Reunited and doing well

Made it to Roan Mountain

Well I made it to Roan Mountain, TN and experienced the wonderful hospitality of several Hostels along the way.  Hiker Hostels provide a hiker friendly environment.  Here the hiker can get a place to sleep, shower, wash clothes, and resupply.  Here is a list of Hostels that I stayed at along the way.

Elmer’s Sunnybank Inn, in Hot Springs, NC: Elmer provides a very relaxed environment for the hiker in a historical home.  The Sunnybank Inn is conveniently located in downtown Hot Springs so stores and restaurants are in walking distance.

Uncle Johnnys, in Erwin, TN:  Uncle Johnny offers many options to hikers for overnight stays.  He also provides shuttles throughout the day to ensure there is ample opportunity for hikers to get to restaurants and to resupply at a local Walmart or grocery store.

Greasy Creek Friendly: CiCi makes you feel at home through her genuine caring and attention to the needs of the hiker.

Mountain Harbor Hostel: This Hostel was located fairly close to the trail head, offered an awesome ‘hiker-sized’ breakfast, and had a food truck located on the premises.

Stanimals, in Waynesboro, VA: Adam runs a top notch Hiker Hostel where you feel you are at home.  He has a fleet of cars to shuttle people around town, to/from trail heads, and to other regional destinations at a reasonable price.

Operation Reunite

You probably noticed that the last Hostel listed was in Virginia.  It was during my hike over Roan Mountain that I made the decision to jump up the trail to reunite with my son Andrew.  Andrew’s trail name is Orphan Andy, and there was an effort to rename me as Daddy Warbucks.  The way the AT works is that you can skip forward as long as you go back and finish the missed sections you can still get credit for hiking the entire trail.  For me it involved two shuttle rides and a Greyhound bus ride between Johnson City, TN and Charlottesville, VA.  I have reached a point in my hike, close to 400 miles, where I feel that I can keep pace with my son who had made significantly progress on the trail while I was honing my hiking posture.

Summer seems to be here

The weather alongside the trail is warming up, but there is still the chance of a cool spell so I retain my puffy jacket and 30degree sleeping bag.  There have been kitsch of reports from hikers that they have seen bear cubs along the trail.  I’m still waiting to see my first bear.

 

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Comments 3

  • Marie Janiszewski : Jun 13th

    So glad that you two are hiking together now!! I’ve been watching for a new post and had just messaged Pat to see where you were on the trail. Tim and I would love to try to catch up with you two. The AT crosses Buena Visita Road near Bellarmine Retreat Center in Western MD…about 1/2 mile from it. Talking to Pat to see if that’s a possibility once we know when you might hit that area. Good luck!

    Marie

    PS: If you do see a bear, I hope it from a distance. 🙂

    Reply
  • Dawn Summers : Jun 13th

    Glad to hear you and Andrew are now together. I’m sure the 2 of you will enjoy the rest of the trail being with each other. I thought I had missed a post, glad I didn’t. Take care and stay safe!!
    Dawn

    Reply
  • Paul Boisen : Jun 15th

    I will be at Thornton Gap (skyline drive and hwy 211 in the Shenandoah National Park) on Thur 22 June or Fri 23 June. I will be picking up tools for trailwork from the tool cache at the building that houses the restrooms. Let me know where you are/will be then. Perhaps I can come say hello.

    Reply

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