- 6/5 Miles 864.3-885.0 (20.7 mi.)
- Total ascent: 5646’; descent 4816’
- 6/6 Miles 885.0-898.2 (13.2 mi.)
- Total ascent: 3074’; descent: 3330’
I’m writing for two days today because we hiked our first 20-mile day on the trail. We successfully combined two days of our plan into one to accomodate a zero we took in Daleville. But we paid for it with sore feet and a late day into camp, where we found a few unclaimed spots down the privy trail.
Getting started was hard. But we had the Cadillac of park facilities ahead, the Loft Mountain Camp Store. For laundry, lunch, showers, and electronics charging, we made 7-something miles by 11 a.m. We spent almost three hours there, taking our time at every station. Most of the other hikers were section hikers, which is unsurprising in a national park. Some were RVers from the attached campground, some subset of which probably didn’t love me shaving or washing a shirt that escaped the machine in the sink. After missing out on showers and laundry at Waynesboro, we were ready to get clean at any price.
The showers were nice for being $1.75 for 5 minutes, and some prior hiker left behind a bar of soap. The store was out of shampoo, so we used our Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, which, it turns out, is a bit oily.
As summer approaches, we find ourselves even grimier than usual. I’ll spare you the specifics, but I’ll say today is the rare day when I’d have taken hungry over dirty.
Fortunately, we were able to satisfy both needs. Lunch was a hard-earned deli wrap each, plus a bag of pickled carrots and a Pop-Tart. We packed out ham sandwiches, more pickles, and just enough dry snacks to get us to the next camp store in 26 miles. We’re really going to enjoy these, as well as restaurants the park calls “waysides,” while in Shenandoah.
We need to pull another 20-plus mile day out of our feet tomorrow. Although minimal food helps, we’re hindered by the lack of water. Yesterday, we went 11 miles between sources. Tomorrow, we will start with an eight-mile dry spell (hence our choice to camp at this “hut”–what the National Park calles shelters–tonight).
Also complicating matters is that the top inner eyelet, part of the lace-lock, broke off my boot this morning. The lace mostly holds on what remains of the metal, except when I step at an extreme angle.
Rachel and I have decided to replace our shoes before Painsylvania, and most hikers have already. I was naive to think I could make it significantly longer than other hikers without replacing key gear. I was similarly naive in my supposition that I’d be able to write on even the longest days. I will try to document day by day as best I can, but I am sure I’ll be doing two-day recaps on occasion.
It’s good to be able to do these distances when the conditions require. Shenandoah has gorgeous sights if inadequate sites, referring to its few and rocky tenting spots. Although stealth camping is allowed, rules about distances from roads, water, and other landmarks makes doing so impractical.
Hence, another 20-mile day tomorrow. In the words of Daft Punk: “Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger.”
