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Tuesday August 24, 2004 - Pine Swamp Branch Shelter to Ricefield Shelter
I the left shelter at 6:45 a.m. after sleeping well. There were no mice. I walked in the woods all day right along the
Virginia and West Virginia border. It was fairly easy hiking and my leg feels a lot better after an easy hike. There isn’t
much water along this section of the trail. The shelter sits back in the woods and the water is way down behind it. I
had gotten water before the shelter so I got by without having to go down. Before the shelter I came out on an open
ridge with splendid views all around. At the shelter there is a large open field. It is raining here at 6 p.m. and if it
clears there will be nice views after dark of lights down below. After getting here a spike buck walked into the camp
20 feet away. The deer looked at me as if to say hello and walked off into the field. I am going into Pearisburg
tomorrow. My food bag is almost empty. After dinner I had some gorp and peanut butter. I went through my pack and
separated out some items I will get rid of or send home tomorrow. I am leaving a tarp here that I am not using much.
This will drop about 3 pounds which will help on the back too. I will resupply for 43 miles to Bland for about 5 days.
Less weight means more miles easier. My Svea stove is working well on unleaded gasoline. I go to a gas station and
get 30 cents worth of gas every week or so. Coleman fuel is too hard to find in small amounts. I am 162 miles from
Damascus Va. I will get my 20 degree sleeping bag and wool sweater there.
Wednesday August 25, 2004 - Ricefield Shelter to Pearisburg, Holy Family Catholic Hostel
I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and got up fifteen minutes later. I had breakfast and coffee and left 45 minutes later. I walked
the eight miles into town by 8:00 a.m. I missed the trail at the first road crossing and followed old white blazes for a
while and decided to hike toward town and I came out where the trail left the road in about 10 minutes. The trail was
overgrown and I looked for a while without finding it. I walked across the New River and on into town and made it into
Hardie’s where I ate a second breakfast. I had some trouble getting a traveler’s check cashed but finally found a
person who knew what one was. After eating I walked over to the nearby motel and found out where Freddy Bear
was staying. We talked for a while and I decided to go to the post office. It was a few blocks away. I got my mail and
got a ride from Melvin Whitiker, a trail angel who gives every hiker he sees a ride around town. He drove me to the
hostel and then over to Wal-Mart where I got my food for the next few days. I walked back toward the hostel and
stopped by Subway and got a big roast beef sub and while on the way up the hill to the hostel I passed Triumph
going to eat also. He was going to be at the hostel tonight too. When I finally got back to the hostel I was worn out. I
did not realize at the time there was only a field separating the Wal-Mart from the hostel. I had hiked around on the
road which was a lot farther. I found out that the hostel also had free fuel for a donation so it saved me stopping
tomorrow for it. In the morning the keeper of the hostel will pick us up and take us to the trail at around 7:30 a.m. I
will get him to stop and pick up Freddy Bear too. We then have a 2500 foot accent to grade to get up. I called
Virginia at Wal-Mart today before shopping. This hostel is a real nice place. Holy Family Hostel. I stayed here in
1981 also. I have pictures of it both times and it has changed around it a lot, but the building looks the same. I
picked out a nice big double mattress on the floor and got excellent nights sleep with only Triumph here in this big
hostel. I weighed my food bag and pack and it is nearly 50 pounds. It is going to hurt tomorrow going up that hill! I
found out today that Damascus Virginia is having a 100th anniversary birthday on September 10th and I am going to
try and get there for that. Damascus is a great town and it will be neat to spend a couple of days there. The place
should be a buzzing!
Thursday August 26, 2004 - Holy Family Catholic Hostel to Doc’s Knob Shelter
I had breakfast at the hostel since I had bought way too much food. I had salami and flour tortillas and strong coffee
and oatmeal for breakfast. We all got a ride to the trail as planned and up the hill we went. We got to Angel’s rest
and took a break and hiked on to Doc’s knob shelter by 3:00 p.m. It was an easy day after the first big climb.
Reports had told us that this shelter had no water but there was plenty of it in a rock crevice behind the shelter. It is
nice here among the rhododendron and thick forest. Fred and Triumph are here too again tonight. I got a tarp which
I will carry for a while. Triumph got a piece of it too. We are both scroungers.
Friday August 27, 2004 - Doc’s Knob Shelter to Wapiti Shelter
I walked 8.4 miles to Wapiti Shelter. This was to be a sad chapter in my 1981 trip. I stayed here on a Sunday night
just after this shelter had been officially opened and finished on that very day. The fire pit had been built and no fire
had ever been put in it. The leftover log wood was stacked up around the fire pit to be burned by whoever wanted it.
It had rained all day in 1981 and I was tired so I had no fire and spent the night alone here. The shelter was pristine
and perfect. The short side trail had no paint on the trees to guide you. It had only flags to lead you. I felt honored to
be the first hiker ever to sign the shelter register, behind the construction crew of that same day. I slept well in a
brand new shelter. On Wednesday of the same week two people were murdered in that perfect shelter. Randal Lee
Smith, whose name I will never forget was caught and went to prison for the murders. He was released from prison in
2001 after just 20 years and is living in Pearisburg Virginia at the present time. I am glad on this day in 2004 that I
will not have to spend a night alone in this shelter again. The shelter shows age now and is in need of some repair
but friends around me for tonight will help me. To my knowledge these were the first murders ever on the
Appalachian Trail. There were lots of forests roads and rhododendron today and a pretty ridge walk. I got to the
shelter at 1:00 p.m. and washed out some clothes and had lunch. At 5p.m. I had supper with wild mushrooms from
the trip today. There is a nice stream nearby. I am going for 14 miles tomorrow and will leave early as usual. Two
English fellows are here tonight along with Fred and Triumph.
Saturday August 28, 2004 - Wapiti Shelter to Jenny’s Knob Shelter
I made 14.2 miles today. I got up without getting murdered overnight. It was a pretty walk today through lowland area
with creeks everywhere. I got to Va. 606 and walked .3 miles off trail and went to a small nice grocery store. I tried to
call Virginia but no answer. I bought a cheese steak sub and coke and bananas. I also bought some honey buns for
snacks, mountain money, [toilet paper] and cheese. Fred and I ate our lunch together and he fed a big fat pregnant
cat that kept begging for food. I hiked 6 more miles to Jenny Knob Shelter. I found a better tarp here so I swapped
mine out for it. I got here first ahead of Fred and Triumph and rested and straightened up my pack. There are mice
everywhere at this shelter even in the daytime. Triumph got here first and Fred came in last with a six pack of beer
he had carried from Va. 612. I had one and Triumph and Fred finished the rest off. Fred came up the trail and we
could here him singing as he walked. Triumph and I laughed and said, “He sure seems happy.”
Sunday August 29, 2004 – Jenny’s Knob Shelter to Helvey’s Mill Shelter
I was up at 5:30a.m. This was ridge walking all day with little or no views. It was all grown up. There was no water
between shelters which was 10 miles. It was a nice day of hiking though. The weather was sunny and nice. I made it
to Helvey’s Mill Shelter. The water is .3 miles down the hill with many switchbacks to get there. While I was down
getting water I stumbled over a log and hung my left ankle on a sharp stobb and bruised it very badly. I soaked my
ankle in the cold water and hobbled back up to the shelter. I left my Sierra cup down at the water and Triumph got it
for me when he went down an hour later to get his water. I will resupply tomorrow or next day in Bland. I hope I can
walk tomorrow. The no see ums are bad here. Fred and I built a smoky fire to run them off. This is a nice shelter off
the trail and it sits out on a point of land.
Monday August 30-2004 – Helvey’s Mill Shelter to Jenkin’s Shelter
I got up a lot later than usual. My left ankle is really hurting after my accident yesterday. I left shelter and the ankle
loosened up and I hiked 13.8 miles to Jenkins Creek Shelter. I resupplyed in Bland today after a 90 min. wait. Fred
went on to next shelter and Triumph and I finally got a ride to town. I went to the post office and got my business
done and went to I.G.A. and bought $20.00 worth of food for the next few days. I bought some food to eat here and
a diet Coke and started to hitch out of town and immediately got a ride back up the hill. This was one of the prettiest
days of hiking in both terrain and weather. The trail followed an old road grade for several miles and was lush with
some nice views here and there. I followed a creek for 3 miles through rhododendron thickets. The shelter is real
nice with a stream nearby. Fred and I started a fire and it is going blazing at the present time. My Svea stove had
not been shutting off properly lately and I took it apart and got it fixed here at the shelter. A gear was out of sink in
the shut off valve and I realigned it. It works perfect now. There will be a lighter day of hiking tomorrow. A hurricane
may dump a lot of rain here tomorrow and I want to get into safe haven early. The tropics are heating up now in late
August.