Zach's Thru-hike 2006

15. Off Trail

2006-05-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Gravy and horse, Watauga Lake

Watauga Dam

This is a difficult post to write, because I have to say that I'm off the trail. However, it is only until Trail Days, and due to a ripped muscle in my back. I needed a chance to rest, and figured I'd sit it out until Trail Days on the 19th. So right now I'm back in Ohio, for at least a week. But it's been great visiting all my friends here in Kent: a special shout out to my Starbucks crew, ya'all know who you are. (especially Laurie and Lori.)
I've had a great time on the trail and I'll have more; the trail isn't going anywhere. If anyone wants to go to Trail Days with me, let me know.

14. In Damascus again

2006-05-06T12:16:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've been a slacker. I first rolled in to this town saturday evening, and partied with Lone Wolf until tuesday. He threw an amazing barbeque on his patio, and then we blueblazed out along the Virginia Creeper Trail on tuesday, destination: hobo camp, where HoboCentral started over 12 years ago. There we camped by the Whitetop Laurel Creek...for like 5 days. We had a guitar, a drum, and a couple of harmonicas, which were expertly played by the D.C. boys: Thumbs, Tender, Gravy, and Balou. We ate steaks, ribs, double bacon cheeseburgers with pepper jack, bratwurst, hot dogs, and more. During the day we fished, waded down the creek, explored the woods and the Creeper Trail, and slept.
I don't think I've ever had this much fun. Last night we walked back into Damascus and had $1.25 Dos Equis draft beers (Cinco de Mayo) and watched the Cavs wrap up the series against the Wizards. I saw the Spurs blow out the Kings.

But I am getting out of here today, I promise.

13. The crew

2006-05-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

12. More Pictures

2006-05-02T09:47:00.000-04:00

Enjoying the veiw

The best campsite in the Smokies

11. Damascus, VA

2006-04-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

Finally in Damascus! This town has a reputation as the friendliest trail town out here, and it is well deserved I think. I ran into some old friends whom I hiked with in 2000 and we will be having a hiker BBQ on monday...I can't even begin to describe these guys. They are known as HoboCentral, the Blue Blazers (see blog entry #2 I think) and the blue blaze is a trail philosophy for them. Take your time, see cool stuff, and don't stress about mileage. It's a vacation out here, why kill yourself with heavy mileage and itineraries and purism?
Anyway, so here in Damascus there is river rafting, fishing, the Virginia Creeper Trail, the A.T., and a transcontinental bike trail, amongst other things. Lots of great stuff to do. And since I have old friends here, it's gonna be hard to leave. But the trail north of here is amazing (Grayson Highlands)so I will leave sooner or later.
Oh, Fischer, I found that spot where we were swinging on vines a couple of years ago at Trail Days. Yeah. Trail Days. The biggest festival on the trail, May 19, twenty thousand people. Fun. Ya'all who read this: you should go, it rocks. More soon,
--T.Snake

10. Erwin, TN

2006-04-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, now I'm in Erwin to pick up a drop. I'm currently sharing a room with Tecumseh, Cool hand, Grinds, and 42, and all is well. It is finally warmer out here and I am reunited with the hikers that I went into Gatlinburg with (and had so much fun). We ordered 5 pizzas and got a case of beer, and got showered and laundered. It's funny how much thru-hiking fosters an appreciation of the minor but essential pleasures in life, such as eating, having a roof over your head, and being able to shower. I don't think a shower has ever felt sweeter, especially after the recent hot weather. Spring is emerging and so are the insects, and I am thankful to be free of bugs for at least one night. I saw a large frog and a salamander on the trail on my way down into Erwin, and last week I saw an impressive grey owl and several wild turkey. More pictures by Damascus, I promise. Hope all is well with everyone, and a special hello to current hikers and their families who may happen to view this blog.

9. More pics, cont'd.

2006-04-15T23:54:00.000-04:00

Snow on the mountain

The wacky oak at Bly Gap

I'm now on my way back to Hot Springs to pick up the trail once again. The next major stop will be Damascus, Virginia, where I will be leaving three states behind and starting the longest single-state section on the trail. I will definitely update again there, but in between I may be able to check in and read mesages and such. Hello to all in Kent and in San Antonio!

8. More pics

2006-04-15T23:46:00.000-04:00

Up in the heights

Sunset on Springer Mt.

7. In Hot Springs!

2006-04-11T15:13:00.000-04:00

Whoo! I'm in Hot Springs, NC, and I have once again survived the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! The Smokies are the most beautiful, most rugged, most dangerous, and most exciting to hike mountains east of the Rockies, and they always seem to school me. I got caught in a rainstorm that was spitting hail at me so hard that it left bruises...and soaked me to the bone of course. Up on the ridgeline there's nowhere to hide, either, so there is no option except to hike on to the next backcountry shelter. In this case it was 8 miles away, and this particular one was undergoing rennovation and had no roof! The look on my face when I found out might have made a good Kodak moment. Anyway, that was one day of crappy weather amongst many many other days of amazing weather and awesome views. So far, I've been lucky in terms of weather and all.
I will be taking a few days off here to go to Asheville with Laura, so soon this blog will be updated retroactively with all the photos which I've been taking but have been unable to post. Thanks to all who have read this blog so far, and please feel free to leave comments or email me at Tsnake333@Hotmail.com .

6. In Franklin, NC

2006-03-30T08:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, so now I'm past the 100-mile mark and out of Georgia, staying in a hotel in Franklin, NC. Yesterday me and about 25 hikers slackpacked 10 miles north of Winding Stair Gap, allowing us to stay an extra night in town. The owner of our hotel, local businessman Ron Haven, has been a great help here in town, shuttling hikers around, slackpacking us, and even offering special hiker hotel rates. So it's been a hard place to leave, but today we head out from Wayah Bald, where there was a beautiful 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains yesterday.
Once again I have been screwed in the photograph department, as there turns out to be nowhere in town to develop 35-mm film. But in two weeks at the latest I promise to have lots of great photos up here on the blog, including the ice and snow storms of last week, and the great sunny weather and awesome vistas of this week. All has been well so far, excepting a left foot full of blisters and bruises and a sore right knee, but no pain, no gain, I suppose. I did my longest day of this hike so far the day before yesterday as I hiked 19.7 miles in order to catch up with my Springer Mountain crew. Next up is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and some blueblazing, something which i am looking forward to a great deal.
Updated with picture 4-13-06

5. Getting started

2006-03-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

The plaque on Springer Mountain

One week into my trip, and I'm in Hiawassee, GA., about 60 miles into the Trail. Today it's supposed to rain and snow up in the mountains, so I'm taking a Zero-day with Wolfpaw and Lothar, two hikers who happened to be around when I hitched into town. We have a sweet setup at the Holiday Inn--with hiker rates and sharing one room, we are only paying like $22 each. The hiking has been beautiful, but the weather has been very cold.
The coldest morning so far was 22 degrees, and that came after a close call involving an ice storm and a brush with mild hypothermia. Much of my gear was wet, and wet equals heavy, so I opted to hitch into town a little earlier than planned. I have a full roll of film, but this town only has two places to develop film--one takes a week and the other's equipment is broken. So, still no pictures, but I promise a lot of them once I get these taken care of. There are a lot of great people out here and I am having a lot of fun staying with the crowd of about 8 people that I shared Springer Mountain with on my first day. In two days I'll be out of Georgia and into North Carolina and Tenessee, and a week after that I'll be in the Great Smoky Mountains.

4. In Georgia

2006-03-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

Okay, so after a day and a half in the car, I'm in Georgia hanging out with my Aunt Carol and Uncle Robert. It was storming like nuts last night, but today is a beautiful warm and sunny spring day. After a day or two here I'll be dropped off on Springer Mtn. to begin the actual hike, but I'm already on vacation. So, sunday I jumped out of an airplane. I wasn't sure I had it in me, and the ride up was giddy and slightly nausiating, but suddenly we jumped (or, more precisely, rolled out sideways because someone is too friggin' tall) and the plane was GONE. There was wind, clouds, and a beautiful view, and all fear was forgotten. I was amazed. So was my tandem 'instructor', who said if he didn't know better he'd of guesed I'd jumped before. But the height is a surreal thing from up there, and as soon as I'd stopped the initial tumble from the plane all fear was replaced by awe and excitement. I got to steer the chute around and even executed a few whirligig spirals, and then-and this was the coolest-if you yank both steering cords straight down, the vents in the chute close and you are yanked up...to float, almost motionless, suspended in the sky as if hung on an invisible skyhook. It was all over way too fast, and I was left with a taste of wind and adrenaline in my mouth. Unfortunately, having pictures of the event requires a $90 fee to have a cameraman jump with you, so all I have is a few ground pictures and a video of the before and after, including the landing, shot from the ground. As soon as I figure out how to make some jpegs out of the video, I'll post them, but for now, none are available. That is disappointing, but whatever, I was there.

3. Preparations in San Antonio

2006-03-11T23:37:00.000-05:00

After a few days of R&R while my mother finished up her last week of work before spring break (she teaches elementary), the weekend finally arrived, and with it, activity. Today I helped her clean out the cage of one of the first snakes I ever owned, pictured above, who was less than a foot long when I got him. He is a common Boa Constrictor. I first got him when I was in the 7th grade, and now he weighs 20 pounds and requires at least two people to effectively handle. He eats either several jumbo NY-size rats at a sitting, or a rabbit or chicken, whichever is easier to procure at any given time. Cute, isn't he? He'll never bark at night or chew up the furniture, and he's always happy to see you. For additional pictures, click the "about me" link, which leads to my Myspace profile. Tomorrrow I will accompany my mother, one of her friends, and my uncle as they skydive over San Marcos, Texas. We will be jumping from a plane at about 13,000 feet above the Texas landscape, and I am a bit unsure as I sit here now thinking about it, if I will be able to go through with it. Hopefully, I will muster my courage tomorrow and the next blog post here will have a really cool picture to go with it.

2. Glossary of Terms

2006-02-22T17:42:00.000-05:00

Bounce Box: This is a technique used by those who cannot go long periods of time without certain devices which they are however unwilling to carry, most notably technological devices. It consists of a box full of stuff which is sent ahead to one’s next anticipated stop, where it is intercepted, utilized, and then “bounced” ahead again.
Blue Blazer: This term, for me, will always denote the attitude and methods of the elusive group of trail experts known as Hobocentral. Used in this pure sense, it refers to what may be considered a way of life to these interesting individuals. Here I would prefer that they speak for themselves. It is, however, widely used in reference to those who have no qualms about taking shortcuts, are slackers in general, like to see lots of off-trail sights, and who don’t have time issues or bother with schedules.
Blue blazes: These are trail markers in the form of vertically oriented rectangular paint blazes which are, well, blue. They denote side trails which split off from the white-blazed Appalachian Trail, sometimes reconnecting at some distant juncture.
Drop Box: A useful tool utilized by an increasing number of thru-hikers, this is simply a box of food and supplies which is typically assembled prior to the hike and then sent by a close friend or significant other to the hiker while he is engaged in his trek. It may be addressed general delivery to that hiker, and mailed to a small-town post office somewhere.
Purists: These come in a wide spectrum of severity, but are simply those who maintain that for a hike to be a thru-hike, one must walk only on white-blaze paths, double back to cover any missed sections no matter how small, and never engage in any such sordid practices as blue-blazing, yellow-blazing, slackpacking, and so on. Sound reasonable? Bear in mind the fringe elements who actually aspire to touch each white blaze, deny thru-hiker status to others whose standards aren’t quite as rigid, and regularly forego basic amenities at rest points. Some also decline to take Zero-days and eschew fun.
Section Hiker: These are hikers who may not have the good fortune to be able to thru-hike, but are doing a sizable chunk of the trail at once, usually at least a couple of hundred miles.
Slackpacking: Sometimes, one wonders how much trail could be covered (and how much ease could be enjoyed) by walking without the encumbrance of a backpack. Known amongst thru-hikers as a “gateway practice” which may potentially lead one down the dark path to wuss-dom, this appealing mode of hiking involves having a friend shuttle your pack by car down to where you plan to stop walking for the day. Meanwhile, you breeze along with nothing at all to carry excepting perhaps a light lunch for the day.
Swamp Ass: Um, this one is almost self-explanatory. It refers to the downside of remaining unshowered and sweaty for long periods of time, and can even become painful and tender. Some hikers carry baby wipes, and for good reason.
Thru-Hiker: This term refers to he or she who intends to hike the Trail from start to finish in a single trip. Its exact definition is hotly contested between purists, slackpackers, and blue blazers. If you decide to call yourself one or the other of these, make your decision carefully; it will stick with you forever.
Trail Angel: Ah yes, the apple of every hiker’s eye, who comes from out of nowhere to offer trail magic to the weary, the footsore, and the badly-in-need-of-booze. Bless these people. If you ever have occasion to backpack long distance, and you run into one, you will instantly understand why they are called angels.
Trail Magic: This is unexpected help from strangers from off the trail, many of them former hikers or trail enthusuiasts. Thru-hiking is no small feat, and aid is rendered in the form of unexpected presentation of cold beer, free food, or offers of other assistance such as access to laundry or shower facilities, or a ride into town. It often occurs in a completely unexpected time and place, and usually right when you need it the most. It has the effect of uplifting one's spirits, reinstating one's faith in human nature and generosity, humbling one whose actions are historically not so consistently selfless, and sometimes, of saving one's hike from the very brink of disaster.
White Blazes: These mark the Appalachian Trail, and are essentially a vertically oriented rectangular white paint mark; they may be found emblazoned on just about anything, and serve the worthy function of assuring hikers that they are not lost.
YellowBlazing: This is something of a gag amongst thru-hikers; it refers to the practice of hitchhiking or roadwalking in order to skip portions of the trail, and is named after the rectangular yellow paint marks which decorate the median of a road. Follow them as you would a white or a blue blaze, but don’t tell the purists.
Zero Days: These are, quite simply, days in which no actual walking gets accomplished. They may be taken anywhere and for a variety of reasons, the most compelling of which for me were always fun, injury, and hangovers.

1. Counting down the days

2006-02-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

My head is filled to bursting with thoughts, preparations, and doubts, but there is excitement in everything that I'm doing. My goal is to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from south to north, starting of course in Amicalola Falls State Park in Giorgia, just north of Atlanta. (For additional information on the trail itself, please click on the links which I have provided on the left side of the page under the title and heading.) I have hiked the AT once before, in the spring and summer of 2000, but it was a tumultous time for me and I was dead broke (I started with $200.)I made it all the way to New Hampshire, but admittedly with a generous helping of Blue-blazing and Yellow-blazing (see forthcoming glossary of Trail terminology). I stopped to work several times, most notably in Hot Springs, NC (Thank You to Gina at the Smoky Mountain Diner and her father, Bobby the Slingshot Man); in Damascus, VA (Thank You to the Mountain Man, Trey, owner of the Side Track Cafe, and his dog Cleo); in Harper's Ferry, WV (Thank You to Donna and Tony at the Armory Pub for their generous support of thru-hikers); and in numerous other places for odd jobs. The fact that I made it that far, through uncertainty, immaturity, and destitution is entirely due to the help of trail angels (again, see forthcoming glossary), other hikers, and the helping hands of strangers who frequently invited me into their homes and families to assist my progress. I would like to thank, among the hikers: Gambler (Wherever you are, thank you!), Mosey, and Strollin'; the entire Hobocentral crew, most notably Lone Wolf, Pirate, Saw Man, and Gecko Goat (Ya'll made my hike very fun and provided much good company and good advice), and many many others.