Day 58 – Lick Creek to Suiter Road

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir

Folks dressed up like Eskimos” – King Cole Trio

Up at 7:10. Out of camp at 8:30. Great weather. Got a good climb to start the day.

Water cache just before the big climb begins. I topped off water here.

More odd things on the trail. Mile 566.5

Stopped at mile 3.5 for second breakfast.

Stopped for water and a rest at a pond near the top of Chestnut Knob.

Walked across a large meadow for the last half hour. Nice breeze up here. 

Made it to Chestnut Knob shelter at 11:45. What a view. That is looking northeast towards Pearisburg, VA.

Quite the shelter. Designed to protect from bad weather, including winter snow.

Made it here in good time. I’m shooting for Suiter Road, Laurel Creek, which will make 21 miles today. There is Jenkins shelter at 16.6 miles, but that’s a short day. Right now I feel good, it’s partly sunny, breezy, low humidity, and low 60s. Chilly when the sun is not out. Back on the trail at 12:30.

Reached VA Route 623 at 3:25. Water cache here, but not much left. Maybe 1 gallon left. No more water until Jenkins Shelter in 4.6 miles.

Made Jenkins shelter just before 6:00. Not sure why it took me so long to get here. Sat at a picnic table to study the map and had just decided to give up for today instead of pushing another 4.5 miles and 2 hours……when  I heard “Chuuuuuuck”. 

I turn around and there is Overkill walking out from behind the shelter. I knew I was within 10 miles max of her, but did not expect you to catch up today! She only did 11 miles yesterday and stayed at Chestnut Knob Shelter. That let me catch up 8 miles. She was having a bad day today and not moving very fast, which let me catch her. She wants to do the extra 4.5 miles , so we pushed on at 6:00.

Made it to Suiter Road at 8:00. We hiked REALLY hard to make that time. Thank god we found a tent site right next to a flowing creek. It’s getting hard to find water. Made camp and ate dinner in the dark at 9:30. We are going 18.8 miles tomorrow. Got a long dry stretch in the morning and another in the afternoon. I need to start carrying an extra liter despite the weight. We pass a camp store at mile 7 tomorrow. Plan to eat lunch and get water there. I’ll pick up an extra water bottle there. Yey…another 2 lbs.

I am very happy to have caught up with Overkill so quickly. We make a very complimentary hiking pair, plus it feels good to be with someone consistently. We should be together through to Mount Kathadin.

Technical Notes:

• Pop-Tarts 370
• Snickers 250
• Trail mix 270
• Fritos 300
• Trail mix 270
• Snickers 250
• Peak Refuel Venison Stew 920
• Water liters 7
• Miles 21.2
• Time 12
• Elevation gain 4810
• Calories consumed 3000
• Calories burned 7400