Beary Active

In trying to make miles to give myself more time at Skyland, I pushed to the next shelter after a quick break at Big Meadows, the meadow itself.  I hadn't seen a bear yet, in Shenandoah.  The AT wrapps behind Big Meadows Lodge and camp ground.  There in a tree I saw a bear.  I took a photo or more.  A while later, I saw a deer.  The wildlife in this park have no fear.  I call rabbits, suicide bunnies as they don't dart off until the nearly get stepped on.

I push on.  I have 4 odd miles to go and the time is close to 4:30.  The trail had some ups and downs all day over easy to move tread.  These miles will be easy with one last up hill before dropping onto the shelter/camping area.

I look at the guide one last time to see about landmarks indicating where the shelter is.  As I return the guide to my pocket, there's a bear.  I hollered at it.  It doesn't pay me any attention.  It's between me and the sign post I'm walking towards.  It moves when I get within 10 yards.  I round a switch back a moment later, again another bear.

I see my friend, Ireland, beyond, setting up. I'm there.  I'm relived to have gone 24 miles in 11 hours.

As I set up and do my chores, a young buck wanders into camp.  Ireland questions his location and moves closer to my string up.  We are both hammockers.

By dark fall, we and a few other thru-hikers, have chased the bears away multiple times so we can move around.  The buck also hangs close by.

As I write, I hear crashing around me, bears.  These buggers are the size of a large stuffed animal at the county fair.  Except they aren't cuddly nor cute.  I've hung everything that has a food scent in bags and on a steel pole aptly called a bear pole. 

The last time I was in a beary active area, Lake Watuga Shelter, a section hiker strung a bear bag the traditional method while everyone else used the pole.  In the middle of the night, we heard the pole rattling.  In the morning the bear bag was gone.  Someone found it a hundred yards away empty of all contents.

What will tonight bring in this beary active location?  Who cares about bed bugs biting now?

Hike on.  Store your food with care...

Appalachian Trail Journey

This link takes you to my album on flicker for the Appalachian Trail Journey.

By preyingjaws on Flickr. Just follow this link to see and comment on this album: https://www.flickr.com/gp/preyingjaws/7JwD42

Dragon's Tooth

I kept thinking when am I going to pull myself up the rocks leading to the monolith know as Dragon's Tooth.  I pondered this as the day had been fairly even on rocky ridges all day in between forest duff which is easy on the feet.  I caught a sign saying the monolith was close by.  The forest opened up and there it was in the clearing.

It was the route down that caused issues.  Here's the Maine Sisters looking down one of many different problems.

In the selfie, I'm sitting near the top of the Dragon's Tooth, an easy class 4  scramble up the backside.

The final picture the branches should be on the right side.  I'm hoping the auto rotate works.  This is the Dragon's Tooth.

Hike on and watch were you place your feet...

20's

Some how I locked into getting into town early today, June 8.  I heard shuffling in camp and rolled over, a while later I heard foot steps.  I stuck my head out my hammock, looking at the shelter, I saw the Maine Sisters heading out.  I rolled out of bed and quickly packed.  I looked at the camera after I started this day's selfies, 7:15 am.  The gals had left 45 minutes prior.  I thought, I'll catch them by noon.

I put the music on.  I forgot who I listened to.  I didn't even look at the trail profiles of the day other then where water would be found, a lot of places.  I shifted gears to slow for the up and random for the flats, and careful for the down hills.  I've learned to embrace all terrain, rocks, roots, and brush.  When I stop I naturally look for ticks on my legs.

I paused over a few spots to gulp water.  My filter fits Smart Water bottles.  Two days ago I'd dipped instead of using a filler bag, another bag had failed.  The filter floowed slowly into my mouth.  I'd back flush it in town to clean and restore the flow.

The views were sparse.  At the FAA tower, aka golf ball on a mountain top, even the view there was slim with the haze.  Humidity haze, I pondered rain in the forecast?  I pushed on.  A moment later I dropped into the guillotine rock, a rock wedged between two cliff like rocks.  The climber in me wanted to play.  The hiker in me wanted to push on.  I made a few selfies.

I got in such a rhythm, I walked right past the Sisters eating lunch.  Getting a ride into town wasn't easy.  I ended up asking a couple of college guys at the James River parking area for a lift after a NPS Ranger passed by.

Later at Glasgow's hiker camp, one of the Sisters and I joked around that we only do 20's on the bottom half of the food bag.

The typical daily food supply is two to three pounds per day and we carry up to five days at a time.  I like to add a day and a held just incase of some delay.  Last week I took a wooded zero, I stayed an extra day at a shelter.  The point being our packs are heavy when we leave town and light the day or two before the next.  The lighter the pack, the easier it is to move.

Hike on and eat well...

McAfee's Knob

I carefully stepped towards the overlook, then I saw a few friends hanging out and greeted them.  Soon, I handed one of them my camera asking, can you take my picture.

This wouldn't be the only veiws I'd have that day.  Honestly, I enjoyed the views from Tinker Cliffs more so.  At Tinker Cliffs I watched the rain storm move in.  At that time, I'd time the line of travel and hustle to the next shelter.  At the shelter other hikers came in at various stages of wet, many had been caught in the rain and hail.  Some hikers took refuge in the rocky over hangs before the storm let up.

For the moment, I edged to the edge and let my feet hand over for a few frames.  A few minutes later I decided on a different photo set, one with the pack on.

Hike on and becareful...

The Hang

The running joke on the AT of how do you know if someone sleeps in a hammock goes like this... we will tell you.  Since Damascus, I've been in a hammock, less one night.  Before I arrived I had my Hennessey hammock sent out with a hex-tarp.  At that time I'd used my tent 4 times in over a month.  The tent usage for me did not justify the weight, though the hammock kit is slightly heavier, I use it more often.  The hammock was literally were a life saver then.  Since then I've stayed in one shelter - Partnership outside Marion.  The reason for the swap out is I wasn't using the tent.  Over the last few years backpacking, I've used a hammock. I see hammock sites fast then I do tenting spots. Since going back to the hammock I haven't been constrained to flat spots or shelter areas.  I have flexibility to roam and stealth camp in more places.

This morning, I'm at Wood's Hole Hostel south of Pearisburg VA.  This hostel is an organic farm with each planter box being a complete salad ready to feed over 20 hungry hikers and more.  The gal who runs it inherited from her grandmother who set it up as a place of rest for all who come through.  I can't say the whole story here but, so far this is one of my favorite places on the trail and wothy looking up later.  Wood's Hole Hostel is open to others beyond hikers, so if planning a trip through southern Virginia, make an effort to find this place of retreat.

By the way, I'm in my hammock over in hospitable ground for a tent, a light rain fell overnight, and my pack is just under me.  I do use webbing to protect the bark of the trees for both my tarp and my hammock.  I find setting up in the rain a little easier this way and I can fine tune the hang better.  My hiking poles prop up one edge for a little view.

The night before, I was at Dismal Falls, a small set of water falls a little off the AT.  I fell asleep to the wonderful sound of rushing soothing ripples of water.

My get up and go since leaving the home of the shelters isn't quick by any means but I find the better sleep, the better I hike throughout the day.  The hang can be a bit chilly underneath so I might look for a 40 degree underquilt before I hit Vermont.  Right now my sleeping pad works.

I am also continuing to refine how I pack each day, little tweaks go a long way.  Since the pack is a sack of sacks I find that if I can pack around that which can't be shifted in size and fill in the gaps the more comfortable the carry for the day is.  For example the cook kit is a solid, it'll never chang shape.  The food bag is often solid as well though changing daily.  I carry but one fleece jersey, a jacket, and minor other clothing.  If I pack the clothing into a compression sack I beecomes a solid.  I was doing that previously.  I'm now carrying the clothing in a stuff sack that can be molded around that which does not change shape so easily.  I'm going from a layer by layer system to a system of fitting by weight and malleable.  The heavier items are set so they are closer the the back and held in place.  The malleable system seems to be working better for comfort and weight balance.

I've got other things on my mind.  I'll hit those in another post.  The sound of rain and birds are my alarm clock this morning.

Hike on and carry in comfort...

The Race is On

The last few weeks, hikers are talking of Trail Days.  Everyone is asking or writing of see you at Trail Days.

I'm now in the last week to get there.  I'm sitting in the Over Mountain Shelter, a converted barn dating back to the Revolutionary War.  The view is amazing.  The views to get here all day are amazing.

My push is not without frought.  My pack weighs in around 45 pounds with food, fuel, water, and gear.  My knees are achy and my ankles feeling rough too.  As I finish lunch daily, I think what can I do to lighten up.  My big overage is food.  I budget 3 pounds of food per day.  I'm also over weight in gear.  I've used my tent 4 times and slept in it 3.  It's got a condensation issue, out West no big deal, out here huge.  I do carry a full rain suit, gortex top and bottom, a pound each.  I may send home the bottoms.  I like the top as a jacket over all so that will stay.  I'm also looking and re-evaluating other pieces of gear.

I've seen guys hiking with as little at 10 pound base to over 40 pound base.  I'm in the middle.  Listening to my body is huge.  I like big mile days where I cover 20 plus.  A lighter pack means more comfort on the trail.

The race to Damascus' Trail Days is easy, one foot in front of the other.  The terrain gets easier the closer to Damascus one gets. 

Long Day of Rain

The shelter didn't fill until after dark.  Several groups passed afterwards on the push to Trail Days.  The wind struck up around two hours later filled with rain.  Rain it came and came, by the sprinkle, by the bucket.  In the morning for the shuffle it still rained.  Teasing us it was over, light and not at all, a tease.

I decided to get up and go.  The bear bags hung in near by trees.  When I got mine down I grabbed everyone else's.  This shelter did not have bear cables or pole.  I used the PCT method, the others were just a line tide to a tree.  At the previous shelter someone lost their food bag, though hung, to a bearusing the traditional method.

I got moving with a pack cover on, my goods were in a contractor bag inside the ruck.  The rain was cool not cold and let up a little periodically in the morning at times breaking the weather into fool's clearing.

I got to the half way point, another shelter, and came into the company of YWAM VA.  I'd met one them early in my journey.  YWAMers are like Thru-hikers we know of other people within the community.  YWAM Ships came up in the conversation.   I also recognized a few faces from the night before and weeks prior.  Trail Days is a conglomeration of hikers, faces and names will be matched finally.

After an hour or longer I got to moving.  The rain hadn't let up. I had 8 more miles for the day.  This is the second half of the back to back 20's, though not technically 20 miles for today. These last 8 are said to be the easiest of the Trail.  I picked up a rain jacket to carry into town that was left.  I wore it.  It wore well for the weight, light.  If I can't find the owner or she doesn't find me, I'm keeping it.  If she does find me, I'm getting one for myself.  I like it that much.  Two hours into the projected four hours of the hike into town the jacket's effectiveness wained.  Still it kept it's purpose, keep me dry, I also sweated.

After another hour later the rain still poured.  I recognized stage one hypothermia, loss of finger dexterity, and focus narrowing from mind wandering to survival.  Shivering hadn't come yet, just the cold, the cold.  I had two miles yet to cover.  I went from hiking to just moving down hill focusing on each step.

I heard sounds of town.  Eventually I saw a roof below in the woods and then a Welcome to Damascus sign.  At the awning on an info table, I spoke with another YWAMer and tried to open a ziploc of treats.  I couldn't.  She gave me directions to the library, a block away.  I needed to get warm and fast.  I moved my numb body that direction.

At the library, I got warm.  My mind focused on two things: get warm, get dry.  I got warm.  Dry would come later.  I saw more familiar faces including two.guys from last night, they arrived before the torrential down pour that caught me for over three hours.  Did I say at times, visibity, poor to almost okay.  I was in the car wash from hell with no exit.

From the library I got to the outfitters.  At the outfitters I got my drop box from home.  My condo arrived.  I am ditching the tent for the hammock.  Hammocking is my choice of back country luxury.   Why I swapped at the last moment before the journey is a weight decision.  A winter hammock kit is heavy.  Tenting in winter is lighter.  Or so I thought until today's rain.  I'd given the weight penalty to have my Clarke NX-150 from late September's late fall hike into the Uinta's, today.

While there, at the outfitter, I fumbled my phone.  I'm so cold at this point, my touch screen didn't work, the store clerk typed in my unlock code to find a friend's number.  I called and no answer.  I hung out for a moment to get warm before heading back to the library.

Back to the library, I got a ride to tent city.  Back to being cold, I fumbled for the registration.  Someone tried to carry a conversation with me.  I ditched it, cold and wet, I needed to shed my wet layers and fast.  Conversation can wait, any longer and trouble is here for me.  Dry, get dry, is my focus.  I didn't want to delay any longer, warm and dry are a box, two trees, and focus away at that moment.

I found two trees for the tarp on the far side of tent city.  As I set it, bumbling with the knots when someone else came by.  Shortly after the tarp was set I got the dry clothes out of my backpack.  A fellow thru-hiker, Stitch, hung his tarp near by.  Bear Claw came by to say Hey.  It's good to them both.  With the tarp finally set, dry and warm were in progress.  Rain it still came, not heavy just well rain. Relief is a word not lightly used,  I am relieved to be on the fast track to warm and dry as I finished setting my hammock.  Hypothermia stage one is now in my past.  I could feel the rush of warmth to my skin as the fleece jersey replaced the soaking wet t-shirt and rain jacket.  My rain pants replaced the hiker shorts.  Socks wet stayed, town called, food, buildings with heat, etc.

I finally got warm and dry.  I've hung out at the hiker mission across the street.  My socks are wet. My hiking clothes are hanging on the hammock ridge line to dry, if dry should come  My camp is a mess but, so what.  I'll sort it out tomorrow.

What did I learn from today?  What could I have done differently?  Good questions.  Honestly, I wouldn't do anything differently.  I saw only two places to pitch a tent once the hypothermia signs showed.  Wood was all wet so making a fire was out of the question. Fire up my stove?  Alcohol stoves require attentive attention, which I did not want to spare plus boiling water is 10 minutes away for a mug, nor much warmth or dry there.  Just getting and staying dry would be enough.  Now with my tarp and hammock I can stop in more places to do just that, make dry happen.    I could have stopped and grabbed dry clothes but I only carry only one set (the clothing I wear) and sweats, beyond my rain gear, for sleeping.  Changing clothes when one does not have them is out.  Done on rain gear?  By this point of soaking, the rain jacket failed, my own might prolong the ability to stay wet and retain heat.  Rain gear is for regulating body heat, not so much as keeping dry.   Getting to a place where I could get and stay dry today was my greatest priority.

Hiking the AT is definitely a learning experience about who I am and what I can endure.  I am learning there are many ways to the goals.  Today finishing meant more then just getting to Damascus.  It nearly meant my survival.  How close did I come not to making it?  I care not ask.  I've been wet endlessly before.  I've been cold, bitter cold before.  This is my first experience with both.  I could have stayed at the last shelter, the company was good.  I had plenty of supply and it is dry there.  I wanted to make it and before dark.  Sure go slower, put my rain gear on.  There are choices to be made.  I made the choice to go on.  Only two miles once I saw hypothermia signs, 45 minutes down hill to travel.  I could manage that and did.  Honestly, I could go further, next time I won't.  I'll get dry and fore go the final.

Hike on.  Hike dry...

My FAQ's

What is the AT? I hear often when I tell others I getting ready for something big.  Next question is are you going alone? A few others mockingly joke, haven't you left yet?

Questions, statement of fact, or common curosity any of the a fore or a combination of unexpected.  The way it does not mater.  What is mattering is the fact question either phillosophically thought out or poorly phrased, they mean the same thing, I'm interested or faining interst for a momment until I can think of something else to say.  I care and care less about the motive.  I'll gladly share an answer to any question.

Over the last few weeks I've listened to the questions.  Here are the most common ones asked by work mates and others I know.

# What is the Appalachain Trail?
- In short, a continous trail the goes from Georgia to Maine.  It's about 2200 miles and cross through many wild areas and towns a like.

# Are you going with a group?
-  Yes, I'm meeting them as we hike.  I'll meet people who hike about the same distance daily.  This loose group will gain and loose members as we journey northward.
- Alt answer.  No, I'm not as I've chosen to hike at my own pace which varies.

# What will you eat?
- I'm not foraging for it like Bear Gryils.  Nor am I hauling it all, this isn't an expedition.  There are towns along the way so I'll stock up on calorie dense and light food.  Things like peanut butter, ramen, and bagels.   While I'm in town I'll AYCE up too.

# Where will you sleep?
- Any where I want.  I use a hammock so where two trees are 12 feet apart, I'll be good.  I'll try to stay near one of the many huts and grab an occasional bunk at a hiker hostel.
-Post addition- I've since reconsidered the hammock but I'm not abandoning the tarp.  I'll have that and stay in the shelters that are spread out along the trail.  The tarp will take me to the ground but will lighten my load 3 lbs which in terms of comfort is huge for a day of hiking.

# What will you wear?
- The clothes on my back.  You will see a lot of the same shirt go from rei new to why the hell isn't it burned in a fire yet dirty.  On town days I'll make a fleetin attempt to wash what I do have at the local rock & scrub.

# Why?
- A one word question with a billion answers, many answers just don't make sense.  Let's put it this way, everyone does have their own why.  I could regurgitate a pre-meditated answer but, as these answers echo out my vocal chords or rattle around my head, they loose their punch, their meanings.  I just want to is why.

# How will you find your way?
- The general consensus is to follow the white blazes north.  A few of my closest friends recieved a post card saying, I've steeped away from my desk... follow the white blazes north to find me.  This isn't far from the truth.  Every hundered yards or so there's pained blazes about the size of the American currency painted on trees, rocks, and posts.  I'll carry a guide book, compass, and map to assist where things aren't clear.
A device I carry will tell you where I'm at though I may not besides, I'm here where I'm at.  The Captain, I'm sure will break out the map to pin point it.  Hint: GOOGLE Maps.

# What if?
-  You do realize that is a very loaded question?  I'll have a PLB for Sailor's sanity and for that one off emergency message.  This will send a message of where I'm at to the sky and back to your communication device if you too want to follow.  I intend to disappear into the woods AND come out again.  The PLB will just let others silently know what part of the woods I'm in that night.

# What about your job?
- Yes? And so? My two week notice will go in at the appropriate time.  I'll need to get re-hired when the journey concludes.  Even so, in my job history I change direction every 3 to 5 years.  The timing of this hike make sense then.  When I get back may be I'll have a renewed sense of purpose for what I do and a cleaner direction.

# How much is this costing?
-  May I ask you this? Why do you want to know?   Honestly, the actually numbers may be more scarry then finding out if a bear does poop in the woods first hand.  What I will say is, this is going to cost me: [not an inclusive list] sore muscles, hamburger feet, sweat, blood, irritations beyond.  The reward will be far more reaching then money can place a figure on.  Only other thru-hikers know.

#  Will you keep in touch?
- Why are you worried about this? I ask, will you keep intouch with me? Since you've come across this blog, you've started.  Bookmark this page, add it to your news feed, etc.  Check back often as I may post a few things back to back then not at all for a few days up to a week. You can also check the Subscribe To link at the bottom of the blog page.

# Will you take and share pictures?
- Yes,  you'll see a few attached to the posts and others will be avail in the Flickr feed on the side bar.  Flickr is where I'm dumping images.  I'll have location enabled so you can see the awesome sights with my sweat instead of your's.

#  Are you taking protection?
- As much as I can from the elements.  I know what folks are implying here.  The real protection comes from a sharp mind, good witt, and observation.  The last thing I need is mixed messages and bad action.

I hope this addresses your questions.  More answers are found in other posts as well.

Read on, while I hike on...

Hook, Line, and Stinker

The Sailor and I picked up a conversation about what I was up to.  Knowing how to navigate over land is one thing, know how to navigate the waters of one's family is much more dangerous.  I mentioned that I was in the process of planning something major.  Sure enough the Sailor's main sheet caught wind, the casual conversation turned into troubled waters for me.  We spent the next 2 hours talking about these plans.  My dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) in one season is more then a desk jockey's fantasy, it's a major goal much like a master's degree but, much harder to obtain.  I wanted to avoid this topic on this particular day.  This day is the day I celebrate Hope that was lost.  Hope lost, 13 year ago in spring.  I celebrate her life on this day.  I wanted to lay quietly with my memories.  Sailor chooses to remember the day Hope lost.  I enjoy the life of Hope on this day, it's the one day I schedule off from work months a head of time every year.  Sailor realized this [hike] is not her decision.  The Captain heard from the other wing.  Hopes and dreams aren't the same for everyone, he saw this 2 ½ decades ago.  They include struggle, tension, obstacles of grand proportions before the goal's lesson is realized.  This is mine.

The Captain and the Sailor days later recognized I can't live in the shadow of the mountains without wanting to taste the waters flowing from the springs high up.  They've made concessions for which I will travel by.  Navigating at mach 2 or even 1/1200 of that comes down to planning, setting weigh points, and reading the conditions.  Navigating air, water, land, or even one's own family can be tricky.  It can also be extremely rewarding.  Now Sailor and Captain aren't just my family, they are my only family.  I need them in my pack as much as they'd like me near by.  Without them I couldn't hike.

Soon the loose scraps of paper,  scribbled emails to myself, and other materials shall come together.  In the next few entries I'll layout the weigh points, give you my reader a challenge or two, I'll unload my pack for you to see, and reveal more of what I desire to accomplish.

Rocky Sea Pass, Uinta's UT

Ready set...

It's big, I mean Really BIG

The establishment of a new blog or means of general communication is essential to set up what is going on.

This entry truly is pre-trip.  I thought I had I gathered my thoughts for this highly important entry. As I look into the blank tablet screen I see myself in the reflection.  I'm not having a mid-life crisis.  I enjoy my job.  I play in the mountains surrounding the valley of which I reside.  I can say life is good with ease.  My feet however, itch.  They itch for the callouses that will form after blisters heal.  They itch for the pounding of weight upon a trail.  My eyes long to see what's over the horizon for me beyond the confines of a map.  My feet itch to take them there.  My heart is ready to beat free in air recycled through the trees.  So why do I stare at this blank screen?

How does one sit at a computer terminal day after day and not long to get outside?  Maps grace my cubicle where others have pictures of kids.  Where procedures and policies are, I hang route plans.  When others suck down the latest fad drink, I stick to the original drinks: coffee, tea, and the all important water.

The idea of hiking originate with the Captain.  He'd take me out hunting.  My earliest walk in the wood memory is of hunting wood pigeons in a distant land.  My favorite camp outs were with the Captain as well, in a canvas pup tent with our feet sticking out.

Decades later I found myself on the other side of the country hiking, hiking a short trail with white blazes.  I met a smelly creature with a lawn chair on his back.  Crazy fool was my first thought.   He explained every ounce well worth it come the end of the day.  Every night he became the envy of those who came from the mythical place in Georgia enroute to a holy mountain in Maine. Thus my introduction to the Appalachian Trail.

Come now partner with me as I ready to leave the comforts of my own mountains, as I leave the warmth of a daily commute,  come partner with me as I trod where other pilgrims wrestle, where other thru-hikers make peace, where section hikers find rest, and weekenders find escape.

Come partner with me as I ready with the excitement (and fear) of a new path.  Partner with me as the new fades into daily effort of putting one foot in front of the other.  Partner with me as I experience valley low and share mountain top highs.  Find with me the place where I met the smelly creature.  Find with me places like the Dragon's Tooth, the Lemon Squeezer, Nuclear Lake.   See views from places like Max Patch, McAfee's Knob, Mount Washington.  Climb with me to Springer Mountain, flow with me along the Roller Coaster, stand a top Mount Katahdin with me.

Me on the AT when I was 20 working in Shenandoah NP

Come now, let's hike!  Let's walk together the path amongst the white blazes.