Pamola's Quest - Push 12 - The Push to Daleville - Part 2

The Push to Daleville, VA (Push 12) - Part 2

The last part of this Push wasn't going to be too hard.  I was once again in familiar territory and would be in town in two days.  I was looking forward to my first zero of the Phase and the rest and recharge it would give me.

Day 400 - 20.4 miles - Near Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Day 401 - 18.5 miles - Laurel Creek Shelter
Day 402 - 13.9 miles - VA 621 campsite
Day 403 - 15.3 miles - Four Pines Hostel
Day 404 - 16.3 miles - Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Day 405 - 9.4 miles - Daleville, VA
Day 406 - 0.0 miles - Zero Day in Daleville

The Knob and the Cliffs

We were on a farm and farms have roosters, so at 0445 I first heard him crowing.  He was far down the hill, so not too loud, but I was still up and getting ready pretty early.   

My barn mates headed out even earlier.  After a visit to the hostel to get the morning going, I headed back down the road to the trail.  The first part of the day was nice.  There were no big climbs that weren't switchbacked and I arrived at the 311 parking lot where LoGear and I had started our hike a few years ago and took a nice break.  

As I checked out the map, I saw that there is a fire road that parallels the trail up to a point.  Since I had already hiked the trail there and was always looking for new experiences, I decided to follow the road up to where it crossed the trail.  It made for a little easier start and I avoided the burnt section that had caught fire a month or so earlier.  

The climb was steady though, no matter where I was walking it and I just took my time until I was at the overlook.  I had passed a couple hikers named Down Hill and White Sands on the way up and as I ate lunch at McAfee Knob we talked a bit.  They were slowly doing the trial in a nobo fashion.  Each year, they would pick up where they left off and continue on for a few days.  Down Hill took a photo of me on the knob with my phone.  I had to edit out the day hikers nearby, but it came out good enough.  

Iconic photo that everyone takes

I continued on.  Next was a ridge walk that continued to climb up to Tinkers Cliffs.  My guide mentioned a trail that may bypass the cliffs and head directly to the shelter, but after exploring it for a bit, I decided to keep following the trail as laid and did the slow climb up to the cliffs. As I made the final climb to the cliffs, I remembered when LoGear and I were hiking up this hill in 2013 and a Hiker came passing us like we were standing still.  I had my trail legs, but for me, they just give me more stamina, not much speed.  I'm perfectly happy going at my own easy pace. 

Along the way I took a break with a woman from Australia, who I had been hiking around for several days.  She had broken a rib a couple weeks ago, so we compared our pain as we rested.  I can't recall here trail name.

When I got to the best part of the cliffs, it was time for a break.  There were a threesome of guys who were out doing the VA Triple Crown and were going to circle around on another trail soon.  We talked a bit and then I moved on.

Looking back at the knob from the cliffs

The last part of the day was pretty easy as I lost all the elevation I had gained and arrived in camp at Lambert's Meadow shelter.  This was where LoGear and I had stayed last time.  I found a spot near where we had set up last time and hung my hammock.  Cruise Control and Tent Sense were at the shelter when I arrived and realized they better get a spot to camp before someone else comes and takes up the spots.  

My first priority when I arrive in camp is to find a spot for my hammock. Everything else is secondary.  Once I have claimed my spot, even if it is just by putting my pack between the two trees, then I can relax.  I don't know if I took a spot they wanted, but it is first come first served out here.  Finding a spot that works for me, is always job #1.  

When they came down, they mentioned that a copperhead was living in the shelter. I went up to check him out and sure enough there was a snakes head sticking out of the stone.  He pulled back when I got close, so I didn't get a real close look, but his head didn't seem the right shape for a poisonous snake.  More like a corn snake.  I wasn't going to test my herpetology, so I just took a photo and headed back to the hammock. 

Shy snake

The stream was close enough to provide a comforting sound as I finished my day and headed for slumberland. 

Town

There was some rain overnight, but everything was dry in the morning.  I felt the pull of town, so I was up and out early.  The short day was pretty easy.  I seem to move along faster when I know the pleasures of town await me.  

A bright morning. Town Day!

Before I knew it, I was coming down the last stretch and I could hear the sound of traffic.  As I came to the road, I saw a smoker cooking at the convenience store across the road.  I went over and took a whiff of the bbq.  It smelt like heaven.   

I went in and bought lunch and then hung out at their tables for about an hour or so.  The Howard Johnson's which I had reserved a room for two nights was just across the road. Around 1300 or so, I went over and checked in.  

After taking a shower and doing some laundry, I called LoGear to catch up and then went for a swim in the pool.  Dinner was at Pizza Hut and the rest of the night I just chilled and watched a few shows on my phone.  

I started to plan the next and final Push of the Phase.  This would be the longest one and I was going to attempt to carry all (or most) of my food.  I always stress a bit when a resupply point isn't right on or within an easy walk of the trail.  Not too many people want to pick up a solo, male, grey bearded, smelly hiker it seems.  My hope was to carry enough to get to the end, but I knew that if I had to, I could hitch into town and get some more food. I just didn't make it a part of the original plan. 

A Lazy Zero Day

This day was all about relaxing, resupplying and just taking it easy.  I didn't take any pictures and even though I didn't walk any AT miles on this day, I wasn't stationary.  The local Krogers was about a half mile down the road and I ended up walking there twice.  I had forgotten to get more coffee on my first trip.  I needs my coffee, even if it is instant.

But the place had some food places too, so I made the best of it.  I also didn't mind walking back and forth.  I'm kinda used to walking a lot and it feels unnatural to not walk at least a couple miles each day.  

During the day, I saw two hikers pass my room and I recognized them as eWolf and Hand Stand, two YouTubers who I had followed for a while before I started hiking.  I knew they were not too far behind and wasn't surprised that they had caught me.  I went out and said hello.

I went and hung out by the pool for a while with the other hikers that I have been moving along with who had also stayed at the motel, then it was back to the room to watch a few more shows and try to sleep in a bed one more night.  My gear was ready to go and I felt refreshed and recharged.  One final Push remained.

Push 13

Push 13 would be 133.8 miles and would take me ten days to complete.  Carrying that much food makes for a heavy pack and leaving town almost always means climbing back up to a ridge.  I was ready for the challenge, but knew that I could change the plan if I had to.  That's what I love about being out here.  Even though you are walking amongst the stone, roots and dirt, nothing is set in stone and can be adjusted as conditions dictate or permit.  It's a freedom that is sometimes eluding in the Other World.  


Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear