Ming Garden, Waynesboro, VA

Frog Legs!

April 2014

  

This is a Chinese AYCE in Waynesboro, VA. There were frog legs!!!
I ate about 20 frogs worth. Everything was greasy and delicious. Cool staff too. Sushi. Good dessert.

Ming Garden Chinese Restaurant

316 Federal St, Waynesboro, VA 22980

                       (540) 942-8800

 

http://www.minggardenwaynesboro.com/

 

Horseshoe Curve Restaurant, Hwy 50, VA



Horseshoe Curve Restaurant
1162 Pine Grove Rd, Bluemont, VA 20135
(540) 554-8291

April 26, 2014

Horseshoe Curve Restaurant in Bluemont, VA
Great portions at not too crazy prices. They had a good selection of bottled and can beer. I got a good size burger and some delicious onion rings. It's right off of Hwy 50 too. It is the same Hwy 50 as the one that went through my Tahoe adventure (see below link,West Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD).

http://www.yelp.com/biz/horse-shoe-curve-restaurant-bluemont

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_50

Harpers Ferry Maryland Hostel

A nice side to 'half way' at Harpers Ferry, MD

(About half of 2180 miles)

April 27 & 28, 2014

Big Hungry and I are hanging out at the Harpers Ferry Hostel in Maryland. Last night was the 50th anniversary of the place so there was free camping and a big dinner to go along with that. We hadn't taken a day off for about a month, so we're gonna stay here all day and clean up all the leftovers. The past few miles into MD were nice and easy and we got to explore around the historic district of Harpers Ferry. 
It was a Saturday so there was a jumble of tourists, so I kinda got out of there pretty quickly.

Harpers Ferry Hostel

19123 Sandy Hook Rd.

Knoxville Maryland 21758

Done.

Done.

 

http://www.hiusa.org/maryland/knoxville/harpers-ferry  Hostel

 

http://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm  Harpers Ferry

 

More of Shenandoah NP

Smokin!!!

April 20, 2014

Leaving Waynesboro I got a hitch from a guy that had done the PCT back in the 80's with a few mules and a few friends. He said they would go out for a month at a time and he spent something like $70 for the entire trip!
Shenandoah NP was nothing to write home about (but I am writing home). The trail didn't have many good views so every once in a while we had to do some much more scenic road walking on the scenic drive that parallels the AT. There were some cold nights on the way to the town of Fort Royal where a previous thru hiker from 2001, Tatsuya (talks to ya), picked us up at the grocery store and took us to a bar that Johnny cash used to play, and called, "The roughest toughest bar he has ever been too." We got a pitcher and enjoyed a cigarette inside!!! Only in VA and every other country in the world can you smoke inside.
From there he took us to a nice restaurant across the way where we shared a cheese platter, a good beer, a great meal, and topped it all off with an espresso and fancy dessert. I can't remember the name of this place though and it's not on google maps.
After he dropped us off at the trailhead, Big Hungry chowed down on some grass like a cow (she ate too much chicken in town) and had a good long drink from the crik. (I was having such a good time with Tatsuya I forgot to give her some water in town.) After a couple minutes she was back to her normal self of running circles around me and keeping an eye out for dangerous animals; squirrels, bears, deer, The Grinch, and of course rats and mice around shelters.
Last night I stayed at Bears Den Hostel (Bluemont, VA), a cool mansion type place that has a hiker room with bunks and a great lawn for camping.
As I am coming up on the halfway point, Harpers Ferry, WV, I decided to slow down and take some easy days. There is supposed to be some rain coming, too, so I'll be doing about 7-10 mile days and 100-200 pages inside my warm bag in a shelter.
Welcome to West Virgina!!!

VA Bluebells

 

Ravens Rock, WV

http://www.bearsdencenter.org/

VA and Shenandoah NP

April 15, 2014
Hey All,
It's been a while since I've had some Internet, so sorry for the delay.
Leaving Daleville, VA was some not-to-hard hiking into some decent weather. I had plenty of company as compared to the previous miles. This was good because I felt like I was gonna go crazy with few hikers to talk to about the trail. An older fella, Caribou, has a bunch of great stories and seems like he has had an adventurous life traveling the world and hunting.
As a group, we pulled into Buena Vista, VA. There was a great set up with free camping and showers at the local park. It was a great night to sleep under the stars, too. The town was pretty run down and most the shops seemed to be closed, so I couldn't find any Internet, and the good grocery store was pretty far off. There's usually a Dollar General, or Dollar Something around, but those get old for resupplying. All the stuff in there is junk which makes it extra hard to get some healthy food for the road. From Buena Vista we had some cold and wet days to Waynesboro, VA. (Not Waynesboro, PA. That may happen later.) The last night we huddled in a shelter and I froze my arse off. Hopefully, it's the last of the really cold nights. This town is a little bigger and has everything, for the most part, and a free tenting park near the YMCA that has free hiker showers. With soap!!!
Shenandoah NP is next for about 200 miles. We have heard a lot about the Boo-Boo Bears and Big Hungry size rats!!! Wish us luck!

Morning Ice

 

Buena Vista Park, VA

Warmth and Love for a Tree

Wet Days in Waynesboro, VA

 

http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm

Alien Dog on the Appalachian Trail

Shelters on the Appalachian Trail

Shelters March 2014

Didn't stay at this shelter.

 

This one had a door but that usually means it's cold.

 

 

2 story barn shelter. The snowy night created a 'packed in like sardines' shelter that proved to be nice and warm. This was after Damascus VA.

 

 

This stone shelter was sturdy and cold.

 

Again, Brrr.

 

Appalachian Trail in Virginia

 

Ponies!!!

April 7, 2014
As I write this I would just like to say happy one year anniversary to my hiking adventures. Last year on this day, April 7th, I decided to begin the Pacific Crest Trail, and my life changed. I became a man addicted to the adventures of life and couldn't have done it without the support of family and friends who follow me along on my travels. Also, I would like to say after this Appalachian adventure, there are more travel plans being concocted in my head. If my body is still able to walk one step at a time, 2015 should be a great adventure. More to come on that one later though.
As for late March of 2014, I last took off from Damascus VA into the woods of the AT. The calm after the storm that stopped me from going up Mt. Rogers turned out to be beautiful on the snow covered bald mountain. The Grinch and I trudged through some snow and passed a few ponies that make the mountaintop their home. The next little bit was to a truck highway and the town of Atkins VA with nice weather. Once we got to Atkins, the clouds started pouring, so we got a room and had a rest. Our motel, the Relax Inn, looked like a true truck stop motel out of the 1980s complete with a sign out front that you could hardly even read. From there the management seemed to kick me out for having more people than we said, even though we didn't. I couldn't even get a word off in the debate but I was leaving anyway, so I took the hit for the rest of the group. (As a side note, I don't seem to do well with old Indian women.) But it was a great day to leave and I got some peace and quiet until Woods Hole Hostel and Mountain Retreat, which is a very no-drugs or alcohol, sustainable farm hostel in the heart of the Appalachians. What a great stop too. They had a nice hiker bunk room and a great home style feeling. You have to help with the prep and cleanup for dinner, and the best hostel so far, I would say.  Along with that they had homegrown beef and other goodies that were a great treat for my body as compared to the normal daily crap that gets shoveled down my mouth. The crew seemed to want to stay, but Big Hungry and I were eager to get back to it.
So we took off for the 10 miles to Pearsburg, VA for an AYCE crap Chinese buffet not worthy of mentioning the name or showing pictures. It did the job though in terms of price and calories, I guess. That night I got to power up the big climb out of town with Pilfer and a few beers. (Pilfer is a hiker and a few beers is just a few beers.) We made it to a shelter that had a great view of a bald mountain and a thunderstorm that hit that night. What a show it was!!! It was like watching a 2 hour movie with surround sound!!! No commercials!!! The next few days got lonely and I was by myself. Pilfer and the beers were gone :( but I trudged on with Big Hungry and I made it to Daleville, VA. I passed a few fishermen that had some good size trout so I think I'm gonna get a pole and permit to see if I can snag some healthy dinner for me and the pup. The miles have been tough lately. Lots of up and down but very beautiful.
Gotta keep trudging through VA!!!

Snow

Covered bridge.

 

http://www.woodsholehostel.com/