell how nice it was carrying only a daypack. It iterally felt like we were floating down the trail.

It was really neat getting to see all of our fellow hikers heading north. Many of them were confused to see us hiking south but we quickly explained that we were slackpacking through the Dutch Haus B&B. At one point during the day, we reached The Priest Shelter. Each shelter on the AT has a trail register where people can leave comments about the trail. This particular register is known to include the confessions of many hikers since it is The "Priest" Shelter. It was so funny reading all the confessions of all the hikers. Many of them started with "Forgive me father for I have sinned."

After a long 20 mile day, we eagerly waited for Earl to pick us up as a large thunderstorm quickly approached. It started pouring rain and sure enough Earl showed up about 30 seconds later. It is funny how sometimes things workout. It was so nice to know that no matter what the weather was like today, we had a warm, dry bed waiting for us. So honestly we didn't even care if it rained today.




Daypack




Snug as a bug in a real bed

Conan + Backwards

Dutch Haus B&B

Day: 63 (May 27)
Starting location: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Ending location: Dutch Haus B&B
Miles today: 18.1
Miles total: 814

I woke up well rested and ready to go. We hit the trail early because we had our sights set on making it to the Dutch Haus B&B at a reasonable hour. Our friend Skippy the mad scientist hiked with us for the morning which was nice. We had a tough climb for our first 5 miles but once we were up on the ridge it was smooth sailing from there.

We had arranged a pick up time of 5:00 with Lois and Earl from the Dutch Haus. Earl picked us up and took us back to the B&B. Upon arrival we were greeted by Lois who showed us to our room and gave us robes and a laundry basket for our dirty clothes. Earl followed her with two cold glasses of fresh squeezed lemonade. It was such a treat, we could tell that this place was a well oiled machine when it came to making hikers feel comfortable.

Jason and I quickly showered up and headed down for dinner. We had a first course of salad followed by homemade pizza. It was fabulous-- I think Jason had 5 peices. We even had carrot cake for dessert.

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the Dutch Haus B&B. The great news is that we get to stay here tommorow night too as we are planning on slackpacking.




The Dutch Haus B&B run by Lois and Earl

Conan + Backwards

Just One of Those Days

Day: 62 (May 26)
Starting location: Johns Hollow Shelter
Ending location: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Miles total: 795.9

We had no rain for the first time since last Saturday, which was certainly a welcomed change. Despite the good weather, it was a tough day on the trail for Kristen. It was just one of those days where you have no energy and every step is a bit of a chore. These days happen on the trail, which is why we are so fortunate to have each other to lean on during these difficult days. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. We are staying at a bed & breakfast tomorrow which should help.

Tonight is going to be a short entry. It is 8:30pm and Kristen is already asleep. I think I am going to follow her, goodnight.




Kristen overlooking James River

Conan + Backwards

James River Blues

Day: 61 (May 25)
Starting location: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Ending location: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Miles total: 777.6

We woke up to rain for the second straight morning. Like Jason said, rain just makes everything harder. We wanted to get an early start because we knew we had over 20 miles to the shelter we were aiming for. The rain slowed down our morning routine, but once we got moving we were okay.

Before too long we came across the Guillotine.The trail squeezes between two narrow rocks and above you sits a large boulder that looks as if it could crush you if it were to fall. It was scary to pass under it, now I know how Marie Antionette must have felt.

Today we crossed the James River on the James River Foot Bridge. It's the longest foot bridge on the AT. The funny thing is that it is actually named after a man with the last name Foot. I just thought they called it the foot Bridge because it's for pedestrians only. It was great to cross the James River knowing the historical significance behind it. I felt like singing "Colors of the Wind" from the hit Disney motion picture Pocahantas.

After we crossed the river, the trail wound along a stream for a few miles. Being that it had been a long day and it was rather warm out, we decided to take a quick bath. The cold mountain water felt great, we really felt clean after we had scrubbed down using our Dr. Bronners soap. We use special biodegratable soap out here for everything from shampoo to dish soap, talk about all in one. Just as we were leaving our little swimming hole I noticed a snake in the water right were we had been washing up. He wasn't big but he was enough to get me back on the trail...fast.





Me under the Guillotine






Jason on the James River Foot Bridge


Conan + Backwards

God Made Dirt & Dirt Won't Hurt

Day: 60 (May 24)
Starting location: Boblets Shelter
Ending location: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Miles total: 756.0

We woke up to rain this morning but stayed dry as a bone in our tent. We packed all of our things and waited out the rain in the shelter for about 20 minutes and were out on the trail by 8:30am.

Today was a pretty typical hiking day with no major significant events to report. We seem to be in this weather cycle where we are hitting quick afternoon thunderstorms almost everyday. Kristen and I really don't mind these quick storms because it cools us off on these hot and humid days.

We do have to report that we have changed the way we are treating our water. We started the trail with a filtation system called Katahdin Hiker Pro. We have since changed to a chemcial treatment called Aquamira. We did this for several reasons. First, we saved about 14oz by making this change. To a non-backpacker, 14oz may not seem like any big deal but trust me it is a huge deal. Second, it is much quicker to chemcially treat your water than pump it through a filter. The only disadvantage to chemcial treatment is you often times will have dirt particles in your water. We call the particles "sea monkeys." This may seem a bit hardcore to those back home and Kristen will admit it took her a while to get use to it. But a little dirt has never hurt anyone.




We will cross the Blue Ridge Parkway often over the next 100 miles

Conan + Backwards

Blue Ridge Parkway

Day: 59 (May 23)
Starting location: Daleville,VA
Ending location: Boblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Miles total: 737.6

I don't usually lodge at a Howard Johnson Express, but friends let me tell you how impressed I was with their hot breakfast. It was great, and all you can eat! Jason and I enjoyed waffles, cereal, eggs, biscuits and donuts. For the first two miles, I was really regretting that second donut.

As we stopped for lunch, we heard lots of approaching thunder, not our friend thunder, but storm thunder. We made a quick decision to wait the storm out in the shelter. It was a good idea and the rain passed quickly. Soon, we were on our way nice and dry.

Today we began walking along the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the next 100 miles we criss cross this infamous roadway. It's nice for us because it means the possibility of random trail magic. It also means curious people asking how many miles we have hiked. A man today couldn't believe that we hiked from Georgia, he said we had machine legs.





Me at an overlook on the BRP

Conan + Backward

A Nice Little Saturday at the Howard Johnson

Day: 58 (May 22)
Starting location: Campbell Shelter
Ending location: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 15.4
Miles total: 719.1

We woke up to the sound of coyotes last night which has actually become pretty common on the trail. I only mention it now because last night they were close. We don't worry about it though and feel pretty safe in our tent. This morning Kristen saw two deer while getting water and we saw another deer while hiking today. After a lack of wildlife sightings at the beginning of our trip, the last couple of days has made up for it.

We ran into Griz again today. You may remember Griz from the beginning of our journey at Neels Gap and he was actually one that patched my jacket with ducktape. We talked for a while and he mentioned that he found a snake. At first we didn't think it was a big deal but he then slung it out of the side of his pack. "I am conditioning it for backpacking," Griz said. Talk about extra weight. I asked him where he kept it at night. "Well I found out my tent doubles as a snake cage." Kristen and I can now say we know someone that sleeps with a pet snake.

We reached Daleville, VA around 3pm in the pouring rain and went to the local Mexican restaurant called Rancho Viejo. The restaurant was nice enough to allow us to change our clothes in the bathroom. We were orginally going to have a quick lunch/dinner and do five additional miles out of Daleville. Our plans changed after a huge meal and two big margaritas each. We booked a room at the Howard Johnson Express across the street and spent the rest of the day relaxing.




At Rancho Viejo

Conan + Backwards

No Longer A Myth

Day: 57 (May 21)
Starting location: Catawba,VA
Ending location: Campbell Shelter
Miles today: 4.4
Miles total: 703.7

We had a lazy morning at Thunder's house. Usually Jason and I are up around 7:00, but this morning we stayed in bed until 8:30... it was glorious.

We ran errands around Roanoke for most of the morning. We resupplied at the Kroger and hit the Outfitter in town. We also had the chance to visit Dicks Sporting Goods to get some lighter clothes for the warm summer months. When we started the trail, we were focused on clothes to keep us warm, we hadn't put much thought into what we'd wear when it turned hot. But now we are both ready for the summer months, in style no less!

Thunder and Daytripper took us back to thr trailhead. We won't be hiking with them for a few weeks because we are trying to get back on schedule do that we can make a stop in Washington, DC for a few days. We said our sad goodbyes to our friends and were back on the trail.

In a few short miles we reached McAfee Knob, which is probably he most recognizable landmark on the AT. It's a very popular day hiking spot because it's so close to the road, so we were astonished that no one was up there. It was awesome having the entire view to ourselves. It gave us a chance to reflect on the past two months and 700 miles. That's right friends, 700 miles means we are basically 1/3 of the way to our goal. We were definetly excited about that milestone.

After enjoying the beautiful view of the Catawba Valley, which we loved by the way, we headed on the next shelter. It was just after dusk which is the latest we've hiked yet, but we knew we had less than a mile to the shelter. As we walked along, we both saw and heard some movement to the right of the trail. All the sudden a big black bear darted across the trail, not 25 yards in front of us. Once it crossed the trail it stopped and looked back at us for what felt like 5 minutes, as if he was deciding whether or not to eat us. He then raced off down the mountian. Jason and I could not believe our eyes. I know I was amazed by the size and quickness of the bear. He was obviously frightned by us because he ran so fast to get away. I know most of you are reading this and thinking oh my goodness they could have been eaten, but for Jason and I, it really was a cool experience. Jason was very sad we did not get a picture, but it all happened so quickly! And to think I was begining to think that bears on the AT were a myth!

Ps. A huge thank you to the entire Tainer family for being our gracious hosts. Over the course of a week, Jason and I stayed with them for three relaxing nights. We really enjoying getting to know you all-- thanks for the hospitality! Oh and hi Alex!2




Me feeding the goats at Thunder's house. They have 5 pregnant goats! We also had their chicken's eggs for breakfast.




Jason and I on McAfee Knob

Conan + Backwards

Dragons Tooth

Day: 56 (May 20)
Starting location: Audie Murphy Campsite
Ending location: Catawba, VA
Miles today: 17.6
Miles total: 699.3

We had a great day of hiking with 80 degree temperatures and sunny skies. During the day we reached Dragons Tooth which is a awesome overlook of the ridges of Virginia. In Virginia the mountain ridges go for miles in what seems like a straight line. It is totally different than the rolling mountains that we experienced in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The climb up to the Dragons Tooth rock formation was very difficult and it was the first time Kristen was bit uneasy. After watching Thunder climb the rock, she gathered up the courage and climbed to the top. It was certainly well worth the climb.

Upon reaching Catawba, Daytripper picked us up and drove us back to Thunder's house. Thunder's house is only about 5 minutes away from the trail. You may remember that we stayed at her house just a week earlier before Trail Days. The sad thing is, it took us 5 days to hike from Pearisburg, VA back to her house where it only took us an hour to drive. We are definitely living a slower paced life these days.

We had a great nights stay with cheeseburgers and some Wii. We will be back on the trail tomorrow.




Kristen and Thunder on Dragons Tooth

Conan + Backwards

If you've seen one tree you've seen them all...right

Day: 55 (May 19)
Starting location: Laurel Creek Shelter
Ending location: Audie Murphy Memorial
Miles today: 17.5
Miles total: 681.7

We woke up to blue skies and wet clothes. As we started hiking, our clothes dried out quick. We passed the creepy old house that Jason talked about yesterday, and man was it creepy.

We walked through beautiful Virginia farmland once again. The rolling hills just don't get old. There something so simple and American about farms, I really love it.

About halfway through the morning we passed the Keffer Oak. It's the largest oak tree on the AT in the south. It's over 18 feet around and thought to be 400 years old. It's crazy to think that tree was around for the Revolutionary War, hey if trees could talk right?

Today we also saw a sign for the Eastern Continental Divide. All the water that falls on the east side of the ridge goes to the Atlantic Ocean and all the water that falls on the west goes to the Gulf of Mexico via the great Mississippi River. It was a cool spot for sure.

Tonight we are camped just down the trail from a memorial dedicated to the WWII hero Audie Murphy. He was the most decorated American veteran of WWII, he even received the Medal of Honor. Sadly he was killed in a plane crash on the very mountain we are staying on.

Off to bed for me. Oh and no rain today, woohoo!






Jason and I at the Keffer Oak





We had a great view for lunch.

Conan + Backwardsd

Rain is a Good Thing

Day: 54 (May 18)
Starting location: Bailey Gap Shelter
Ending location: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Miles total: 664.2

I was listening to this country song today on the radio and it goes "Rain is a good thing, rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey, and whiskey makes my baby a little frisky." Well after 2 straight days of rain, I think I can do without whiskey.

Today Kristen and I didn't even bother with our rain jackets since all of our hiking clothes were already wet. Rain makes everything just a little bit harder from cooking dinner, breaking down our tent, and getting water. Rain is very common on the AT and is one of the big challenges that you face on the trail. It is important to maintain a good attitude and understand that rain it a part of the trail. Hey, we could be sitting at a cubicle.

Tonight, we are sleeping less than a mile away from this old creepy abandoned house. We have been told by a few people that this house was the inspiration behind the movie The Blair Witch Project but we are not sure if this is true. It is a two story wood house and the second story looks like it is about to collapse. On the walls and ceiling there are large black hand prints across the entire house. We know a group of hikers that were camping in the house but Kristen and I sure as hell weren't going to.




The creepy house



Notice the large black hand prints

Conan + Backwards

It's like putting on a wet bathing suit

Day: 53 (May 17)
Starting location: Rice Field Shelter
Ending location: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Miles total: 649.6

Putting on wet clothes isn't the most fun thing to do in the morning. But when you are a thru hiker, sometimes you don't have a choice. Surpisingly, our clothes dried out somewhat fast.

Thunder, Jason and I had a pretty average hiking day. After lunch we looked in our guidebook and noticed that there was an entry for the Captains house. His house is located right across a stream and inorder to get there you had a take a zip line across. I have never been on a zip line and it was much fun. Once we reached the other side there was a note from the Captain, "sodas in the fridge, get you one".

We helped ourselves to a can of soda and relaxed. Up pulled a car and out stepped the infamous Captain. We talked with him for a while and he generously offered up his plush lawn if we wanted to camp. We knew we had to push on, so we parted ways and thanked him for his hospitality.

P.S. Happy Birthday Katie! We will celebrate at lip pub when we roll through DC in a few weeks!



Captains zip line



This soda holds Thunder's name

Conan + Backwards

We May Be Crazy

Day: 52 (May 16)
Starting location: Pearisburg, VA
Ending location: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Miles total: 633.2

Nobody said thru hikers were sane and we demonsrated that today. After a great morning and afternoon at Thunder's house, Thunder's dad drove us the one hour drive back to Pearisburg, VA to get back on the trail. We knew that the weather forecast didn't look good for the next couple of days and sure enough it was pouring down rain when we arrived at the trailhead. We waited in the truck for a few minutes in hopes that the rain would lighten up but it only seemed to get worse. Any sane person would have never have gotten out of the truck but thru hikers do not have the luxury to wait around for good weather. So we stepped out into the pouring rain knowing that our clothes would be wet for a couple of days. Thru hiking isn't always just shits and giggles.




Thunder and her parents in their backyard

Conan + Backwards

Trail Days: Day 2

Day: 51 (May 15)
Starting location: Pearisburg, VA
Ending location: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Miles total: 626.4

After a wild night in Tent City we had a slow morning getting moving. The 4 of us headed to Dairy King for a true southern breakfast. It was definetly what we needed.

We headed back to where all the vendors were and looked at more gear. Pretty soon, we had to head down to the outfitter to get ready for the parade. That's right folks, a parade featuring all the thru hikers. It was my first experience being in a parade so I didn't know what to expect. Once we started walking we noticed that all the onlookers had some sort of water balloon, water gun or hose. By the time we reached the end of Laurel Street, we were soaked. It was such fun, we even managed to pick up a super soaker of our own.

Next came time for the hiker talent show. Some of the acts were boring but others were great, like our friend Skippy's rendition of Wagon Wheel. We were most dissapointed that Pirate an his goats were not in the line up. Maybe next year.

After a while we got back on the road to head back to Thunders house. I am glad we chose to go back early because I am not sure I could have handled another night in tent city. I much preferred being clean in a comfortable bed, it's not something we get very often!


Trail Days bonfire


Trail Days parade

Trail Days

Day: 50 (May 14)
Starting location: Pearisburg, VA
Ending location: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Miles total: 626.4

We had a great nights sleep at Thunder's house. Meg cooked us an hot breakfast, which is always a special treat on the trail. After a lazy morning, we got on the road to Damascus, VA for Trail Days. We traveled through the beautiful rural mountains of southern Virginia. This part of Virginia is feels undiscovered, but I have been blown away by this part of the state.

Upon arriving at Trail Days, we went and visited all the backpacking vendors. It is incredible how much more knowledgable Kristen and I are about gear after being on the trail for 50 days. We would have definitely done a few things differently relating to our gear, but we now refuse to spent any more money on gear. What we have will definitely get us to Maine.

After getting some supplies at the local grocery store (aka beer), we went to set up our things at "Tent City." Damascus is such a small town that it can't accomodate the thousands of people that come to Trail Days. So the town designated an area where everyone can setup their tents, hence the name Tent City. Now, Tent City was simply the most outrageous thing I have ever seen. You enter Tent City and it is a maze of over a thousand tents in a thick forest. The best way I can describe it is it was a cross between Hooverville and Woodstock. There was a huge bond fire with people dancing around playing bongo drums and a great band playing into the early morning hours. It is something that I will never forget.


Which way to Katahdin



Conan + Backwards

The Thunder Family

Day: 49 (May 13)
Starting location: Woods Hole Hostel
Ending location: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 10.4
Miles total: 626.4

We left Woods Hole knowing we had a short day into Pearisburg. We had to get to the post office before it closed to pick up our maildrop and our beloved iphone that was recently serviced back in Ponte Vedra.

We got in town around 12:30 and did some chores. We found the local AYCE chinese buffet for lunch which was amazing. We then made our way over to the Rendezvous Motel where we were meeting Thunder and Daytripper. Thunder's father Tom (Tom Thunder) picked us all up and took us back to their home near Roanoke, VA for the night. Our plan was to get Thunder's car so that we could make the 2 hour drive back to Damascus,VA for Trail Days for the weekend.

When we arrived at Thunders residence we were greeted by her mother Meg with open arms. She was so excited to see her daughter after she'd been on the trail for weeks. It made me miss my loved ones, but it made me happy to get the chance to be around a family again.

We enjoyed a great meal of spaghetti with the Tainer family. The food was delicious but the meatballs were the best part. You see Thunders family lives on a farm and the meatballs actually came from a neighbor's cow. It's not everday that we know exactly where our food comes from!

We really had a great evening getting to know Thunders parents, two brothers, sister and brother in law. Like I said earlier, it was just nice to be around a family again. They are great folks and we are so thankful for their southern hospitality.





Thunder's home... They have 30 beautiful acres.

Conan + Backwards

A Little Slice of Heaven

Day: 48 (May 12)
Starting location: Jenny Knob Shelter
Ending location: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 20.4
Miles total: 616.0

The AT brings you to most amazing places that you never otherwise would have seen. Sometimes it is so hard to give the things Kristen & I have seen and done the proper justice in these blog entries but we do our best.

Woods Hole Hostel is one of those incredible experiences on the trail. Woods Hole is run by a young married couple in their early 30s named Michael and Neville. The hostel has been in operation since 1986 and was left to them when their grandfather died 2 years ago. The hostel consists of a bunkhouse that sleeps up to 15 people and large mainhouse. It was $10 to stay in the bunkhouse, $12 for dinner, and $6.50 for breakfast.

Kristen and I really booked it today becuase we knew Neville served up a family style supper at 6:30pm that we did not want to miss! After our first real shower in 9 days, we sat in the rocking chairs on the front porch and watched Michael prepare the entire salad from the garden in the front yard. For the record, we smelled horrible with a ripe scent of BO. You know it is bad when start to get gag on your own smell. Neville rang a cow bell to let everyone know that supper was really. A table for 20 had been setup on the side porch and everyone quickly gathered around the table like one big family. Neville asked everyone to join hands and to say where they were from and what they were thankful for. This was really neat and Kristen was in her element and was grinning from ear to ear. Dinner consisted of burritos that was out of this world. Everything was homemade from the tortillas to the guacamole. Neville also opened up several bottles of wine that she laid on a table accompanied by 20 mason jars. Freaking awesome!

After dinner, Neville asked for volunteers to help clear the table and do dishes. Like good children after a family dinner, Kristen and I both quickly raised our hands to help. After everything was all cleaned up, Neville served everyone backcountry Amish blackberry ice cream which was the best ice cream that I have ever had in my life.

With full bellies, we retired to the bunkhouse at 9pm.



Jason outside of the main house



The Bunkhouse


Everyone getting ready for dinner.

Diary Queen for a Day

Day: 47 (May 11)
Starting location: Laurel Creek Campsite
Ending location: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Miles total: 595.6

Pitter, patter, pitter, patter is what we woke up to this morning. A light drizzle followed us for most of the morning. We had 7 miles until we reached US 21 which we knew would take us to Bland, VA, which we knew had a Dairy Queen. It was all the motivation we needed.

We reached the road at 10:15 and quickly got a ride into town. I don't know if you have eaten the food at DQ, but it was quite tasty. I managed to down a 4 piece chicken strip meal, a cheeseburger and a dipped ice cream cone. Jason had 3 hamburgers and a Oreo blizzard. I think this may be one of the few days that our calorie intake matches our calories burned.

I knew the terrain was fairly flat for our remaining 12 miles so I decided to go hiking pole-less. Jason and I usually hike with poles to take pressure off our knees. After the first few miles uphill, I was dying. Its amzing how much I have come to rely on my poles. Daytripper insisted that I would get a much better leg workout without the poles, but I think walking 15-20 miles a day is workout enough for me. Tomorrow I will be bring the poles back for sure.



YUM

Mountain Money

Day: 46 (May 10)
Starting location: Chesnut Knob Shelter
Ending location: Laurel Creek Campsite
Miles today: 14.8
Miles total: 576.6

We woke up to a cold morning. So cold in fact, it was extremely hard to get out of our sleeping bag. Kristen and I laid in our bags and spent the better part of an hour trying to convince the other to pack up our things. When it was all said and done, we were packed up and out of the shelter by 9am.

Today in the scheme of things was a pretty easy day. We have to be in Pearisburg, VA by Thursday afternoon where we have arrangements to go back to Damascus, VA for Trail Days. We are really excited to reunite with the many people that we have met while on the trail.

On a side note, toilet paper is often times an after thought in our everyday lifes but on the trail it is a hot commodity. It is so important in fact that Kristen will always steal some toilet paper from each hotel and restaurant we go to. Honestly, we would buy it but what is a hiker going to do with 6 rolls of toilet paper. I know I am not carrying it!

P.S. I am feeling much better now


Our view in the morning from Chesnut Knob

Happy Mothers Day!!

Day: 45 (May 9)
Starting location: Davis Path Campsite
Ending location: Chesnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Miles total: 561.8

Happy Mothers Day! Jason and I are blessed to have two wonderful mothers who mean the world to us. We are sad that we can't be there to celebrate your special day, but we know you are both in goods hands. Without their support there is no way we would be out here making our dreams come true- Thank you

Some days the miles come easy, then there are days like these. This was written in our shelter log today and it was the truth. We went up and down all day long. We even did 20.0 miles today!

We have been hiking with Daytripper and Thunder for the past 2 weeks. We met Daytripper early in our trip, but we met Thunder more recently. Daytripper is "pink blazing" which basically means dating on the trail. Jason and I both enjoy the company and we have formed our own little group. Thunder hails from Roanake, VA which we will be passing by in a few hundred miles.

The shelter we are staying at tonight is fully enclosed- with a door! It's nice because tonight is going to be frigid! We sent home our winter bags but at least we still have our winter clothes! At least until Pearisburg!


Taking a break at a River Crossing.


A salamander we found on the trail. He looked exactly like a fishing lure.

Virginia Farmlands

Day: 44 (May 8)
Starting location: Partnership Shelter
Ending location: Davis Path Campsite
Miles today: 14.3
Miles total: 541.5

Virginia has welcomed us with some beautiful farmland. Each day we have walked through thick grassy meadows which are sometimes accompanied by grazing cows. I imagine some people may not like this section of the trail, but Kristen and I really like it. Each day you ever know where the AT will bring you. Some of you may know but Kristen has a secret fascination with farms and would like to one day have a farm of her own. I think she just wants an excuse to wear overalls. Maybe she can get them in Lily Pulitzer. I can remember days coming home from work and sure enough she would be playing John Deere Great American Farmer on the computer. I have no idea where she gets this from.

We had another great day on the trail. For lunch we stopped in Atkins, VA., which is a small town with not much of anything. We did see a lady riding her lawn mower down the road as a mode of transportation. I have stopped being surprised by things we see on the AT. For lunch Kristen and I both had BBQ pulled pork with fried mushrooms, fried okra, and corn bread. You gotta love the South.


Eating lunch at the Barn. Jason, Thunder, Daytripper, Alcaline and Skippy.


This was her main mode of transportation.



Conan + Backwards

Town Gravity

Day: 43 (May 7)
Starting Location: Trimpi Shelter
Ending Location: Partnership Shelter
Miles Today: 10.6
Miles Total: 527.2

Its amazing what town gravity does to a 25 year old girl. It can make her hike 10.6 miles in 3 1/2 hours. All I could think about was Walmart, McDonalds and Sonic. Yes, I know I listed 2 fast food establishments.

We arrived at Partnership Shelter just in time to catch the $.50 shuttle into Marion, VA. Its a great service for hikers--to be honest, we would have paid $5.00 for the chance to go into town and be taken exactly where we needed to go.

Our first stop was Sonic. Yum. 2 words--Cherry Limeade. SO GOOD. In addition to hamburgers, tots and onion rings, I had a corn dog. I hadn't had one since the 3rd grade and boy was it good.

Next we ventured to Walmart where we resupplied and picked up Jason's antibiotics. it was our first Walmart of the trip and it was everything I thought it would be. I think we may have some new material for Jeff Foxworthy. You may be a redneck if you sit outside Walmart and charge your phone on an outlet that used to be a vending machine. Hey--hikers do what they have to do!

Partnership Shelter is neat because its adjacent to the Mt. Rogers Visitors Center which has a phone. Therefore, once we got back from town we were able to order food delivery which was an amazing treat. Daytripper and Jason split a pizza and I enjoyed my favorite dinner entree, Chicken Parm. It was delightful, almost as good as mine! Needless to say, we went to bed with full bellies!




This was etched on our shelter. I thought it was appropriate!


Partnership Shelter

Holy Cow--500 Miles

Day: 42 (May 6)
Starting Location: Wise Shelter
Ending Location: Trimpi Shelter
Miles Today: 20.0
Miles Total: 516.6

The Proclaimers famously penned the lyrics, "and I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more." The funny thing is that we actually have walked 500 miles and we will be walking 500 more. Before we started our AT journey I never thought those lyrics were realistic--that someone could walk 500 miles. The proclaimers really knew what they were talking about.

I am going to make this a short entry...I am not feeling very well. My Uncle Ned called in an antibiotic to Walmart in Marion, VA which we will pick up tomorrow. A big thank you to him for his help. Being sick is the pits.


Our 500 mile picture!


Seeing cows on the trail is now an everyday thing.

We Saw Ponies!

Day: 41 (May 5)
Starting Location: Lost Mountain Shelter
Ending Location: Wise Shelter
Miles Today: 17.3
Miles Total: 496.6

Today was another great day on the trail. We began our morning a little late, but by lunchtime, we were clicking out the miles.

When we arrived at VA 60, a ranger stopped us and explained that they were doing controlled blasts to make way for a new horse trail. That explained the loud booms we had been hearing all day. He made us wait until the next blast, before we could proceed on the trail. All the sudden the ranger shouted, "Blast 5 ready" and put on his hard hat. We were not provided with hard hats. Then we felt a rumble and heard a loud BOOM. It was cool. I was hoping he'd say something cool like--fire in the hole, but I had no such luck convincing him. Again, we were on our way.

We entered Grayson Highlands State Park which is known for its herds of wild ponies. I kept making a clicking noise to see if I could get the ponies to come out. Finally, we spotted the heard and rushed over as quickly as we could. They certainly weren't scared of us, especially when Daytripper pulled out the peanut butter. There were full grown ponies and a few babies too! It was so neat just to be among them in the wild. I named one Sea Biscuit and I picked out next years Derby winner. I think she's got a real shot.

I am starting to feel better, but my sweet husband is feeling worse. We may gave to go into Marion to pick up a remedy. Hopefully tomorrow he'll start to feel better.

Daytripper and Thunder

A video from the Grayson Highlands

Pirate, Goats and Trampolines

Day: 40 (May 4)
Starting Location: Damascus, VA
Ending Location: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles Today: 15.8
Miles Total: 479.3

After a great stay in Damascus, VA, it was time to again hit the trail. Debbie at the Apple Tree B&B made us a wonderful breakfast consisting of banana pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit salad. Before we left we made a quick stop over to the Post Office to send home our winter sleeping bags. Yesterday, Kristen and I picked up new Mountain Hardware Phantom 45 degree bags to replace our Marmot Pinnacle 15 degree bags. Now why would we replace our bags? First and foremost our new bags weigh a total of 17 ounces which ultimately saved us a pound and a half from our pack load. Secondly, it is beginning to warm up quite a bit and we are actually starting to sweat in our bags at night. But, not to worry, we will have our winter bags sent back to us in Kent, CT before we enter the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Yesterday, we forgot to mention that we met Pirate. Pirate is very well known on the AT and has thru hiked a total of 17 times. Personally, I think he may have a little too much time on his hands, but that may be just me. Anyway, Pirate was explaining that he was going to enter the talent show at Trail Days. He went on to say that he was planning on jumping on a trampoline with goats all while using a hula hoop. Yes, we certainly do meet some interesting people on the trail.

All in all today was a beautiful day and it was great to get back to the trail. Kristen and I are both feeling a little under the weather. Hopefully, we will begin to feel better in the coming days.


Daytripper and Thunder at Quincey's Pizza in Damascus, VA


Dry Clean, Daytripper, and Alkaline at Quincey's Pizza in Damascus, VA

We Are Alive

Day: 39 (May 3)
Starting Location: Damascus, VA
Ending Location: Damascus, VA
Miles Today: 0.0
Miles Total: 463.5


Hello--Kristen and Jason here. For those of you who follow our blog you may have noticed a lapse in our entries. No we were not eaten by bears or lost for days on the trail. Our iphone broke. Yep, broke. Thank goodness its under warrenty! But just to let you all know we won't be able to update our blog until at least this weekend when we get a new phone mailed to us. Yay customer service!

We set our alarm for 7:30 this morning because Debbie, the innkeeper, serves breakfast promptly at 8:00. It was quite the spread- eggs, grits, gravy, fruit, and sausage. I love breakfast at B&Bs and Debbie does it all herself.

We ventured over to the post office where we picked up our maildrop. There was an extra special surprise from our sweet friends the Kliens. Lauren and Jeff are such thoughtful people and we are truly blessed for their friendships. Thanks for the encouraging words and beer money- both are much appreciated.

We are off to Subway for lunch! Yum- 5 dollar foot long!


Jason and Day Tripper


Thanks Mother

This Here Is Virginia

Day: 38 (May 2)
Starting location: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Ending location: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 10.2
Miles total: 463.5

We have gone completely full circle and are now back in the state of Virginia. Kristen and I lived in Arlington, VA for the last 3 years and loved the Washington DC Metropolitan area. It is surreal to us to think that we have actually hiked from Georgia to Virginia and hiked over 450 miles.

Damascus, VA is a postcard AT town. It is quaint town that is very welcoming to hikers. Each year Damascus holds “Traildays” which is a week long celebration of the Appalachian Trail and all those who are currently thru hiking and those who thru hiked in previous years. This year Traildays is held on May 8 – 16. Kristen and I anticipate on getting a shuttle back from Pearisburg, VA for Traildays.

Kristen said that she needed some pampering after over 450 miles on the trail and I agreed (like any good husband would do). So we checked into this great bed & breakfast called the Apple Tree. The Apple Tree sits right in the middle of downtown Damascus and has only 4 bedrooms. It is run by Les and Debbie who were very welcoming and catering. It was truly a great day and we ended it with drinks on the porch of the Apple Tree and socializing with other hikers.


Entering Damascus


The Apple Tree Bed & Breakfast

Trail Magic Kind of Day

Day: 37 (May 1)
Starting location: Vandeventer Shelter
Ending location: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Miles total: 453.3

We wanted to get an early start because we knew we had long a day planned. By 8:00 we were on the trail, and by 8:30 we were drenched in sweat. It has been really hot on the trail lately, but I guess that comes with the approaching summer months! I would much rather hike in heat than in freezing rain that is for sure!

We stopped to get some water just before noon and Jason suggested that we just eat our lunch. For some reason, I had a feeling that at the upcoming road crossing we would be treated with trail magic. Sure enough as we hit TN 91, two men were cooking hot dogs and had a cooler of ice cold sodas. It was heaven, especially on such a hot day.

We continued on and a few miles later when we reached another road crossing, we noticed more trail magic! As it turns out, it was our friend Fun Dip's birthday, so him and his father (who had been hiking with him the last few days) wanted to treat everyone. Fun Dip is another one of our favorite people on the trail, however he will be heading home to Chicago for 3 weeks to attend his graduation. We will be sad to see him, and his sweet dog McKinnley, go home but we he hope he meets back up with our group in a few weeks.

So after our 2nd great trail magic of the day, we finally arrived at our shelter at 8:00. It was both our longest day mileage wise and time wise, but definitely a great day on the trail!


Fun Dip, Skippy, Jason and I

Marital Workshop 101

Day: 36 (April 30)
Starting location: Kincora Hostel
Ending location: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Miles total: 430.6

We started the day by leaving Kincora Hostel. Kincora is run by Bob Peoples who is considered as one of the most recognizable people on the trail. Rumor has it; Paul Bunyan’s axe was lent to him by Bob Peoples. I haven’t been able to verify this rumor.

We hiked the entire the entire day with Day Tripper and Thunder. We stopped at Watauga Lake for lunch which is a beautiful dark blue lake surrounded by lush green mountains. Day Tripper and Thunder jumped in to escape the upper 80 degree temperatures. Kristen and I just soaked our feet because the water was incredibly cold.

While we were hanging out by the lake, Day Tripper decided that he better get a ride into nearby Hampton to get a few things for the next couple of days. I told him that I would go along and we managed to get a ride by a middle-aged woman that was sunbathing nearby. You must remember that we are limited to 2-3 miles / hour (aka walking) and we must become very resourceful to get anywhere fast. The woman was very nice and we explained that we were hiking the AT. She was especially intrigued that I was hiking with my wife. She was certainly not the first to show great interest in our journey as husband and wife and I always find it interesting why people view it as so unusual. "You haven't tried to kill each other yet?," is a common remark. We have met many middle-aged men that expressed their absolute envy in our thru hike as a couple. "If I ever wanted a divorce all I would have to say is that I decided to thru hike the AT," one man told us. The truth is, Kristen and I love every second of being with each other. I know we are very fortunate. Hey, maybe hiking the AT for a week should become a mandatory pre-marital workshop.

PS. We would like to wish our dear friend Kristen Forbes Miner a Happy 25th Birthday. We heard about your big move to Gainesville and we can't wait to visit and meet your two baby boys!


Jason by Lake Watauga


Us by Laurel Fork Falls