May 5

Back on trail, did ten miles today, the rain is coming, clouds are dark and heavy. At this point I am in my tent, stopped early today to prep for the next few days of spring showers. Rain isn't really an issue yeah it sucks being wet but its tolerable,  what is not is when the wind is howeling across the ridge and its barely 50 deg. like today and the days to come.

It was nice having a day off yesterday,  sit around ,eat and watch tv... really boring honesty but we needed it. I get restless in town now, feels good to be sleeping in the outdoors again.

Put it in
to third if you know your gonna climb that hill.

carpenter

May 4

I'm clean and so are my clothes! Officially went 12 days with no shower, although I did rinse my hair in Dismal Falls but the water just beaded off due to my greasy luscious locks. lol

Minnesota Pete and Sunshine swam in the falls because they are insane it was freezing. Later that day we walked up on a crystal clean pond the I swam in, it was also freezing.

Carpenter

Taking it easy today in Pearisburg VA. with Minnesota Pete and Sunshine. Not much going on in this town other than obesity... time to ice my knees after the massive decent into town, it is one of the steepest on the trail.

I've been looking at the topography for the next couple hundred miles, wow it looks insane. Virginia is not flat by any means.

Carpenter

Success!

Woke up early 6:15am this morning to do the 7miles to Bland VA. in order to get my new shoes and socks. Kinda sad that my boots didnt get to go to 600 miles but they were getting too hot during the day. Sunshine and I made it to the road by 10am, we scored a hitch almost instantly. Three miles later we were at the post office, shoes then food!
A diner in the back of the Citgo was our lunch spot and man was it good, I could have ate 3 times as much though. True grit (former thru hiker I guess) came in while we were waiting and asked us if we needed anything, anything at all. He was a really nice guy but was proud of the second amendment, due to the full size 45 he had holstered on his side. By the End of the conversation we were following him to the adjacent barber shop to use some power to charge our stuff.

The dollar store was our next stop, a nice mile walk through town and we were there, resupply was quick. After grabbing our phones and cameras from the barber shop we went to hitching back to the trail, once again bam! we had a ride. At the trail head two girls stood with coolers full of drinks and cupcakes...trail magic!

Finally we were back to walking about 3:30pm needing water we went 2 mi. to the first shelter .4 off trail only to find out water was another .5 miles downhill ugh pain in the ass. Back on track we hit the trail moving with a furry of 12 Dragons. 11 miles to the 600 mark and 20 for the day was the goal. As 8 o'clock rolled around we rolled into camp, Humen, crazy bugg and beacon were already here with a fire goin. Sunshine and I enjoyed our celebratory beers and conversed with the other hikers.

I am now laying in my tent, listening to something walk around outside. hummm sounds big. Either way today was great... such a success and my shoes are just what I needed.

Hope I done get eaten.
Carpenter

April 29

Didn't make it to Bland VA. today to pick up my shoes due to a late start this morning. Post office closes at 4:30 but no big deal. Sunshine, dutch and I are staying at an awesome campsite near a really nice creek. We arrived here about 5 and decided to make camp, while sunshine washed clothes in the creek I built a fire, surprisingly it's only the second I have personally built, I like to watch the young guns and city folk try to make a good fire lol. Later in the evening dutch strolled in and made camp as well.

About dusk I sunshine and I needed water so we walked down to the creek again, and that's when I had a craving for crawfish. yum! We spent about 20 min. catching crawfish big enough to eat. Dutch came down also to join in the fun, then we headed back to the fire for some appetizers. The crawfish were great...even better due to the fact dutch and I had been talking about lobster and seafood for the last 20 min. b4 we went to get water.

The next stop is Woods hole hostel (37 miles) for a shower and a mattress, I will have gone 10 days with no shower :-)

sleepy alligator says stay in school.

Carpenter

Don't choose the Virginia blues.

It has been one week since Damascus VA. and I'm having a great time. On Wednesday Minnesota Pete, sunshine and I hiked 16 miles the last 5 was in the rain, so instead of goin to the camp 3 miles farther we hitched a to troutdale VA. for a warm (free) bed at a church hostel and for some food. Unfortunately the restaurant in the guide was closed. After arriving at the hostel we realize B-rocket and chin music were there and hungry as well. Sunshine and I set off for the 4 mile walk to the closest food Fox Creek Restaurant. Luckily the owner gave us and our four pizzas a ride back to the hostel.

The next morning we walked 3 miles up hill on the road back to the trail head, we couldn't get a hitch to save our lives. Once we got back on trail we were headed for Partnership Shelter near Marion VA. were we got more pizza. (they deliver to the visitor center)
After dark we stared at the beautiful full moon then turned in for the night.

Marion has 50 cent shuttle rides to town for resupply, which is great most shuttles are crazy expensive. We got to town about 10am went to Wal-Mart got what we needed and headed to McDonalds for WiFi which resulted in us missing the 11 o'clock shuttle and us sitting under some trees eating and talking till 230pm oh well.

Last night was a rainy night, sunshine and I set up camp near a private pavilion we secretly hung out in to stay dry it was fun. After hanging around till 1:15 today the rain finally calmed down and we set off for a unknown destination. The destination being where I'm sitting now in my tent on the backside of a huge mountain we climbed right before dark. Rain is still in the air, I hope I don't have to pack up in the rain again ugh but that's just part of the game. No Pain, no rain, no Maine!

Early day tomorrow, sunshine and I are getting up early to do about 20 miles to the outskirts of Bland VA were my new trail running shoes will be waiting at the post office along with new socks. (very excited) thanks mom and dad.

Goodnight from the mountains of VA

Carpenter

AT... Mile 500

Yet again another great few days, Sat. and Sunday I stayed in Damascus VA and had a blast with some fellow hiker bums. Food, beers and laughter...great for the soul! Monday I headed back on trail with Sunshine, she is from Wisconsin and is a ton of fun and hikes like the wind. We split early in the day after one last coffee from Mojoes coffee house. I decided to take the Virginia Creeper Trail while Sunshine stayed on the AT (the two trails reconnect 1.7 miles from the second shelter)  I cut off two ups and downs to walk along the river for the day. Later in the day I ran into crow and shaggy sitting at a bridge...they had also taken the creeper. That night after meeting back up with Sunshine we hiked a few more miles and made camp.

This morning was kinda cold, we got out of camp around 9am and ran into Minnesota Pete who is probably one of the funniest people I've met out here. The Day started out with a big climb up to Mt. Rodgers the highest mountain in VA. As noon rolled around we all had lunch in a shelter were the Out cast mange pony was mercing around bein weird lol. After lunch we headed down to Grayson Highlands which is absolutely beautiful and where the normal wild ponies hangout. I took a ton of pictures and had a awesome day hanging out On the huge rock formations in the sun. It took sunshine and I 4 hours to do 5.7 miles we were having such a good time. Now I am in my tent in a equally beautiful campsite, the moon is so bright and I can hear the nearby creek...life doesn't get much better.

Our next high point is Partnership Shelter 30 miles from here where we can actually order pizza to the shelter and it has a solar shower! 

From 501 miles up the AT I say good day...

Carpenter