Hey, kids!
So, the 54 miler from Front Royal to Harpers Ferry...yeah.
Didn't turn out quite like I planned. I may go into detail later if I feel like it, but for now suffice it to say that while it's a relatively easy section for those who hike semi-regularly and/or are in decent shape, for a fat, out of shape pack sniffer it's not all that easy. So lesson 1 was that I am in even worse shape than I gave myself credit for, which is saying something. Lesson 2 was that a loose plan for each day may be a good thing when you know the terrain and don't have a deadline and are in good enough shape to average 10+ miles per day, but when you have only a squiggly line in the guidebook and you're in horrible shape, a firmer plan that doesn't require as many miles is a good idea.
I left NC late enough on Saturday that I decided to stay overnight at Teahorse Hostel, catch a shuttle to Front Royal Sunday and begin the hike. I called Laurel at the hostel Saturday before leaving and arranged all that. Saturday night there were six hikers at the hostel when I arrived. I forget what was up with two of them; they were gone when I arrived and went straight to bed after returning. The other 4 were SOBO thrus. Took (presumption on spelling, but that's what it sounded like and I never did ask how it came about), Faith, Torch, and Knees (or something involving "Knee", but they just called her Knees.). Four youngsters, all very cool.
Got up the next morning and had the Teahorse waffle breakfast, then Laurel and I got on the road. I was on the trail by 8:30. Huffed and puffed my way to Manassas Gap Shelter with a lot of breaks, including around an hour at lunch time.
Monday, for a variety of reasons, I decided to bail. Yep, I punked out. Called a shuttle out of the AWOL guide and it turned out that even though the guide lists her as Front Royal, she's a VERY short walk from Manassas Gap shelter, down an old fire road to a hardball road, and a shorter walk to her house. Caught a ride back to my car in HF, with thoughts toward maybe driving down to Shenandoah NP and spending a coupld days hiking there, either on the AT or other trails.
Got to the car and beat a hasty retreat from Teahorse (getting away from another hiker who had been at MG shelter and caught the shuttle with me--long story). Went to Canal House for lunch. If you haven't eaten there, I highly recommend it next time you find yourself in HF.
During lunch I got pissed off at myself for letting the trail punk me. So I drove back to where the fire road came out onto the road near the shuttle driver's house, humped it back in the short distance to the AT and went on to Dick's Dome (what a hilarious name if you're immature like me!) shelter. Made it there with a bit of light left but not much. Ehh...wasted a good part of the day riding and driving.
Tuesday I made it a blazing 8.4 miles to Rod Hollow Shelter. Woke up Wednesday morning even more sore than the previous two mornings, if that was possible.
Yesterday I got up and packed up early, with hopes of knocking out the Roller Coaster's 13+ miles if I got an early enough start and kept on chugging slow and steady. If nothing else I knew I had plenty of stop/camp options along the way. I had already figured I probably wasn't going to make it to HF by Friday (preferably Thursday), but I knew there were lots of bailout points where I could get a shuttle/hitch back to the car, so I was just going to hike each day and go with it.
Somewhere along the way I knew I was done for. Well, not completely, in that I could have kept on going until Today or Friday and dealt with the aches later. However, I have a battlefield tour this weekend that's going to involve some walking (albeit not with a pack), and damned if I'll miss that because I was bullheaded and "had to" stay out on trail. I needed some recovery time. I thought about staying at Bears Den and then sorting out a shuttle the next morning to the car. A glance at the guidebook pages I was toting and I decided to press on to Snickers Gap to the parking area, call a shuttle from there, and then find a hotel with a real bed and unlimited shower time instead. Got to the gap and there was a couple there who had been out hiking north of the Gap, just getting ready to leave. We chatted a bit and they offered me a ride to my car. YAY for trail angels who are willing to help out a mere pack sniffer!
So I got to the car, got on the road in the general direction of Hagerstown (HQ for the tour this weekend) and found a hotel for two nights (WOOT WOOT for Marriott Rewards and free rooms!). I got here, bought a six pack of beer and some Epsom salts, and spent enough time soaking in the tub last night and today that I think I now qualify as an aquatic animal.
So much for not going into detail...
I'd like to give a shout out to the shuttle driver but can't find the ziploc bag I had with those few pages of the AWOL guide where I found her. She's not in the PDF version I got from wherever I got it, or I'm completely blanking in searching her name. Alyson? Allyson? Either way, very cool lady and very nice.
Teahorse Hostel is also pretty nice if you're ever in HF, and Laurel is a very nice lady, although seems a little quiet/shy.
So, the 54 miler from Front Royal to Harpers Ferry...yeah.
Didn't turn out quite like I planned. I may go into detail later if I feel like it, but for now suffice it to say that while it's a relatively easy section for those who hike semi-regularly and/or are in decent shape, for a fat, out of shape pack sniffer it's not all that easy. So lesson 1 was that I am in even worse shape than I gave myself credit for, which is saying something. Lesson 2 was that a loose plan for each day may be a good thing when you know the terrain and don't have a deadline and are in good enough shape to average 10+ miles per day, but when you have only a squiggly line in the guidebook and you're in horrible shape, a firmer plan that doesn't require as many miles is a good idea.
I left NC late enough on Saturday that I decided to stay overnight at Teahorse Hostel, catch a shuttle to Front Royal Sunday and begin the hike. I called Laurel at the hostel Saturday before leaving and arranged all that. Saturday night there were six hikers at the hostel when I arrived. I forget what was up with two of them; they were gone when I arrived and went straight to bed after returning. The other 4 were SOBO thrus. Took (presumption on spelling, but that's what it sounded like and I never did ask how it came about), Faith, Torch, and Knees (or something involving "Knee", but they just called her Knees.). Four youngsters, all very cool.
Got up the next morning and had the Teahorse waffle breakfast, then Laurel and I got on the road. I was on the trail by 8:30. Huffed and puffed my way to Manassas Gap Shelter with a lot of breaks, including around an hour at lunch time.
Monday, for a variety of reasons, I decided to bail. Yep, I punked out. Called a shuttle out of the AWOL guide and it turned out that even though the guide lists her as Front Royal, she's a VERY short walk from Manassas Gap shelter, down an old fire road to a hardball road, and a shorter walk to her house. Caught a ride back to my car in HF, with thoughts toward maybe driving down to Shenandoah NP and spending a coupld days hiking there, either on the AT or other trails.
Got to the car and beat a hasty retreat from Teahorse (getting away from another hiker who had been at MG shelter and caught the shuttle with me--long story). Went to Canal House for lunch. If you haven't eaten there, I highly recommend it next time you find yourself in HF.
During lunch I got pissed off at myself for letting the trail punk me. So I drove back to where the fire road came out onto the road near the shuttle driver's house, humped it back in the short distance to the AT and went on to Dick's Dome (what a hilarious name if you're immature like me!) shelter. Made it there with a bit of light left but not much. Ehh...wasted a good part of the day riding and driving.
Tuesday I made it a blazing 8.4 miles to Rod Hollow Shelter. Woke up Wednesday morning even more sore than the previous two mornings, if that was possible.
Yesterday I got up and packed up early, with hopes of knocking out the Roller Coaster's 13+ miles if I got an early enough start and kept on chugging slow and steady. If nothing else I knew I had plenty of stop/camp options along the way. I had already figured I probably wasn't going to make it to HF by Friday (preferably Thursday), but I knew there were lots of bailout points where I could get a shuttle/hitch back to the car, so I was just going to hike each day and go with it.
Somewhere along the way I knew I was done for. Well, not completely, in that I could have kept on going until Today or Friday and dealt with the aches later. However, I have a battlefield tour this weekend that's going to involve some walking (albeit not with a pack), and damned if I'll miss that because I was bullheaded and "had to" stay out on trail. I needed some recovery time. I thought about staying at Bears Den and then sorting out a shuttle the next morning to the car. A glance at the guidebook pages I was toting and I decided to press on to Snickers Gap to the parking area, call a shuttle from there, and then find a hotel with a real bed and unlimited shower time instead. Got to the gap and there was a couple there who had been out hiking north of the Gap, just getting ready to leave. We chatted a bit and they offered me a ride to my car. YAY for trail angels who are willing to help out a mere pack sniffer!
So I got to the car, got on the road in the general direction of Hagerstown (HQ for the tour this weekend) and found a hotel for two nights (WOOT WOOT for Marriott Rewards and free rooms!). I got here, bought a six pack of beer and some Epsom salts, and spent enough time soaking in the tub last night and today that I think I now qualify as an aquatic animal.
So much for not going into detail...
I'd like to give a shout out to the shuttle driver but can't find the ziploc bag I had with those few pages of the AWOL guide where I found her. She's not in the PDF version I got from wherever I got it, or I'm completely blanking in searching her name. Alyson? Allyson? Either way, very cool lady and very nice.
Teahorse Hostel is also pretty nice if you're ever in HF, and Laurel is a very nice lady, although seems a little quiet/shy.
Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less. - Robert E. Lee