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Appalachian Trail Section hike-2023

Posted on 7/4/23 at 10:40 am
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 10:40 am
We started where we left off last year, an Alpaca Farm in Rural Retreat, VA. The first day was just a few miles to a campsite. Myself, alajones4, and our cousin who decided to come this year.

Lots of farmland throughout Western Virginia. There weren’t as many amazing peaks and views, but this is a very pretty part of the country.





It started raining in the middle of night 2, and didn’t stop for four days. It made the hike difficult for sure. It sucks to put wet socks and wet boots on your feet in the morning, packing up wet gear, etc. Rain just sucks.
Waiting out a shower in a shelter.


A bridge had washed out and we had to ford a creek


We passed a mamma dear and her brand new fawns on the trail. One couldn’t get away and did the tuck about four feet from the trail.



We camped next to Dismal Falls one night.


Alajones2 wrote little notes for us on our meals.


We stayed at a hostel about halfway through…we needed it. They fed us waffles for breakfast.



The last two days were relatively dry. We ran into some nice views coming down into Pearisburg.




This rock needed climbing


Beers and burgers at the end. 8 days and 91 miles.
This post was edited on 7/4/23 at 10:53 am
Posted by notiger1997
Metairie
Member since May 2009
61304 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 11:17 am to
Thanks for the post and pictures.
One day I’m going to do something like this, but I will probably lose my shite if four days of rain pop up like that. LOL
Posted by The Boat
Member since Oct 2008
175897 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 11:23 am to
Awesome pictures.

You know your face has been in your avatar for 18 years right?
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 11:49 am to
quote:

You know your face has been in your avatar for 18 years right
. Yeah, but you have to zoom way in. Plus, I just feel the need to attempt to conceal my identity. It’s more of a habit at this point.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
72943 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 12:05 pm to
Cool pics & travelogue.

Glad y’all had a good time.

Was this dude y’all’s bear repellent?:
quote:


He looks like he’d be handy in bar fight (on your own side).
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 12:29 pm to
That’d be me, so yes.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
72943 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 1:59 pm to
I got your back brah when/if the shite hits the fan.

We good.
Posted by Nodust
Member since Aug 2010
22765 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 4:28 pm to
Nice. How many miles.
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 5:57 pm to
91 on this trip. We are 637 miles in so far.
Posted by Nodust
Member since Aug 2010
22765 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 8:22 pm to
Nice work.

Section hiking is tough. I've got about 200 miles done. No real plans to finish. Just go every few years and see a new area. Going to NJ and NY this month for a few days.
Posted by BobABooey
Parts Unknown
Member since Oct 2004
15954 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 8:58 pm to
That looks like an awesome time - thanks for sharing.

I’d like to give a section hike a try. One thing I’ve noticed from watching tons of videos about the AT is that it seems like a lot of sections start with a big climb unless you’re on a relatively flat section of the trail. I’d be tempted to start at the southern terminus but the potential for crowds is a turn off.

Thanks for taking us along.
Posted by xraytiger
Colorado
Member since Jan 2005
709 posts
Posted on 7/4/23 at 9:05 pm to
Awesome pics and love that area. Have you done Carvers Gap to 19E? Some of the best views out there. I’m sure you have since your picking up where you left off but we camped on little hump one night and doll flats. Great time, thanks for sharing!

This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 8:24 am
Posted by Crawdaddy
Slidell. The jewel of Louisiana
Member since Sep 2006
19101 posts
Posted on 7/5/23 at 8:38 am to
Im so ready to do this. Little sections by section.

I want to start in GA and at least hike that 75+ miles or so into Tenn
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/5/23 at 6:52 pm to
quote:

One thing I’ve noticed from watching tons of videos about the AT is that it seems like a lot of sections start with a big climb
It’s kind of how the geography works. The towns are in the hollows and passes, the trail ascends out of those almost immediately.

quote:

on a relatively flat section of the trail.
Doesn’t exist.

quote:

I’d be tempted to start at the southern terminus but the potential for crowds is a turn off.


You’d think that, but it’s actually not true. Hanging out with other hikers and the “hiker culture” experience is part of it. My son and I have hiked at times when it is practically deserted and we’ve hiked right in the middle of the thru-hiker bubble. Trust me, the later is preferable to the former. We really love hanging out and chit chatting with other hikers at the shelters and hostels. It really is part of the overall experience.
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 6:55 pm
Posted by Daponch
Da Nortchore
Member since Mar 2013
1135 posts
Posted on 7/5/23 at 10:05 pm to
Thanks for the post!
Posted by TimeOutdoors
LA
Member since Sep 2014
13120 posts
Posted on 7/5/23 at 10:22 pm to
Nice photos. How many trips per year are you doing? Always great to read stories about the AT. Brings back lots of memories.
Posted by Nole Man
Somewhere In Tennessee!
Member since May 2011
8690 posts
Posted on 7/6/23 at 5:54 am to
Excellent pictures! Thanks for sharing.

What type of shoes (or boots?) did you guys take? Always these debates about heavy type hiking boots vs. lighter walking type shoes.
Posted by alajones
Huntsvegas
Member since Oct 2005
35756 posts
Posted on 7/6/23 at 10:09 am to
We’ve been section hiking since 2017. We usually go as soon as we’re both done with school.

To the other poster about footwear-

We prefer boots. I also use toe socks with liners built in. (Ingini I believe). Most people hike with trail runners, but we had one really bad weather year with them and couldn’t keep our feet dry the entire trip. The boots stay drier longer and aren’t as miserable when wet. I use Vasque and my son wears Keen Targees which are pretty popular.
Posted by JodyPlauche
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2009
9790 posts
Posted on 7/7/23 at 1:22 pm to
Cool! I went 70 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway back in April and have watched a bunch of YouTube videos on it which led me Appalachian Trail videos...

I want to do a portion of it one day.

Nice pictures...thanks for sharing.
Posted by PCHSDawg
Pine Belt
Member since Oct 2014
336 posts
Posted on 7/8/23 at 4:22 pm to
Looks like fun. I started in 2020 and try to get up there 2x a year. Have made it as far as Irwin, Tn. Around 320 miles. Plan on going back in October for another week and a half. I like my trail runners because even wet they are lighter than my boots. Good wool socks and embrace the suck.
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