Mile 630
Town again? Yes please! We're doing a big resupply here in Pearisburg- six days till Daleville.
After Bland, it continued to rain for a few days. The trail is basically a creek in some parts and we're just hopping from rock to rock or skirting the edge of the trail. We did a really big day yesterday, so resting in Pearisburg is good.
I'm not sure of how good of a story teller I am, but here are some random anecdotes from the trail:
We had been hiking with a guy named Delaware for a few days when one evening, Delaware came into camp with an announcement. He had reached 3,000 plays of "I'm Gonna Be" by The Proclaimers, more commonly known as the song that goes, "and I will walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more...". Upon further discussion, we learned that he has been listening to the same song since Springer. And will continue to do so for the first 500 miles and maybe 500 more. He literally listens to that song and only that song while he hikes. He called it a gentlemen's bet with himself, and hopes the band will perform for him on Katahdin.
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We saw in a shelter logbook that W, a young and pretty unassuming guy, had been there that morning. His entry:
"Killed and ate a rattlesnake today."
We got the story a few days later. W came across a rattlesnake on the trail and threw some rocks at it to scare it away. It didn't go away, so he moved on to bigger rocks. It still didn't leave, so, he decided, "It was me or the snake." With a few well thrown rocks, he killed the snake, then cut off its head and tail. I'm not sure how or why he decided to then consume the poisonous animal, or had the skillset to do so safely, but he did. And has the skin to prove it.
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Whistles, a girl about my age and a few inches shorter, was telling me how annoyed she gets when male hikers talk to her in a patronizing way. Within the first week of hiking, a guy asked her how many miles she had done that day. She told him she had hiked 13. He bragged that he did 17, and that she shouldn't worry; she'd soon be able to do that kind of mileage. "After all", he said, "Smiles before miles! Hike your own hike!"
That night, Whistles found a decent size rock and put it in the bragger's pack. "Try hiking 17 miles with that, sucker!"
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Town again? Yes please! We're doing a big resupply here in Pearisburg- six days till Daleville.
After Bland, it continued to rain for a few days. The trail is basically a creek in some parts and we're just hopping from rock to rock or skirting the edge of the trail. We did a really big day yesterday, so resting in Pearisburg is good.
I'm not sure of how good of a story teller I am, but here are some random anecdotes from the trail:
We had been hiking with a guy named Delaware for a few days when one evening, Delaware came into camp with an announcement. He had reached 3,000 plays of "I'm Gonna Be" by The Proclaimers, more commonly known as the song that goes, "and I will walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more...". Upon further discussion, we learned that he has been listening to the same song since Springer. And will continue to do so for the first 500 miles and maybe 500 more. He literally listens to that song and only that song while he hikes. He called it a gentlemen's bet with himself, and hopes the band will perform for him on Katahdin.
-------------------------
We saw in a shelter logbook that W, a young and pretty unassuming guy, had been there that morning. His entry:
"Killed and ate a rattlesnake today."
We got the story a few days later. W came across a rattlesnake on the trail and threw some rocks at it to scare it away. It didn't go away, so he moved on to bigger rocks. It still didn't leave, so, he decided, "It was me or the snake." With a few well thrown rocks, he killed the snake, then cut off its head and tail. I'm not sure how or why he decided to then consume the poisonous animal, or had the skillset to do so safely, but he did. And has the skin to prove it.
-------------------------
Whistles, a girl about my age and a few inches shorter, was telling me how annoyed she gets when male hikers talk to her in a patronizing way. Within the first week of hiking, a guy asked her how many miles she had done that day. She told him she had hiked 13. He bragged that he did 17, and that she shouldn't worry; she'd soon be able to do that kind of mileage. "After all", he said, "Smiles before miles! Hike your own hike!"
That night, Whistles found a decent size rock and put it in the bragger's pack. "Try hiking 17 miles with that, sucker!"
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Sigh. I have no desire to thru-hike the AT anymore, but reading this post made me forget for a second ;) you guys are awesome.
ReplyDeleteMackenzie you are amazing! I'm so happy Beau got to join you!
ReplyDeleteLove the anecdotes!
ReplyDeleteDelaware does NOT sound like a healthy guy! Yes, my opinion, but I wouldn't be near him at all.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing though. Hope you guys are finding smiles often!
That's the crazy thing... He is actually totally normal and fun!
DeleteI love reading everything!!! I'm so jealous. Keep it up!!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are awesome... love reading the updates! :)
ReplyDeleteUmmmm, Whistles is HILARIOUS!!!! I mean that is SO funny!! Your stories are great ... keep them coming!! I did my first 'race' of any kind this weekend (like I haven't even ever done a 5K). It was an adventure race called the Spartan Sprint. It was CRAZY and I am so sore, and so proud of myself. I can't imagine 18 miles a day but so awesome!!
ReplyDelete