Resupply – Days 6 thru 10

There are a few thru hike necessities that we have never practiced on a backpacking trip. One is a resupply.

Day 6 – Matt’s Creek Shelter to Punchbowl Shelter

We strategically positioned ourselves at Matt’s Creek Shelter for the easy 2 mile hike to the road and quick shuttle to Glasgow. Our shuttle driver arrived at the Foot bridge exactly the same time as us, 7:30.

We set up at the free hiker shelter in the Glasgow park, near pretty much everything. Actually, everything is very close to everything in Glasgow. The hiker shelter has electric outlets, privy (with toilet paper), and plenty of room to figure out the food situation.

The local grocery in Glasgow has everything a backpacker needs, but is very expensive. If passing thru, do most of your shopping at the dollar general.

After wolfing down a pizza at the local restaurant and using the WiFi at the local library, we were itching to get back on the trail.

The original plan was to depart late in the afternoon for John’s Hollow Shelter. Since we were departing in the early afternoon, we set our sites on Punchbowl Shelter, about 11 miles.

After John’s Hollow, the trail is a pretty steep climb to Bluff Mountain where we were treated with a dramatic view.

Day 7 – Punchbowl Shelter to Cow Camp Gap Shelter

This would be our first day with completely new trail for us. It would also be our first day hiking, pretty much all day, with new people.

From the South, Punchbowl Shelter feels really remote. Within about 30 minutes of hiking North from the shelter, we crossed the parkway and started seeing other hikers that we would spend most of the day leap frogging and taking breaks with.

Big milestone today, we crossed the 100 mile mark. Our 100 mile mark. Traditionally this is measured from Springer and some kind soul who started earlier has already created the number marker. We started at mile 710.8 and had fun creating our own marker somewhere near 810.8.

Day 8 – Cow Camp Gap Shelter to The Priest Shelter

Time to confess. Many hikers leave a confession in the hiker log at the Priest Shelter. I have been working on mine for a couple weeks now…

Windy. We were going to attempt to reach Cole Mountain for the sunrise, but the wind is howling and it is pretty cold.

After entering our confessions into the log we set up our tent behind the stone sacrificial altar. I’m pretty sure it is only used for virgins and we have children, so we should be safe.

Day 9 – The Priest Shelter to Tent Site

It is obvious this is the weekend. So many hikers are out. And runners.

At breakfast we helped a group of runners celebrate a birthday. English was turning 30 something, maybe 40 something. We share some common friends with one of the runners, it was fun making that connection.

We want to get to Waynesboro tomorrow, so we are going to tack on a few more miles to make it a bit easier. We will be looking for a publicised stealth site just past Reed’s Gap.

Day 10 – Tent Site to Rockfish Gap Info Center

We found the stealth site, the one on NoBo left is much better than the one on the right.

Late last night a freight train roared thru the tent site and showered rain for over an hour. Not really a train, but it sounded like one. We’ve seen a bunch of downed trees (from the wind?) hopefully those above us aren’t ready to be widow/er makers yet.

The first half of the hike today was like picking one’s way through a minefield, lots of rocks to navigate. Rocks do start in Virginia. The second half was very cruisey and we got to Rockfish Gap an hour early than we predicted.

We were staying with Jim and Judy for a couple nights. Our first zero. My first trip to urgent care. A chance to see our older son. Good food and comfortable beds.

Happy Trails!