4 min to read
AT Blog: 39 and 40
Trail Magic Galore
Day 39:
Wake up to no rain, which is a huge blessing with these last few days. We make breakfast and debate where to go to. Tigger and Lobster plan on going 18ish to a campsite. But I debated about going 24 to Partnership Shelter.
Getting going I go beyond Tigger and Lobster and begin the hike. There is some sprinkling early but within an hour I ditch the rain jacket as it stops. I quickly pass by the first shelter called Hurricane Shelter, and decide to keep going. The path is gentle downhill till climbing up to Comers Creek Falls, that has a water bypass. I’m a little concerned due to yesterdays rain but I decide to risk it.
The falls are pretty but the old foot bridge is washed out. Fortunately it looked like it happened months ago at least, and the water isn’t too high. I have to get my feet wet, but it’s not bad.
A few miles later, I take a break at Dickeys Gap. I eat my bagged Chicken and a peanut butter and Nutella wrap while staying dry from some sprinkling.
Soon I depart and run into Taxi before the next shelter, where I leave a message for Tigger and Lobster. I decided I still have plenty of time and I’m heading 10 more miles to Partnership.
At the road I run into Dukes, who is about to leave the trail (he was only doing a long section hike) turns out I missed some trail magic by a few minutes, but it’s not a big deal. The last 8 miles are tiring but there are good views of Rye Valley. I pass by a bunch of hikers I’ve never met and they are all excited for pizza someone is bringing to the Partnership Shelter. The shelter is located right next to the Roan Mountain visitor center with road access.
Despite the shelter fitting 20 people, there is a dozen people already there. Taxi had beat me there and was already setting up.
Later on the pizza arrived! So turns out the trail magic is from Fresh Grounds who has a full van setup as he travels around helping hikers out. People who want to provide trail magic but can’t spend the time donate to him so he can supply hikers! He usually cooks hot meals but tonight he brought Little Ceasers pizza and Dukes came by after cleaning up with drinks.
The food was great and allowed me to get completely stuffed.
Me and Fresh Grounds.
Day 40:
Fresh Grounds comes by again early in the morning with Hardee’s! He brought some wraps and biscuits. While there is a bunch of people at the shelter, we all get stuffed with the food.
Taxi and I are still debating what to do due to the rain and the distances between shelters (there is one in 7 miles, which is too short, and another in 27 miles which is too long). We realize we can just do 22 miles to the Quarter Way Inn and stay the night. The Mt. Roger’s Visitor Center has a free landline we use to book reservations and then head out.
The first 10 miles are some up and downs, not great for the day after a 24 but not horrible. We pass by the Settlers Museum which had some small trail magic in the form of chips and propels. After another 2 miles walking through drizzling rain and mud we eventually make it to I-81 where the trail crosses. There’s a few gas stations and a couple of hostels where some people from last night are staying. I pick up a few honey buns, an ice cream sandwich and a diet coke from the gas station and move on.
The next 10 miles are slower, with some decent uphills but I make my way slowly. With Taxi I’ve learned that while I am faster then him he is usually longer winded for these long days and passes me during the last hour or so. We pass by the quarter way point today. Mile marker 550 has a sign showing that we have made it that far.
Big Walker Mountain is the last climb of the day and my feet are killing me, the fact they’ve been wet while hiking every day for the past 3 doesn’t help. Once beyond it and down the hill, there’s just a short walk to the Inn down the road.
I’ve never been more thankful to have arrived at a hostel before. It’s a converted house pretty much and the entrance for hikers is indoor patio, with dehumidifiers drying equipment off. I unload and meet Tracy who runs the joint and meet up again with Powerslide and his wife. They are the parents of Jolly Gear and I last saw them at Stover Creek Shelter on day one. Turns out they got sick sometime after that day and now they are flip flopping north and I happened to encounter them again.
The Quarter Way Inn is great with microwave pizzas and a dehumidifier room for wet gear and it’s not too busy so there is only 2 other people in the bunkroom beside Taxi and I.
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