[at-l] Update from Terry

[pmags@yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

Wow..Terry is trucking right along. Willl be done in
less than a month. May #16 of former thru-hiker
tendencies should be:

#16: Always going on another long hike!

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Location: Damascus, Virginia
Miles Completed: 1715 
Miles Remaining: 453
States Completed: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Mass.,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West
Virginia,
Virginia (3 miles remaining)
States Remaining: Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia

Wow! Virginia has flown by!  One quarter of the miles
of the
Appalachian Trail are in Virginia.  These miles were
not as flat
or as easy as I remembered from 1998. I have covered
five
hundred forty three miles in 27 days. Only 453 miles
(actually
66 less) lie ahead.

AT hikers often suffer from the "Virginia Blues" due
to the
length of the trail across the state.  Virginia was
anything but
blue for me.  The easy hiking and plentiful food stops
made the
Shenandoah fun.  The view from Tinker Cliffs and
McAfee Knob
were spectacular.  

Finally in this section, the traverse of the Virginia
Highlands
was awe inspiring.  Although I shivered through the
nights at
elevations of up to 5000 feet, the reward was
stunningly clear
blue skies and brisk days which were wonderful for
hiking. 
Other attractions include the feral ponies in Grayson
Highlands,
and the wild goats that want to lick your legs for the
salt.

Although a "zero" day was not planned in Pearisburg,
VA (site of
my last update), the hard rain that began at 7 am
forced
everyone to re-evaluate plans.  Since the church
hostel allows a
two day stay, our group decided to avoid the cold,
wet, soaking
rain.  Whenever a "zero" is discussed, it will more
than likely
happen.

Fall is definitely in the air.  I began to notice the
changing
of the leaves at high elevations about tow weeks ago
in the
undergrowth.  With several near freezing nights and
shorter
daylight hours, the main forest canopy is now
beginning to
change.  The trail is often dappled with colorful
leaves (often
disguising the rocks).  The view yesterday on the
Virginia
Creeper Trail on the AT was almost a post card setting
with the
Maple and Oak providing yellow and red highlights.

I was planning to wait until next week to get my
winter sleeping
bag, but two nights near freezing have changed that
plan.  My 20
degree bag arrived via Express Mail, and I hope the
shivering
through the night is over.  

Slowride call it "twelve square inches of comfort." 
It is
otherwise known as the white blaze, or the 2 inch by 6
inch
white paint stripe used to mark the trail.  I am a
white blazer,
one who follows the official route.  (Please don't
call me a
"purist" because I don't make up a bunch of special
rules.) 
Blue blazers may use other side trails which are
marked with
blue paint, but they make their forward process by
walking.
Then there is the dreaded "yellow blazers" or "yellow
blaze
trash" who use other transportation (automotive) by
following
the long yellow dashed lines on the road.  

Lately, I have felt out of place since my hiking
partner and I
are the only ones not yellow blazing in our group. 
Everyone has
a reason. "The southern half of the Shenandoahs was
boring."  "I
enjoy hiking with you guys, but you hike too fast."
(We were
trying to get away from him!!!)  Although "hike your
own hike"
is a governing rule of the trail, it does imply the
method of
transportation.

That said, I will be skipping the section of the AT
between
Dennis Cove Road and Erwin, Tennessee.  I hiked this
66 mile
section in May as a warm up hike for my trip this
year. 
Instead, I will be taking a few days off to vacation
with family
in the Gatlinburg area.

This will probably be my last update from the trail
since I do
not anticipate having computer access until I finish. 
Speaking
of finishing, my best guess for a finish date is
October 25,
give or take a day.  

Thank you for all you support and encouragement.

Grace & Peace,
Terry Norton aka: "Cheers!"  
ME-->GA'01
GA-->ME'98



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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau

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