Family is important.
So. We are off the trail taking care of some family issues. Hope to be able to get back out in August.
Nothing dire, but important, if that makes sense.
Slackpacking for a Nero
A “Nero” is a near zero. We will do twenty mile into Troutville tomorrow and catch Mcaffee Knob. Will be an iconic day.
We just needed some rest.
This is where we went:
And a closer look at yesterday:
And a change up in the millipedes:
And an old mill wheel.
A good day.
At Four Pines.
We had a few days with no service. Now I can catch up on email, food and rest. Has been so humid.
Was a hard decent, rungs and more.
Dragon’s Tooth.
Mile 700
Water last night was two hundred feet straight down hill.
The eastern continental divide.
A couple miles of 45 degree rock face.
Sunrise yesterday.
Been some good days.
Issue was Angel’s Rest to Four Pines is about 70 miles or more without a resupply in between.
Our solution was to slack pack 21 miles which made it 50ish miles.
Some long days with the last stretch only 7ish miles but really rough. Beat the rain to get off the roughest sections before it hit.
The market here is really oriented to through hikers. Neat for what they stock.
Father’s Day on the trail.
Yesterday we made it to War Spur Shelter.
Today we went War Spur to Sarver Hollow. Difficult to get to but a beautiful shelter.
We got off to an early start.
Saw a Keefer Oak.
Crossed some open fields (95% of the time we are under trees.
A huge, steep clinb
Now to the shelter.
It felt like more climbing than 361 floors.
21 miles back to Angel’s Rest
And flowers to go with the blackberries.
The hostel:
https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/meet-the-hostel-angels-rest-hiker-haven-pearisburg-va/
Next we plunge into a long stretch. Without the 21 miles today we would have been 70 miles between resupply. Now it is just fifty.
Mcafee Knob is next on the big landmarks. I am hoping for good weather for some iconic pictures.
Pearisburg
We’ve made the trip from Wood’s Hole to Angel’s Rest.
Even ate fresh blackberries on the vine on the trail.
😄
Mile 600
Tomorrow is Happy’s birthday and we will be at Lickskilllet Hostel.
Meanwhile, back home:
