Monday, 17 June

Destination: Four Pines Hostel	Today’s Miles: 14.4
Start Location: Campsite 689.6	Trip Miles: 68.1

The trail took me to Dragons Tooth today, one of the Virginia Triple Crown on the Appalachian Trail. There were some rocky sections before Dragons Tooth but the decent from there was scary. Rock climbs where your hiking poles were useless. Two spots with steel rungs into the rocks to use for steps. I was really glad to get it over with.

I felt like a shower and some electricity with WiFi would be a good idea. So it was into Four Pines. Well, the shower was hot with good pressure and I got my laundry done. After that, it was downhill. The hostel is in a three car garage. It was dirty and trash was being burned out front. Nothing like the smell of burning rubber to greet you. The beer was flowing freely. By six, half the hikers and staff were feeling no pain.

I did meet a hiker from Canada, Two Speed. He is my age but was hiking South. He told me there were a couple of women hiking southbound that were planning to stay and he wasn’t sure how comfortable they would be. As soon as they arrived, they made it straight over to him and asked where were our bunks and did we mind if they bunked nearby. The four of us spent most of the evening chatting. They would have been a good group to hike with but they are heading in the other direction.

The hostel filled up with about 15-20 hikers. Three or four tented. The rest were in the hostel. It did get quiet at 10 when the lights went out. The remaining drinkers went outside to the fire place. I didn’t hear them come in and slept ok.

2019 Appalachian Trail Album