Nimblewill Nomad
Long Distance Hiker/Author
Journal 104-ODYSSEY 2021: Bama to Baxter-Hike On!
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Thursday–June 3, 2021
Trail Day–104
Trail Mile–-15.2/1,090.9
Location–VA-601 Rocky Gap, then to Angel’s Rest Hostel, Pearisburg, Doc Peppa Chapman, Proprietor, AT Mile 672.2
Mountain Mike was right there at the trailhead when I finished yesterday and I was back to Angel’s Rest in no time. Thanks, Mountain Mike! Polished off a great day with a soothing shower, then to DQ to polish off a great burger, large fries, and one of their famous chocolate milkshakes. Appetite’s kickin’ in again. What a blessing!
I’m up this morning at six. Pan must be up too. Fresh coffee, two pots, already freshly brewed in the hostel kitchen. Great start for this day!
Mountain Mike has his van by the bunkhouse, rear hatch up, ready to load packs (and hikers) well before seven-thirty. No time, he has me back at Peter’s Mountain trailhead, and I’m headed north by eight.
I’ve an 1,800-foot climb right soon. No surprise! Then, as is usually the case when the trail reaches or exceeds 4,000 feet, on come the rocks and boulders, an unmerciful two-mile section–through which I
somehow manage to stay upright. Thank you, merciful Lord! I’m no more out of the rocks than the trail takes a 2,000-foot dive off Lone Pine Peak, down and more down, to VA-632.
Comes then the second uninterrupted climb, 1,200 feet up to Rocky Gap, my destination for today.
Here (waiting patiently again) is Mountain Mike. He loads the weary old Nimblewill (and hiking friends, The Waz & The Rage) and hauls us down off the mountain and back (for my third night) to Angel’s Rest.
Pizza tonight. I order three large ones, a piece or three for the other hungry hikers at Angel’s Rest.
It’s been a very long, tiring-but-rewarding day. Thank God the thunderstorms held off.
Success at anything will always come down to this:
Focus and effort, and we control both.
(Dwayne Johnson)
One Comment on “Journal 104-ODYSSEY 2021: Bama to Baxter-Hike On!”
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Nimblewill Nomad 
I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with you. I wish it would have lasted longer. I guess I will just have to visit Flag Mountain sometime this winter.
Mountain Mike
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