Day 57 – Long Neck Lair Alpaca Farm to Lick Creek

“I’m a lad from old Virginia
Bravely knocking my way back home
To that cabin home in the mountain
Never more let me roam

I’m a lad from old Virginia
And I’m coming, coming home
There I’ll settle down forever
In my old Virginia home” – The Carter Family

Now that I am moving north into Virginia, I feel like I am walking home in a few different ways. I am getting close to the Tazewell, Dublin, Pulaski areas where my people on my father’s side are from. I am also getting close to Blacksburg and Virginia Tech which have tons of memories for me. And I will be walking north along the I81 and Shenandoah corridors to Harper’s Ferry where I do a lot of my day hiking. I will meet up with Dana twice in this section. This entire big section just feels like home and brings up lots of memories and emotions. 

Up at 7:00. Overcast, breezy, upper 50s, scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. It’s very humid today. Ick.

I’m aiming for a tenting site about 16 miles north . My feet are sore this morning. Need to stretch well and I’m going to try a second pair of socks for padding today. Wondering if my insoles are too narrow?

I hope to gain a few miles on Overkill today. I have 3 or 4 PUDs depending on if I go 15 or 20 miles today. Hopefully not as many rocks as yesterday!

I will pass the quarter way mark around noon. That’s a major milestone! Plan to celebrate at the Quarter Way Inn for lunch.

On trail at 8:15. Goodbye to all the critters.

Cross under I81. I wanted to get cash but the Exxon wasn’t open yet. Oh well.

Supply cache at the trail head sign just past I81 this morning.

Very well maintained trail. Recently mowed and weed whacked last several miles like this.

Walking through pastures today 

Random privy.

I reached the quarter way mark at 10:10. Huge milestone

Ran into Tortilla again a couple of miles before the Quarter Way Inn. We hiked to the Inn together. Stopped at the Quarter Way Inn at 1:15. Really nice place. Had a frozen Birds Eye meal for lunch. Eating healthy! Called Dana and chatted for a while using the Wi-Fi at the Inn. Back on the trail at 2:40.

Long story short, this was my afternoon of pastures, cows, cattle gates, rinse, repeat.

I basically created a mini cattle stampede when I forced that last set of cattle off the trail so I could get by.

Once I was done with all the cows and gates, I had two nasty PUDS and 7 more miles to finish. I wanted to push far so I had all these behind me before tomorrow.

Scared a young bear at 6:20 at mile 562.8. It ran off downhill in the woods. It was not a cub.

Got to a washed-out bridge over Lick Creek at 7:10 at mile 564.1. It was a nice spot and the river could be carefully crossed on stones. I wanted to go 2 more miles, but the water source there is dry and the camp spots here are superb. I guess I’m staying here.

Great campsite by a washed-out bridge.  No cell service. It has a nice, shallow river, two 20×24 blocks of wood that used to be part of the bridge but are now seats, a dead-level spot, a great bear hang tree, and nobody else is here, even though there are at least 4 other tent sites. 

Made dinner at 8:40. It was late, but it’s quiet and light, and there are no bugs. There is a chance of rain till midnight, but it’s just overcast now. The breeze is picking up and helping to dry sweaty clothes.

Note: The new sleep pad is good, but the pump sack sucks. I need to order a better one ASAP. 

Technical Notes:

• Honeybun 340 
• Crunch candy bar 230
• Coffee 0
• Dr Pepper 150
• Dr Pepper 150
• Birds Eye meal 380
• Cream pop 175
• Snickers 250
• Peanuts 250
• Peak refuel chicken teriyaki 580
• Fritos 100
• Water liters 6
• Miles 19
• Time 11:00
• Elevation gain 4300
• Calories consumed 3000
• Calories burned 7400