6/3/2014

6/3/14                      Pine Branch Swamp Shelter

      Ten miles today and three of them through rain. Once my boots start sloshing I'm going to call it quits for the day. 

     5/23 I got into Marion and split a motel room with Spaceman Spiff. It was the weekend of the Hiker Homecoming, planned a week after Trail Days. It was a good idea, but when most hikers are going to be in motels on one side of town and everything's happening three some odd miles on the other side of town, no one's going to walk that. We get lazy in towns. Especially when there's a 50 cent shuttle during weekdays and not the weekend (The festivities were happening Saturday and Sunday). Spaceman and I did walk down there to see if anything cool was happening. Though there's nothing cool going on when there's more locals than hikers milling about, listening to the band, whatever. We did cross train tracks twice and assumed (incorrectly) if we walked down the tracks it'd be quicker than walking down the road. About halfway back we start to hear a train horn, so we pick up the pace a bit. It blares again and we're thinking 'oh crap...'. There wasn't much room to maneuver either side of the tracks. It blares again and we start full on sprinting down the train tracks trying to find a spot away from the rails. As the train lights start shining 'round the last bend, we find a large gap in the hill to the right of the tracks and quickly hop off. thirty seconds later the trains comes around the corner and cruises past us. We eventually get back to the room safe and sound and watch TV til about 2am.  That night was supposed to be a huge meteor shower - something like 200 meteors an hour - starting at 2am till 4am. We each managed to see a handful of them through the town's light pollution and conked out around 3. 
     The following day (5/24) we get out of Marion and I hike about eight miles while Spaceman Spiff went ahead.  Haven't seen him since then either. 
     The only other thing I've yet to explain is Fort Bastian. It's a campground run by Trubrit, and old SAS guy. It's more of a glorified camp spot that you can charge up your stuff. But he does cook breakfast which is extremely delicious and shuttles you into town.
     Pearisburg was also awesome, but for different reasons. My grandfather decided to come visit / hang out for the weekend! (5/30 - 6/1) It was wonderful to spend some time with him. I also managed to get my replacement Pacemaker trek pole (You guys are fantastic!!) and a summer sleeping bag. I also got a companion for a week or so depending on how tough he is. 
     6/2 I left Pearisburg for an eight mile uphill that was a fresh reroute they opened the day before (6/1). Haven't opened the book for what I'm doing tomorrow.

-Sam
P.S. went the extra mile and change to camp at The Captain's instead.