Day 56 – State Route 670 to Long Neck Lair Alpaca Farm

“So hard to find my way

Now that I’m all on my own

I saw you just the other day

My, how you have grown

Cast my memory back there, Lord

Sometimes I’m overcome thinking ’bout it

Making love in the green grass

Behind the stadium with you

My brown-eyed girl

You, my brown-eyed girl” – Van Morrison

Up at 7:20. Slept well. Beautiful day again. No clouds, low 60s, low humidity. All the breakfast places are closed this morning.:( Found a latte and donut nearby. 

This is going to be a tough day. It’s the third anniversary of Andrea’s death. Tough day to be completely alone. This all hit me very hard this morning.

Phil picked me up at the Merry Inn and we stopped at the post office so I could ship my torn sleep pad home. 

I want to make it to civilization tonight. I don’t want to be alone in my tent in a field tonight. Feel like I need people today. Shooting for the Alpaca Farm tonight around 6:00.

Phil dropped me off just before 10:00 and I’m on trail at 10:00. Really in the green tunnel today!

Reached Partnership shelter at 11:45. Very nice two-story shelter.

Visitor center closed on weekends, but I was able to get water.

Exciting to see signage for I-81.

Stopped for a break at 1:45 on a convenient log. Two more PUDs to go then all downhill to the alpaca farm. 

Stupid snake flitted across the trail almost under my feet.

Met a pretty girl on the way down the last mountain today.

Got to Chatfield Shelter at 3:55. Gave my feet a break till 4:15. Still have almost 5 miles or 2.5 hours to go to reach the Alpaca farm. Ugh. 

Moving slower than I expected today. Feet still hurt. I hope the new insoles help in a few days. Trail is VERY rocky today so that does not help.

Stopped at the schoolhouse museum and settlers museum about 4:45. Nice trail magic supplied by the local church. 

Ran into Tortilla again at the schoolhouse. He and I have been meeting on and off for about 3 weeks. He’s pushing on much further today.

YouTube video of the one-room schoolhouse.

Shared the trail with a very large rabbit near the end of my journey today.

Got to Long Neck Lair Alpaca Farm at 6:15. Interesting place. It’s a .4-mile road walk down US 11. Just north of Atkins, VA, on I81 near the Sunoco I Yelped the other night.

It’s not bad. Interesting but not bad.

There are 5 of us in the bunkhouse tonight. It can sleep 10. 

YouTube video Alpaca hostel shower.

Showered, did laundry, and did lots of texting with friends and family. Bought a root beer and a frozen pizza and a candy bar for dessert. And I’m still losing weight.

I’m doing better mentally this evening. Had way too much time on my hands/mind this morning waiting for the post office to open. My head was in a bad place, not too surprisingly 

Technical Notes:

• Large Latte 275
• Maple bacon donut 350
• Trail Mix 550
• Doritos 175
• Gatorade 200
• Root beer 160
• Dr Pepper 120
• Pizza 1520
• Water liters 3.4
• Miles 17
• Time 8:15
• Elevation gain 3725
• Calories consumed 3500
• Calories burned 6000