Week 10 - 2022

WEEK TEN … of HOBOS GOING SOBO IN THEIR OBOZ, the journey "in-tents"ifies ...

Pearisburg, VA to Groseclose, VA - 80 miles, average 9 miles a day. 73 days, Total miles - 580!

WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK ON THE TRAIL:

• WE DID IT!!!! Total miles hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2021 and 2022 = 1100 miles!!!!!  Halfway point is 1095 so we exceeded by 5 miles, yay us!! 

• We went out with a BANG!! Our last night was the night of the 4th. We heard fireworks and thought how nice it was that they were celebrating our finish.  We didn’t get to see the fireworks but outside our tent was a whole lot of lightning bugs flying around illuminating the area for our big finish!

• Remember my mentioning that there were no footbridges in northern Virginia? You had to rock hop and hope you didn’t fall in the water? Well, this part of VA has footbridges everywhere even if there isn’t any reason to have one.

• And speaking of footbridges, seems to be a good place to build bees nests. Two of them we crossed had nests and unfortunately I got stung twice on one of them. I just don’t understand why, I was minding my own beeswax!

• We came across a set of wheels just sitting by the trail in the middle of nowhere and FROG says: I’ll bet there’s a “wheeley, wheeley” good story behind those being there.  

• Trail Magic hits again! This time it’s been water caches!  Three different places due to the water shortage, Angels left jugs of water out. We’ve never been so excited to see water in our life! You don’t realize how much you need (or crave as I mentioned before) until you don’t have.

• I mentioned to FROG that I was pretty sure I lost weight this year. His response:  YOU DID? I listened carefully to his response and y’all it was a definite question on his part (as in unbelief) and was not said as though it was in agreement that I had.  He lost points for that comment!

• Well, of course, speaking of which … we did the thing again. Stepped on the scale for our final tally. FROG has lost 25 pounds and I; drum roll please … 10 pounds. Thanks for noticing FROG! 

• While we were in Pearisburg, a gentleman on the street stopped to talk to us about the trail. Seems there was a murder at Wapiti Shelter of two hikers in 1981.  He assumed we had already walked past that shelter since most have but since we are SOBOs, we had not.  Do you know how hard it was to go there when you hear such news?  We did stop but it was hard not to feel somber being there knowing what had happened.  Continued news was that the murderer got 30 years and was out in 15 and went out and attempted to do the same to two more hikers. I prayed he was still behind bars!

• We stayed at 3 hostels this week! My kind of camping!!! Weary Feet, Burkes Garden and the last, Bear Garden. All unique and wonderful in their own way!!!! 

• Weary Feet owned by Julie was fabulous! Home-cooked meals every night and morning, slackpack options, and where we met new friends, Julie, Lefty, MacGyver and Steady Eddie.

• Burkes Garden owned by Bugs was brand new and very comfortable! Met the sweetest Mennonite family that gave us some of their homemade dehydrated food to try.  What a gift of love.

• Bears Garden owned by Bob & Bertie.   Great couple!  Hostel known for their marathon cake challenge. You walk 26.2 miles and get rewarded with a cake at finish. I love my desserts but NO, we did not do it.  Also, this hostel has a chapel available to pray and leave prayer requests.

• Life lesson learned this week. “Don’t give up on tomorrow, today” (our quote). We had such a rough day on one of the days this week that we thought our next day was going to be the same and was totally dreading it. Turns out that the next day’s hike was really enjoyable. Representative of life: just because one day is bad doesn’t mean the next day will be too. Every day is a new day, hope is just around the corner, hang in there.

• We had so many “firsts” this year but then there are the “lasts”.  Our last overnight in the tent, our last supper of trail food, our last privy (yeah!!!) … mixed emotions, but overall great pride in knowing we overcame the obstacles and challenges and had a wonderful journey together with so many memories.

• Will we continue our journey on the AT?  Right now, I say “no, I’m ready to dream up new adventures” but I said that last year too, so who knows, we will see.  Right now it is time to ditch the hiking clothes and head to Walmart and get me some new clothes to wear!  I am sick of the same two outfits!

• It’s been fun! Thanks so much for following our adventures!!