March 29, 2000

Deep Gap Groundhog Creek Shelter, NC · 10 Miles Hiked Today · 245 of 2167 Miles Hiked Total

Bored to tears today. After having breakfast with "The Gang" (Che, Bandana Bill, Kerosene Charlie, and Moxy) we didn't get going until 9:30. It was worth it though, the pancakes, bacon, and grits. Anyway, between the six mile long 3000 foot climb and the report that rain is expected this afternoon and tonight. I decided to go only about 10 miles in order to sleep at a shelter. I don't know if it was knowing I didn't need to hurry or it was the hill, but the scenery was just boring as hell. There was nothing to really look at -- same trees, rocks, and dirt I've seen. Tomorrow I'll try more miles for something to do. I also hear there are good views coming.

One thing I definitely feel I'm missing is being able to talk to all my friends and family when I want. I am curious about how everyone is doing.

Last night I got a chance to call some acquaintances (one set I've never met) in Virginia to figure where along the trail they live. It looks like between those acquaintances and Whitney visiting I may avoid the "Virginia Blues." Virginia is about 1/4 of the trail and apparently drives people crazy after awhile. There aren't really any cool goals or sites or anything to break it up. By Virginia you have done or experienced a lot of what the trail has to offer and don't have new states bunching together until Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, etc. One guy I know (Zoom) has a friend who hiked last year and stopped for a week in Virginia in a motel debating whether or not to go on. He finally kept hiking.