Yes, Virginia! 9/21/09

As I write this Sam and Sallie are a day’s hike south of Pearisburg, Virginia a town of about 2700-folks and the home of Andrew Johnston, the 17th President of the U.S. Our southbound duo has completed 1552-miles and have just 626-miles to go. They are right on schedule to finish at Springer Mountain, Georgia the last weekend in October.

Sam’s and Sallie’s recent trail experiences have included flocks of wild turkey, whitetail deer, raccoon, and the obligatory squirrels and chipmunks. Probably the worst encounter so far and certainly the most painful was a couple of weeks ago when our hikers got a little too close to a trailside yellow jacket nest. Sallie took several direct hits while Sam collected at least three or four pretty painful stings. With no ice or sting swabs available, they had to just “tough it out.” Sam said it sure did feel good when it stopped hurting. A day or so later, they came upon another yellow jacket nest literally “on” the trail. This one a bear had raided and dug it up stirring up a maelstrom of winged warriors looking for revenge. Sam and Sallie gave them plenty of room by skirting the area off the trail.

The Appalachian Trail south of the Shenandoah Park has numerous mountain crossings in the 4000-foot range and then, as it leaves the Blue Ridge, it generally hangs out in the 1500 to 2000-foot elevation for miles and miles. The elevations are broken only by gentle descents into the valleys which lay in the 1000-foot range. There have been no dramatic changes in altitude for the past couple of weeks, therefore, not much change in weather or scenery.

One of the more interesting points along the trail the past few days has been McAfee Knob, long famous in AT publications as one of the more photogenic spots on the trail with plenty of jutting rocks on the edge of the mountain on which to pose while a companion takes a photo. By the way, speaking of photos, Sam was heard to say that Sallie was doing a solo thru-hike and he was tagging along as her photographer.

The weather has been a bit more pleasant the past couple of weeks. A few warm days have made work out of some of the ascents, but for the most part a breeze has been moving the air and cooling the trekkers. Night time temps have fallen into the upper 50’s some evenings making sleep even better.

Sam and Sallie are averaging 3-miles per hour and most days put in five to six hours. Sam has found that racking up more than18-miles requires some payback the next day. Therefore, they are taking it easy, if you can carry a 35-pound pack 18-miles up and down mountains and call that “easy.”

Near Pearisburg, Sam and Sallie crossed the New River, one of the oldest and most interesting rivers in North America. Contrarily named, the New River is actually one of the oldest rivers on our continent. It is the only southern river that flows mostly north and is the only river that completely traverses the entire Appalachian range. After crossing the New, the trail begins to ascend to the 5000-foot level where it will pretty much remain for the rest of Virginia. This is the first time since New Hampshire that the AT has been this high. It’s giving the pair of hikers a respite from the heat of the valleys below.

A number of you have asked how do you follow the AT for 2178-miles and not get lost. Well the trail is marked by white blazes painted on trees and rocks every few hundred feet or so. Changes in direction are denoted by two blazes. The trail maintenance groups try to keep the blazes within sight of each other, repainting them frequently. Still, in a driving rain storm or the fading light of dusk, it’s easy to miss a blaze and get off the trail. There are many, many side trails that look the same except they are marked by blue blazes instead of white. Another handy resource is the official guidebook which not only contains a detailed narrative description of the trail, but highly detailed maps of the area. A GPS is handy, but most thru-hikers opt out on carrying one due to the added weight and battery requirements.

Sam and Sallie are receiving regular shipments of staples and treats from home. Sam’s mother-in-law got in on the action this past week, sending a “care package” from Oxford, Mississippi. Sallie is maintaining her weight at 65-pounds and has suffered no serious foot problems since New Hampshire. Sam’s weight is a stable 195-pounds with his daily intake between 9,000 and 10,000 calories.

Sam is now on his third pair of Keen hiking shoes, having received a replacement pair just this week. The Keen shoes may seem a bit fragile to some, with him having gone through three pair in 1500-miles. They do really take a beating day-in and day-out, wet or dry, never getting a rest day,. Rocks seem to take the biggest toll on footwear. Indeed, there are millions of jagged, sharp rocks on the trail. Consider though, the alternative to the Keen shoes or similar lightweight expedition models: they weigh just a couple of ounces compared to the old standard leather hiking boot which may weigh upwards of 3-pounds. Now which shoe would you prefer to be walking two thousand miles in? Kinda’ puts a new meaning to the phrase “walk a mile in my shoes” doesn’t it?

We’re pleased to report that other equipment issues have been taken care of by local outfitters or the manufacturers in every case. Keen has replaced the failed shoes at no cost. Leki replaced the broken hiking poles and Platypus replaced the hydration system through an outfitter. There’s been nothing but good to report about the manufacturers and how they stand behind their equipment.

While staying in Daleville, Virginia, Sam visited the local outfitter and was invited to attend a “ZZ Top” concert in nearby Roanoke. Not being of the same generation as “ZZ Top” one had to wonder how Sam liked their music. He reported that he had a great time and had not realized it, but he actually had a “ZZ Top” starter kit beard. LOL

Damascus, Virginia is in the sights now as Sam and Sallie take up the trail for their last push in the longest state on the trail. Sam’s mom and I plan to rendezvous with the pair somewhere around Damascus near the first weekend in October. We haven’t laid eyes on the boy since early May and Peggy’s getting pretty anxious about the trip. We plan on feeding them and giving them a good place to bed down each evening for a while. Sallie isn’t allowed in Smoky Mountain National Park, so we’ll be “sitting” her for a few days while Sam does some slack packing through the park.

Sam and Sallie thoroughly enjoy your posts, emails, and comments. Keep them coming to mclemoresam@yahoo.com. You can also read the complete adventure at http://samboat.blogspot.com/. Until next time remember:

Yard by Yard, Life is Hard!

Inch by Inch, Life’s a Cinch!