Yes, Santa Clause, there is a Virginia - The Trek (2024)

Had a great zero with Sherri at Wautauga Lake. Went to a winery, grilled chicken thighs, some bourbon, had a great view of the lake. Sherri has really hit homeruns with the Air BNB’s she has found. Thank you Sherri!

Out of Watauga

Didn’t get back on trail till about 10:30 when Sherri dropped me off. Hiked around and over the dam, and up a big ridge overlooking the lake. Weather was nice and did 13 miles to a tent site. 10 or so others there, I met some first time lady hikers going SOBO. They weren’t going very far each day, but they had 11 days worth of food. No wonder. I can’t imagine carrying that much food. I was going to show them how to do a PCT bear hang, but they didn’t want me to do it for them, and their food bags were so heavy they couldn’t pull it up over the limb. They had to use another tree for leverage and so they both could pull and then did an old style hang. If a bear had dropped the bags on its head it would have killed it. Also met some other lady section hikers from Greenville, SC. Haven’t met many people from the south for some reason. Vast majority are from the northeast, Midwest or another country. A storm rolled in about an hour before daylight. Had to jump out of the hammock and batten down the hatches. It let up about 8:00, so I got packed up first and then had my two cups of coffee. First couple of hours were pretty good, but then put on and took off the rain gear at least twice before lunch.

Stopped at a gap near the state line and had lunch under an information board that had a little roof. A guy got out his truck and had a bag of banana’s and apples. Yes, Magic! Said he was Mace’s dad, had come down from Indiana to visit and resupply. Asked if I knew Mace, I said that I had not met him, but had heard about him, his reputation is widely known. If you haven’t guessed how he got the trail name Mace, its because he carries Bear Spray on his pack strap and has accidentally sprayed himself in the face not once, but twice.

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Tennessee anymore

Goodbye Tennessee! Ready for a new state. Especially given the lack of privy’s in Tennessee, supposedly due to some antiquated pit toilet law. Have definitely refined my cat hole skills. The Russians only wish they could drop a bomb as accurate.

Landscape is starting to change some. More hardwoods, not as many evergreens, rhododendrons and mountain laurel. But still have pockets of them. Every time I think I have seen the last of them, they reappear. Did 14 miles that day and camped by myself that night for the first time, just shy of a gap at US 421. That would leave me 15 miles to get into Damascus on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

Into Damascus

The weather was good, but more rain was coming. Did the pretty easy 15 into Damascus and got there about 3:00. Walked straight to the Wing and Tavern place on the far side of town. The outside seating area was packed, not a huge place, but they had live music. They sat me inside which was fine and I ordered wings and a beer. While I was eating, the bottom fell out and it poured. More rain in the forecast, so I texted and got a bunk at the Broken Fiddle Hostel that I had already walked by. When I finished my wings, I was going to order something else. It was 4:50, and the waitress said “Sorry, the kitchen closed at 5:00”. We don’t open again till Wednesday evening. What? The place is packed and you close the kitchen at 5:00 in the middle of a Holiday weekend? They would still sell me beer, so I had two more beers waiting on the rain to stop. Then I walked back towards town and got ice cream at the gas station.

Damascus is a cool trail town that the AT goes right thru, like Hot Springs. The previous weekend was Trail Days, (Daze). Its a big three or four day event, has lots of vendors, music, a big tent city, etc. Lots of hikers, current and past attend. Thousands of people. With all of the rain, sleeping in a tent city with thousands of people didn’t sound as appealing as taking zero’s with Sherri in a an Air BNB, home cooking and bourbon that is already paid for, so I elected not to go. A lot of people that I have met went. One got Norovirus while there. I liked my decision. But it was a Holiday weekend, potential rain in the forecast, I so I took a zero there for Memorial Day. Rode a loaner bike to Food City to resupply, had a bourbon at the distillery with the ladies from Greenville, Trail Mama, Buttercup and Ivan, and a good shrimp and grits at Wilson’s. Yes, a new place that was actually open on a Monday! Had breakfast at the gas station on Tuesday, it was not bad, and headed out of Damascus by 7:30. Earliest start yet.

Did 17 that day to a tent site, got set up before the rain came back. One other tent came in, rain started about 11:00 that night and rained alot, but stopped before daylight. Trail wasn’t bad considering all the rain. Had a 2000 ft climb to Buzzard Rock. First good views in Virginia. Wind was tough up there, so I didn’t stay long, didn’t want to get to cold. Also, I wanted to make it thru Grayson Highlands, since there is no camping there. and that was coming up that afternoon.

And on the 49th Day, let there be Ponies!

Got to Grayson Highlands State Park that afternoon. Super cool! Big rocky pasture lands that have herds of wild ponies and Long Horn cattle. It was very windy and very rocky. The trail was super technical which makes it very slow. Lots of rocks and foot placement.

As I came over the top, I could see a herd of ponies way off in the distance. I zoomed in with the camera and took some pics and video thinking that may be my only opportunity. Sure enough, before I could get close to them, someone walking SOBO spooked them and they disappeared.

I could hear the Longhorns mooing, but never saw them, they stayed in the woods. I was thinking that I had seen all the ponies that I was going to see, but boy was I wrong. After taking pictures from far off, as I got into some of the trail that was thru thick brush, I almost got ran over by 10 or 12 of them! I could hardly get my camera out.

If you want to see a video of one licking the salt off of me, check it out on Instagram @Billybobhikes. It was a pretty tough 17 mile day, again the afternoon was very technical, but the Highlands were awesome! Got down off the mountain to a campsite, just out of the state park. Very thankful we got down because it was very windy and cold that night. Down in the mid 40’s with 30 mph wind. We could hear the wind, but it was up high over us and not too bad. Camped with Ivan, ET and Sunny Florida whom I had met earlier that day.

Marion, VA

Got up and at it and did another 17 to Marion for a needed resupply and a 5 B’s booster shot. Can never be too careful, should get a booster when ever one is available is my motto. Got a bunk at the Merry Hiker hostel, had a good burger, fried fish, and a big breakfast.

More Magic!

Heading out of Marion, we crossed a road that had an old historic school house and a Settlers Museum. I wasn’t super interested in the museum anyway, but there was something there far more interesting. Trail Magic! By a guy named Brewsky! How lucky can you be! Guess what kind of magic Brewsky has? The best kind, Brewsky’s! He also had mandarins, gatorade and chips. I had a gatorade, two madarins and a Dos Equis!

Know When to Trust Your Gut

Out of Marion, you get to I-81 after 12 miles or so. There is a place there called Sweet Water Venue, right on trail that the notes in the Far Out App, (App that most all hikers use to know about the trail, campsites, water sources, etc.) said was a BBQ place and a signature lemonade called Sweet Water. Anybody that knows me, knows that there is no way I could walk by a BBQ place on the Appalachian Trail and not go in. So, I was really looking forward to getting there that afternoon and having BBQ and lemonade. As I am walking up the road towards the place, I am not smelling any BBQ. First bad sign. Before I can get in the door, a guy comes rushing out to tell me to leave my pack on the table outside, don’t bring it in. Second bad sign. After I walk in, there are Christmas trees and garland up around the dining room. A Christmas tree decorated with American Flags. I like American flags. But for Memorial Day, don’t really see why putting them on a Christmas tree is appropriate. Third bad sign. I guess they leave the Christmas trees up all year round and decorate them with what ever holiday is near. Seems like there should be a Jeff Foxworthy joke there somewhere. Wouldn’t you know I get the rednecks that can’t cook BBQ. I should have right then decided to leave and go to the Mexican place attached to the Exxon station across the road. But I had already had quite a lot of gas station Mexican in Erwin. So I sat down, and all they had is hamburgers and hotdogs. Being that my expectation bar was really low now, I ordered two all the way chili dogs, incorrectly thinking that they are less likely to screw up a hot dog. I was wrong. I ate better in my college apartment than the two hot dogs. After being in there, I think they just decide to cook whatever on any given week. The guy was telling the only other customer in there that next week he thought he might cook spaghetti. Big Disappointment.

Another Zero with Sherri

Starting to get a little long, so I will cut a little short. The next couple of days did 16 and 17, not real eventful. Had great weather. A couple of pretty big climbs, but the trail in the next week or so isn’t going to get above 3000 ft in elevation. Made it to a gap at VA 615 and currently taking a zero at a cabin over looking Claytor Lake in Radford VA. Sherri, you’re the bomb! Will head back out in the morning!

Until tomorrow!