We rose at 5 am this morning. The house is super quiet. We talk quietly about how nice it is to have a big quiet hostel to ourselves, but we really both enjoy hiking closer to the bubble of hikers that hike north in big waves. We like the camaraderie of a trail family and seeing familiar faces over time. Not to mention the warmer weather is so wonderful to walk through. I miss my familiar plant friends, few of which have woken from their winter slumber so early in the season.
Our shuttle isn't arriving until 8 am, so we have time to burn. GG brings a book to the room she found downstairs called "Platinum Blazing the Appalachian Trail" by Bruce RTK Matson. The book is subtitled "How to Thru-hike in 3 Star Luxury." We flip through it and realize this book was written for us! We love camping out at night and can certainly go days at a time without bathing or washing our laundry, but I sure do love a slackpack and a hot shower at the end of it! We see that we have visited many of the standout hostels thus far on the trail!
Our shuttle driver arrives promptly. Her trail name is Ram Bunny, and she is trail-famous in this area. She has hiked the AT THREE times!! Ram Bunny also runs the hostel in the town of Atkins and now she drives an old pick-up literally covered in trail stickers, inside and out. We load up and take off in a different direction from the interstate. She likes to drive the scenic back roads at a slow, steady pace which makes my inner ear sing with relief. I think this is the first time I didn't get carsick on a shuttle! The miles speed by while she regales us with stories of her trail adventures.
The drive takes us right beside Long Neck Lair Alpaca Farm, where we have reservations for tonight in the bunk room. Ram Bunny offers to stop on the way so we can unload our packs of everything we won't need today. We jump on the chance for a slackpack and jump out quickly, each claim a bunk, and leave 90% of our pack contents behind as we continue on to Partnership.
By the time we start our hike, it's 10:30 am. I am stiff from the 15 miles yesterday, but not too bad. Our elevation gain today is about the same as yesterday. I am carrying some heavier gear today, since the weatherman got it so wrong yesterday, so I will be warmer on the ridge. The sky is full of clouds and overcast, but the clouds are supposed to clear out later.
I am currently wearing the minimum necessary to stay just warm enough, because our day starts with the usual hike up to the ridge, which will have me winded and sweating in no time. There is a saying in hiking and running, "be bold, start cold," because outdoorsy folks know that one of the keys to thermal regulation during cold-weather activities is sweat mitigation. I don't want to be wet with sweat just to crest the top of the ridge and get blasted with bone-chilling cold air, which subsequently accelerates heat loss.
We are quickly on the ridge and it is very cold; in the low 30's and the wind is blowing. But the visibility is great and we enjoy views for miles. The thick rhododendron forms a protective screen from the wind. We stop at the top of the Walker Mountain for a quick snack, but realize the shelter is forthcoming, so decide to head there for a proper lunch.
We pass a lot of forest workers who are busy chainsawing downed trees and cutting brush back from the trail, readying the footpath for the throng of people who will be passing through in the next few months. We thank them for their fine work as we walk by.
By the time we get to the bottom of the mountain, we have lost almost 3,000 feet and my knees are letting me know they are not very happy! Thankfully the woods and meadows we walk through are lovely; the light green of spring growth at this elevation is so much nicer to the eye than the barren trees of the winter woods of the highlands. Even the power line throughway is picturesque. The temp is warming at the lower elevation, and we can walk unencumbered of winter layers.
A short path off the trail takes us to the Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia. We take off our packs to look around and read the signs. The museum is closed, but we wind around the buildings and look into the buildings.
GG gets ahead, and when we cross a stream I can't help but stop to take off my shoes and soak my feet. I stand for ten minutes on the pebbly bottom, letting the ice-cold water sluice around my aching feet and lower legs until I can't feel my toes anymore. I put my damp socks back on my damp feet and try to catch up.
Shortly after crossing a railroad track, we walk along the back of the alpaca farm toward the road which will take us there. The road noise intensifies as we near I-81, and we turn right on US Route 11, where two gas stations offer a decent resupply of junk food.
We arrive at the hostel by 4 pm, which is impressive time today considering we blew at least one and a half hours dawdling at the shelter and the museum. We shed our packs and take showers and start our laundry. Dinner is trail food, since we are fully resupplied and don't want to walk back down the hill for take-out. We meet Timex, who is also parked at Weary Feet, and a thru hiker named Recall who has an incredibly impressive appetite! He eats an entire large pizza by himself and then announces he is ready for dessert.
The bunkhouse here is adorable. Each bunk is a mini room, with plywood surrounding the bunk except for the opening, which is covered with a heavy curtain, which when closed offers a surprising level of privacy. Each bunk has a light, a fan, and an outlet with a small shelf for charging.
Cindy, the hostel owner, checks us in at the small office next to the bunk room. On display is a number of alpaca hats, gloves, and sweaters, some of which are made with the alpaca fleece from her small herd, which roam in enclosures on all sides of the bunkhouse/ office building. She educates me on the benefits of alpaca fleece and I drop a hefty sum on a locally made alpaca fleece hooded sweater. My pack is so full I need to ship something back home, which she will do for me. Cindy warns us about their cat, who will come and rub on hikers but scratches and claws if one tries to pet it. The little creature tries to sneak in the bunkhouse at every opportunity.
We tuck into our bunks and lights out.
Today's stats: 12 miles, 2000' feet gain
Trail stats: 546 miles, 135K feet gain
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