Holy Family Hostel Pearisburg Virginia
May 17, 1981 -Holy Family Hostel in Pearisburg to Peter’s Mountain Bald camp-
I left hostel at 7:00 a.m. Got a ride with a girl going to walk part of trail. We got four people and three packs in a V.
W. Rabbit. I was going to stay another day but with a loaded pack I need to do a few miles and just walk each day a
little. Ended up doing 11 miles. It seem like 20 with my 52 pound pack. Made it to Peters Mt. Bald where I will sleep
out in open tonight. I hope it doesn't rain. It is breezy but warm. I'm guarded by sleeping over hill behind some big
rocks. I have fire going, and have just ate. It is 8:15 p.m. and it is getting dark. May go 17.3 tomorrow.
May 18, 1981 -Peter’s Mountain Bald to War Branch Shelter-
Made 18 miles today. Started to rain hard ½ hour after I got here. Got to War Branch Shelter. It is 9:00 p.m. I'm
writing by a candle I bought in town. I ate well and for the first time today I feel good. Tom and Emily are here too.
We have a good fire going. I cooked on fire and fixed rice a Roni for supper. Took pictures of birds in nest.
May 19, 1981 - War Branch Shelter to Big Pond Shelter-
I did 5 miles today. Rained all night and by 9:30 a.m. I decided to leave for Newport. Got to Big Pond she1ter and
said enough is enough. It is 8:35 p.m. and still raining. Tomorrow is another day. I’m glad now for the extra days I
walked in the past. I am still ahead of my schedule. The only thing that I have dry is what I have on. I don’t want to
get them wet. It will clear tonight. Too windy to stay cloudy and it is very cold. I miss the Orlando Florida sun! There
sure isn't any around here. I'm going to bed so (good night).
I left hostel at 7:00 a.m. Got a ride with a girl going to walk part of trail. We got four people and three packs in a V.
W. Rabbit. I was going to stay another day but with a loaded pack I need to do a few miles and just walk each day a
little. Ended up doing 11 miles. It seem like 20 with my 52 pound pack. Made it to Peters Mt. Bald where I will sleep
out in open tonight. I hope it doesn't rain. It is breezy but warm. I'm guarded by sleeping over hill behind some big
rocks. I have fire going, and have just ate. It is 8:15 p.m. and it is getting dark. May go 17.3 tomorrow.
May 18, 1981 -Peter’s Mountain Bald to War Branch Shelter-
Made 18 miles today. Started to rain hard ½ hour after I got here. Got to War Branch Shelter. It is 9:00 p.m. I'm
writing by a candle I bought in town. I ate well and for the first time today I feel good. Tom and Emily are here too.
We have a good fire going. I cooked on fire and fixed rice a Roni for supper. Took pictures of birds in nest.
May 19, 1981 - War Branch Shelter to Big Pond Shelter-
I did 5 miles today. Rained all night and by 9:30 a.m. I decided to leave for Newport. Got to Big Pond she1ter and
said enough is enough. It is 8:35 p.m. and still raining. Tomorrow is another day. I’m glad now for the extra days I
walked in the past. I am still ahead of my schedule. The only thing that I have dry is what I have on. I don’t want to
get them wet. It will clear tonight. Too windy to stay cloudy and it is very cold. I miss the Orlando Florida sun! There
sure isn't any around here. I'm going to bed so (good night).
Covered Bridge near Newport Virginia
May 20, 1981 -Big Pond Shelter to one mile north of Newport Va. CAMP-
I got up at 8:00 a.m. this morning. There are no signs of the sun, but there are a lot of clouds. Left lean-to at 9:15
a.m. and walked the seven most miserable miles yet on the entire A.T. I would be ashamed to ever claim to have
blazed this section of trail. The trail was very steep, very rocky, and very slippery, not to even mention the wet
slippery mud all the way through a relocation which was labeled temporary three years before. This section takes my
vote as the worst maintained area on the entire A.T. from Georgia to Maine. Came to bottom of hill where I was able
to get out of mud and came to a very beautiful old covered bridge. I had to cross it. It was built in 1916. I went into
Newport to get a few things that I had forgotten in Pearisburg including toilet paper and stove fuel. Left Newport at
four o'clock and hiked up a steep mountain in the rain, the dirtiest four-letter word that I know. I hiked until 8:00 p.m.
After all the rain we have been having, I am running out of water on top of these mountains. I went and set up camp
hoping that I could find some surface water somewhere. I was on a high ridge, 30 feet wide and straight down on
both sides. I was lucky this night because from the recent rain I found some water dripping off some moss 30 feet
over the hill. I had to climb like a monkey to get it but I had to. I ate supper in tent after dark. I had rice a Roni and
crackers and tang to drink.
I got up at 8:00 a.m. this morning. There are no signs of the sun, but there are a lot of clouds. Left lean-to at 9:15
a.m. and walked the seven most miserable miles yet on the entire A.T. I would be ashamed to ever claim to have
blazed this section of trail. The trail was very steep, very rocky, and very slippery, not to even mention the wet
slippery mud all the way through a relocation which was labeled temporary three years before. This section takes my
vote as the worst maintained area on the entire A.T. from Georgia to Maine. Came to bottom of hill where I was able
to get out of mud and came to a very beautiful old covered bridge. I had to cross it. It was built in 1916. I went into
Newport to get a few things that I had forgotten in Pearisburg including toilet paper and stove fuel. Left Newport at
four o'clock and hiked up a steep mountain in the rain, the dirtiest four-letter word that I know. I hiked until 8:00 p.m.
After all the rain we have been having, I am running out of water on top of these mountains. I went and set up camp
hoping that I could find some surface water somewhere. I was on a high ridge, 30 feet wide and straight down on
both sides. I was lucky this night because from the recent rain I found some water dripping off some moss 30 feet
over the hill. I had to climb like a monkey to get it but I had to. I ate supper in tent after dark. I had rice a Roni and
crackers and tang to drink.
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