Blueridge the Dog who hiked from the Blueridge to Maine
May 31, 1981 -Camp near Lovington Springs to Maupin Field Shelter-
It was wet when I left campsite at 7.30 in the morning. I made it 6 miles to the Priest lean-to where I stayed for an hour
because it was raining very hard! I left shelter at around 11:30 to noon. I made the next five miles in a very fast one
hour and fifty minutes. I took some pictures of the bridge over the Tye River and hiked another two miles to Harpers
creek lean-to here I ate lunch. A whole lot of people were camping here and had the shelter taken over but no one
was around. They even had wine in the creek chilling. I left the shelter at around four. I walked six more miles to
Maupin Field Shelter. I did a total of 20 miles today. John and Pete came in ½ hour before dark. They had a dog
with them that they found on the Blue ridge Parkway a few days before. They named the dog Blue Ridge. (This dog
walked all the way to Katahdin Ma.)
June 1, 1981 .-Maupin Field Shelter to Waynesboro Exxon Station-
It rained in the night. Did not get a very good start today. It is very foggy. A nothing day. Walked 17 miles into
Waynesboro Va. I got a ride off the trail into town. It sure was good to get into town and do my laundry and get
cleaned up. I ate supper at McDonalds and got a motel in town behind the Exxon station. I watched TV, showered
and pigged out on snacks. Hog heaven!
June 2, 1981 -Waynesboro Exxon Station Motel to camp 6 miles out of town-
I got up at 8:00 a.m. Motel life is too easy. I found out that Pete and John stayed in the same motel last night. We
ate at Pizza Inn at noon together. I sure did eat a lot. Went to post office and had a lot of mail from everybody. Chief
sent me $l0.00 and told me to have a steak dinner on him. I really needed this mai1 I got today because I found out
one hour before mail pickup that, Two A. T. hikers who were three days behind me were murdered near Pearisburg. I
never did meet them but I knew of them and would have met them when I got to the next town. They were from Maine.
This really bums me out. Some hikers have been scared so bad they went home. The man was 27 years old and was
shot three times in the head and the girl was stabbed. Words can't express my disbelief and sorrow for those poor
victims. It is suppose to rain the rest of the week.
June 3, 198l - 6 miles out of Waynesboro camp to Blackrock Hut-
My average through day 65 on trail is 12.6. I am 40 miles ahead of my 12 mile per day average that I must keep to
get to Katahdin by Sept. 23. I made 14 miles to Blackrock A.T. Hut. The trail here is very nice. It is a nice day since it
cleared after 10:00 a.m. I got at shelter at 5:30 p.m. Tom and Emily and Eve' are here too. My ankles are sore for
some reason. They will be o.k. tomorrow. I had macaroni and cheese and tuna far supper again.
June 4, l98l -Blackrock Hut to Pinefield Hut
I arrived at Pinefield shelter at 3:00 p.m. There is no one else here yet. This is a nice place.
I did 13.3 miles today with very easy walking. I stopped by Loft Mountain Campground and got a few groceries.. -
Yogurt, crackers, cheese and bread. I ate chili for lunch and drank a Coke. I also took a shower. I saw a lot of deer
today. They are very tame. One deer had a fawn with her. I could not believe they didn't run. The fawn was less than
three days old. It was very small and didn't walk too well yet. I also took a shower at Loft Mountain.
It was wet when I left campsite at 7.30 in the morning. I made it 6 miles to the Priest lean-to where I stayed for an hour
because it was raining very hard! I left shelter at around 11:30 to noon. I made the next five miles in a very fast one
hour and fifty minutes. I took some pictures of the bridge over the Tye River and hiked another two miles to Harpers
creek lean-to here I ate lunch. A whole lot of people were camping here and had the shelter taken over but no one
was around. They even had wine in the creek chilling. I left the shelter at around four. I walked six more miles to
Maupin Field Shelter. I did a total of 20 miles today. John and Pete came in ½ hour before dark. They had a dog
with them that they found on the Blue ridge Parkway a few days before. They named the dog Blue Ridge. (This dog
walked all the way to Katahdin Ma.)
June 1, 1981 .-Maupin Field Shelter to Waynesboro Exxon Station-
It rained in the night. Did not get a very good start today. It is very foggy. A nothing day. Walked 17 miles into
Waynesboro Va. I got a ride off the trail into town. It sure was good to get into town and do my laundry and get
cleaned up. I ate supper at McDonalds and got a motel in town behind the Exxon station. I watched TV, showered
and pigged out on snacks. Hog heaven!
June 2, 1981 -Waynesboro Exxon Station Motel to camp 6 miles out of town-
I got up at 8:00 a.m. Motel life is too easy. I found out that Pete and John stayed in the same motel last night. We
ate at Pizza Inn at noon together. I sure did eat a lot. Went to post office and had a lot of mail from everybody. Chief
sent me $l0.00 and told me to have a steak dinner on him. I really needed this mai1 I got today because I found out
one hour before mail pickup that, Two A. T. hikers who were three days behind me were murdered near Pearisburg. I
never did meet them but I knew of them and would have met them when I got to the next town. They were from Maine.
This really bums me out. Some hikers have been scared so bad they went home. The man was 27 years old and was
shot three times in the head and the girl was stabbed. Words can't express my disbelief and sorrow for those poor
victims. It is suppose to rain the rest of the week.
June 3, 198l - 6 miles out of Waynesboro camp to Blackrock Hut-
My average through day 65 on trail is 12.6. I am 40 miles ahead of my 12 mile per day average that I must keep to
get to Katahdin by Sept. 23. I made 14 miles to Blackrock A.T. Hut. The trail here is very nice. It is a nice day since it
cleared after 10:00 a.m. I got at shelter at 5:30 p.m. Tom and Emily and Eve' are here too. My ankles are sore for
some reason. They will be o.k. tomorrow. I had macaroni and cheese and tuna far supper again.
June 4, l98l -Blackrock Hut to Pinefield Hut
I arrived at Pinefield shelter at 3:00 p.m. There is no one else here yet. This is a nice place.
I did 13.3 miles today with very easy walking. I stopped by Loft Mountain Campground and got a few groceries.. -
Yogurt, crackers, cheese and bread. I ate chili for lunch and drank a Coke. I also took a shower. I saw a lot of deer
today. They are very tame. One deer had a fawn with her. I could not believe they didn't run. The fawn was less than
three days old. It was very small and didn't walk too well yet. I also took a shower at Loft Mountain.
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