The “Red Carpet” of the AT

Hi folks!

I’m writing to y’all from Skyland Resort at mile 935 of the AT in the Shenandoah! Skyland Resort has a restaurant, convenience store, and a number of motel-style “cabins” available for rent. I woke up this morning and hiked 5.5 miles as fast as I could to get here in time for breakfast, which ended at 10:00. There’s just something nice about a good breakfast with never-ending coffee. Overall, Skyland resort is a pretty good representation of the touristy nature of the national park. So far, this is the third area that has offered food and resupply, which means I’ve had to carry virtually no food weight through the Shenandoah! It’s been great. Also, I narrowly escaped a torrential downpour yesterday by hunkering down at Big Meadows Wayside.

The Shenandoah does have a seedy underbelly, though. Truly, when you venture away from the areas geared more toward car campers and glampers, things can be a little worse for wear. In particular, the shelters in the Shenandoah are less than ideal, with Hightop Hut getting my personal vote for most disgusting shelter in the trail. We hikers are pretty used to mice in the shelters; they’re kind of a minor nuisance that you learn to deal with. However, Hightop Hut boasted genuine rats. These things were bigger than squirrels, and were so bold as to pop out of nowhere to steal your gear. The shelter was so full of rat droppings that I dragged the picnic table under the canopy of the roof and set up where I thought I’d be safe. I was fool enough, though, to take my ear bud out and set it down on the platform for just a moment. With no hesitation, one of those beasties absconded with it, and proceeded to keep us up all night with the sound of chewing up my left headphone. Tragedy. Incidentally, the stay at the shelter the night before was mouse and rat free, as we found a black rat snake in the shelter, which I’m sure acted as a deterrent to most rodents!

Today is a lazier day for me, as I’ll only be doing about 15.5 miles. Since I’ve been back on trail, I’ve completed the following:

• 7/13: 14 mi
• 7/14: 20.9 mi
• 7/15: 20.9 mi
• 7/16: 21.7 mi
• 7/17: 24.1 mi

By the end of the day tomorrow, I’ll be in Front Royal, out of the national park, reunited with my tent, and ready to take a short break day. Today, the weather is finally cooler, with a high of just 75°F! Of course, the drawback is frequent spurts of rain. That’s not all bad, as maybe we’ll get some of these dry springs to get flowing again. Water has been few and far between on some sections; as long as 13.1 miles without water a few days ago (shoutout to a section hiker who saved my life with the gift of a vitamin water in that stretch!). I can’t wait to take a shower and do laundry. I have no sense of smell, but I’m sure I am pretty repugnant after all these hot, sweaty, damp days.

Alrighty, that’ll be it from me for now! I’ll chat with y’all later!