Find pictures of this section here!

Day 74: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter to Rod Hollow Shelter (18.4 miles)

The beginning of the day we were plagued with cicadas. They were extremely loud in the valley around Front Royal, VA. In the field climbing out of the valley they were flying all around and into us. The morning was a tough climb out of the valley and we took a long lunch at Dick’s Dome (aka George’s Geodesic) Shelter. Our feet were definitely sore from our long previous day. Once we got out of the valley, the cicadas went away and soon the forest only had the sounds of birds. After the shelter, it was a very hot 8.4 miles to the next shelter. All the previous rain had made the trail very muddy and flooded. Once we reached the ridgeline, we were at Sky Meadows State Park, which was a large meadow. It was a very nice change in scenery. We hung out at the shelter with Goatman, Beetle Juice, 2 Pac, Obie and Shaman. Another big storm is expected to roll in so we planned to get up early to get to the hostel before it started.

Day 75: Rod Hollow Shelter to Bear’s Den Hostel (9.9 miles)

We woke up early to beat the expected thunderstorm with strong winds. We began our hike with humidity but no rain. Right as we started a difficult section known as the roller coast, the rain started. Right before it started, the sky got very dark and it felt like night had come. It poured rain for about an hour and then 30 minutes before reaching the hostel the sun came out. The farther we got along the roller coaster, the rockier the terrain got. Knowing more storm was coming, we didn’t take any break to get to the hostel. Bear’s Den was an amazing hostel, top 3 in the hostel’s we’ve stayed at so far. It was originally a summer home that was converted by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) into a hostel and you don’t just have to be a hiker to stay there. They offer a special for hikers of a bunk, soda, pizza, and pint of Ben and Jerry’s for $30. We spent the rest of the afternoon napping and watching Pirates of the Carribbean. And though the sun was out briefly in the afternoon, around 3pm the storm arrived with a huge downpour and crazy winds. Bottle Cap and I were very glad to be inside. We spent the evening hanging out with Shaman and Goatman. We got free dinner from Queen Deva of the Hot Springs Hiker Ministry of meatball subs. We ended up taking 2 more with us to pack out for lunch the next day.

Day 76: Bear’s Den Hostel to David Lesser Shelter (11.1 miles)

The day started out great. We had breakfast pizza and the weather was nice and cool. We finished the rest of the roller coaster feeling accomplished and we passed mile marker 1000! However, all the rocks and “ankle-breakers” of the roller coaster had my feet feeling sore. We took a long lunch at the Blackburn AT Center, another hostel hosted by the PATC. It was run by Caro, a thru-hiker from 2011. She gave us a soda and cookies before we got back on the trail. We had originally planned to go to a campsite closer to Harper’s Ferry but ended up stopping early at David Lesser Shelter. The shelter was huge! It had a porch and separate covered picnic area with a porch swing. Bottle Cap got a nice little fire going and it was a nice relaxing evening.

Day 77: David Lesser Shelter to Harpers Ferry, WV/Harpers Ferry Hostel, Knoxville, MD (10.7 miles)

We woke up early to do a quick 8 miles to Harpers Ferry to meet up with some friends from college. We officially left VA and entered WV (even though there was no sign to mark the occasion). We arrived at the ATC headquarters to meet friends, Laura and Sarah and a surprise visit from Elizabeth. We signed in at the headquarters and got our pictures taken out front. We are thru-hikers 510 and 511 to pass through. We ate lunch with Laura, Sarah, and Elizabeth before Laura had to return home to norther Virginia. Sarah and Elizabeth then shuttled us to Walmart before taking us back to Harpers Ferry to look around. We walked across the Potomac River Bridge to cross the WV-MD stateline (sadly no sign) before Sarah dropped us off at the Harpers Ferry Hostel. Sarah was awesome and paid for one of our night stays so we could afford to spend the night in a bed. The hostel was a very nice place with a very large kitchen. We helped the caretakers make a dinner of chilli and dessert of cupcakes and brownies.

Photos for this section can be found here!

Day 65: Rockfish Gap to Campsite near Rip Rap Trail (~17.4 miles)

The weather started out nicer than the past few days. The rain from the previous day helped make it a lot cooler. We got a shuttle from Yellow Truck from town back to the trail head and we were entering Shenandoah National Park. We were very excited for all the food stops we were expected to see along the way. We sat on top of Little Calf Mountain to eat lunch. There we ran into Susquehana Slim, who we had met and shared a cabin with at Neel’s Gap. We hadn’t seen him since Georgia. And even though our spirits were much higher than they had been, we were moving very slowly. The terrain was fairly easy compared to what we had been encountering but my feet were killing me. We ended up stopping short of the shelter and camping in a clearing. We got very little sleep that night because some animal (deer or bear) was sniffing around our camp all night long.

Day 66: Rip Rap Trail to Pinefield Hut (~16.3 miles)

After a restless nights sleep, we slept in and made pancakes for breakfast. It was the perfect cool and sunny hiking weather. The terrain was uneventful and we moved pretty quickly. We took a long lunch at the Doyles River Overlook before hiking on a for a long early dinner break at Loft Mountain Wayside. Right before the waysid,e we stopped to look at the mapwhen Bottle Cap looked up and sees a bear. It was about 50 yards away just staring at us. He then sees a pair of small ears poking up out of the grass behind the bear. He tells me to quickly take a picture and then back away from the Momma Bear. She didn’t seem to mind our presences though and just turned around and walked away. Unfortunately, we were not able to get a picture before she walked away. We took a long break at the wayside eating chicken tenders, fries and blackberry ice cream. My feet were still really sore and it might be time for some new shoes.

Day 67: Pinefield Hut to Swift Run Gap, Harrisonburg, VA (11.6 miles)

We did a short day before getting picked up at Swift Run Gap by our old roommate, Dane. Short days mean one of our favorite things, sleeping in. I made camp pancakes again and have finally began to master the technique. We took a break at Powell Mountain Shelter. There we met german hikers, Smiley Virgin, Smokes, Turtle and Snail. We also met Thunderfoot, Oatmeal, and Roadrunner. After taking a long break to wait for Dane to get off work, we finished the hike to the gap. As we waited for Dane by the road, we could see storm clouds rolling in and we got into Harrisonburg at the perfect time.

Day 68 & 69: Harrisonburg, VA (0 miles)

Because of Dane’s work schedule, we endedup zero-ing in Hburg for 2 days. It worked out well because it rained most of the day those 2 days. We spent our time visiting our favorite food places and catching up with friends. I got new shoes, which I hope solves my sore feet problem. I had almost completely squished down the midsole of my original shoes. It was nice being in town but it felt like we had been living in a completely different world. When telling friends about the trail, it’s very hard to relate what we’ve experienced and what it’s been like. All and all, Harrisonburg was a great break but we were antsy to get back. Shoutout and thanks to Dane for driving us around and letting us crash at his apartment.

Day 70: Swift Run Gap to Rock Spring Hut (20.5 miles)

I love new shoes and waysides in SNP! Today was our best 20 mile day by far. The trail had a few PUDs broken up by lots of flat. It started out foggy and we were a bit worried about rain but by lunch time it cleared up. We leap frogged most of the day with a group of people that are in the hiking group called the Tribe (Monk, 2 Pac, Beetle Juice, Goatman, Grinch, and Kermit). We did 9 miles by noon and 16 by 4 so we took a 2 hour break at Big Meadows Wayside. We ate fried chicken and blackberry cobbler and drank a couple cans of beer. At the shelter there was a fire going and we drank the beer we had packed out from the wayside.

Day 71: Rock Spring Hut to Pass Mountain Hut (15.3 miles)

With the flatter terrain of SNP, 15 miles was a short day. The weather switched between foggy and sunny all day long depending on where we were. We stopped at Skyland Resort for an early lunch. We also got a beer and the bartender opened the bar early for us because we were hikers. Right before the Pinnacle Pinic area someone had left trail magic of soda. The new shoes I got had given me several blisters so as I was limping to the bathroom someone asked if we needed a ride. A British couple offered to give us a ride to Thorton Gap. It was our first yellow blaze and we gladly accepted. It was then a short 1.2 miles to the shelter. We met SNP ridge runner, Blessed and several ring snakes at the shelter. We spent the night in the shelter with some section hikers, making lots of jokes and having some good laughs.

Day 72: Pass Mountain Hut to Gravel Springs Hut (13.1 miles)

This was our last full day in the SNP and it was a wet one. From the time we woke up, it was raining. We were able to keep our feet dry all the way until the last 0.1 miles to the wayside. Right was we were away from the shelter of tree, the rain came pouring down. At the wayside we tried to dry out our shoes while we ate. After awhile, the sun came out and we knew it was our hiking window. We decided to road walk because it would be harder on our feet but we would move a lot faster. The sun quickly faded behind clouds, fog, and mist. Right as we arrived at the shelter, the rain came pouring down again. A section hiker, Bubbles, had a clothesline hung up to dry stuff. We hung up our socks and we clothes. There wasn’t much hope of completely drying our stuff but at least it would be “less wet.”

Day 73: Gravel Springs Hut to Jim and Molly Denton Shelter (18.6 miles)

We were very sad to leave SNP and all its food stops. Before we were officially out of the park, we saw 2 does chasing each other and our 5th bear. We did our first 10 miles of the day very quickly and had a nice lunch at Tom Floyd Shelter. After the shelter, the weather got very hot and humid. On the hill down to Front Royal, VA we found trail magic of cold water.  The last 6 miles after Front Royal felt very long. We were very relieved to see the shelter. Jim and Molly Denton shelter was amazing. It had a porch and a solar shower. There we met Clever Girl, Dump Truck, Grim, and Whistle, who we’d been following in shelter logs since Georgia. We ended up not getting a shower because there was no hot water. After a long day, we were pretty exhausted and went to bed early.

This section of the trail was probably our least favorite so far. Lots of previous hikers talk about flat Virginia, but this section was the exact opposite of that. The big climbs were coupled with a hot and humid heat wave that just made hiking miserable. On top of all that, we were attempting several days of bigger miles (for us, but small by some hiking standards) which killed our feet and lowered our spirits. We soon realized we are not 20 mile a day hikers, but smiles before miles hikers. Click here for pictures.

Day 60: Glasgow, VA to Brown Mountain Creek Shelter (20.0 miles)

At Black Horse Gap, Timon and G-Hippie called the section of the trail from Daleville/Troutville to about Dalton, Massachusetts “the suck.” At the time I hadn’t believe them and only thought it was a state of mind. And maybe it was the weather, but after this day I believed them. It was one of the hottest and most humid days on the trail so far. There was a huge climb out of the valley from Glasgow that felt like it went on forever. On top of all that, we were right in the middle of the ugly and annoying cicadas. We passed the 800 miles mark so only 1385.9 miles left! Another long day was planned for the next day to reach Devil’s Backbone in time.

Day 61: Brown Mountain Creek to Spy Rock Campsite (18.5 miles)

Our plan to go 22 miles was quickly squashed by Bald Knob and sore feet. The morning started off with 2 big climbs over Bald Knob (which was not bald) and Cold Mountain. Bald Knob was the worst so far with 5 plus false summits. It was also another very hot and humid day. We got to Hog Camp Gap and reassess our plan. We took a very long lunch/break to let our feet recover which felt a lot better after our break. The rest of the day was filled with PUDS and bugs but no cicadas.

Day 62: Spy Rock Campsite to Maupin Field Shelter (~13.4 miles)

The day started out promising with a nice breeze and view at Spy Rock. We climbed up and over The Priest, which wasn’t as difficult as we had expected. On the climb up we ran into Two Sticks, a hiker from Virginia we had met back at the GA/NC border. The Priest ended up not being as difficult as anticipated and we had lunch at a view near the summit. There we ran into Why Not, S’Rocket, BLine, and Dip N’ Sip who we had met previously before the Smokies. At the bottom of the Priest was the Tye River Suspension Bridge. We took a nice break swimming in the rive with Why Not, S’Rocket, BLine and Dip N Sip. Since we were trying to make it to Devil’s Backbone the next day, we decided to skip 3 Ridges and take a slightly shorter Mau-Har trail which passed by waterfalls. BLine had warned us that it was a difficult trail but we spoke to another hiker who said it wasn’t difficult. An easier than expected day soon turned to a miserable day. It was another hot day and walking by the river did not make it feel any cooler. The trail started out by tricking us into thinking it was flat and soon turned very steep. It turns out the Mau-Har trail takes the 3000 ft in elevation change of 3 Ridges (over 6 miles) and crams it into 3 miles. This led to a very steep climbs and lots of rock scrambling with heavy packs. The waterfall was nice but definitely not worth it. We decided there was no way to do that section of trail nicely. On the north end of the Mau-Har trail, there was a warning that it was equally as strenuous as the 3 Ridge trail; it would’ve been nice to know that before starting out. I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to see a shelter in my life. Two Sticks was there along with 4 other hikers part of the Thru Project. The Thru Project is an artistic photography and writings about the trail and its culture. Still Don’t, Rickshaw, Muffins, and Mr. Dallas all made up the thru project. About an hour after hanging out at camp, Bottle Cap realize he had met these hikers before on his practice hike (their section hike) 2 years previous. They had fed him rattle snake. It was a crazy coincidence we had all decided to thru-hike on the same year.

Day 63: Maupin Field Shelter to Reid’s Gap, Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company (1.7 miles)

Happy National Trail Day! We took short hike down to Reid’s Gap to try to catch a ride to the festival. As we approached the gap, we saw folding chairs and a man sitting by his car; it was trail magic! Nitrous Oxide, a thru-hiker from 2012, was providing us with beverages and breakfast. So we decided to hang out with him and other hikers before heading down to the brewery. G-Hippie and Shredder showed up at the gap to give hikers a ride down. The festival was exactly what we needed to recharge. We were reunited with Candy Pants, UV and Whole Bean. Most of the day for me was spent lounging on the front lawn listening to the live music. Bottle Cap played a little disc golf with Two Sticks and the Thru Project. It was a great day of eating and drinking beer.

Day 64: Waynesboro, VA (0 miles)

If I were ever to write a book about the AT, I think I would title it “…and plans changed.” I feel that almost everyday I write in my journal: “well we originally planned X but ended up doing Y.” So for Sunday, we had originally planned to start in Shenandoah National Park. We decided to skip the section from Reid’s Gap to Waynesboro because just last May we had hiked it with Waffles. We had a huge delicious breakfast at Devil’s Backbone before Shredder and G-Hippie gave us a ride into town. They dropped us off at Kroger so we could resupply and then get back on the trail. After Kroger, we had to stop at the Ming Chinese Buffet for lunch before heading out on the trail. However, after the buffet we were hit with a food coma and decided we would hike the next day. So we went to the YMCA to get a free shower and find the free campsite. After showering, we met PB and Jay, a couple who had thru-hiked in 2011.  They asked if we needed a ride anywhere and took us to the outfitter just outside of town. I bought a hiking skirt because my pants were starting to rip in the butt :). Then they dropped us off at the campsite.  At the campsite we met Disciple and his dog Koi and talked with him for a little while. We spent the rest of the night in our tent watching Toy Story 3 on my iPod.