McAfee Hikes

Date Written: 10/21/2024 | AT Mile 1332.8 | Day Total: 20.7 miles | Gain: 4118 ft

Early start again today. I’ve been waking up before the sun rises lately. I was packed up and hiking by 7:30 today. Looking forward to a night in town and real food. Within the first mile I heard a ruffle of leaves and there was a buck looking back at me. He’s hardly got any antlers just 1 point.

I’m loaded up with water because the first 13 miles today is dry. I downed two bottles at breakfast and have two bottles to get me to the spring. Ideally I’ll get to the spring at lunch so I can filter and eat simultaneously.

Passed by Blackrock Gap and climbed up to the trail to Calvary Rocks. The view from Calvary Rocka is a mile off trail so I didn’t make the side trip.

Didn’t have many views early this morning but the trail was beautiful.

I eventually made it to Sawmill Run Overlook. It’s a Parking lot with a beautiful view.

I’ve had a wonderful stretch of great weather. It hasn’t rained one bit while I’ve been in Shenandoah.

I eventually made it to the spring and took a break for lunch like I had planned. Polished off all my food aside from a few ounces of olive oil. Planed that resupply perfectly.

After lunch I climbed up and crossed some power lines and got a glimpse of a view.

The my biggest climb of the day was Calf Mountain. Although it’s not that bad of a climb. There was a nice open field with a single tree in the middle and a view. The kind I feel like you would see in a picnic movie scene.

I saw a black rat snake on the trail today. It may have been dead because it didn’t move and its head was hidden by the leaves.

Shortly later I made it to Bear Den Mountain. It’s covered in communication towers but has some funky metal springy seats at the top.

It wasn’t long before I reached the park exit. Leaving Shenandoah was sad but I’m sure I’ll still have good views ahead. I’ve fallen in love with the fall colors and what seems like infinite mountain ranges.

Not a half mile later I made it to Rockfish Gap. This is where I’ll shuttle into Waynesboro to Stanimal’s (hiker hostel).

Kill Bill was there waiting on a shuttle to Stanimal’s also. 15 min later we were on our way into town. We were given a tour and I jumped into the shower and started a load of laundry. It’s been a week since I had last taken a shower…

Refreshed and settled in both Kill Bill and I headed over to New York Flying Pizza. I ordered a 16” Sassage pizza and ate 3/4 of it and saved the last quarter of later. I headed over to Walmart across the street to resupply after. They don’t have stove gas so I’ll have to make a trip to the fly fishing shop in the morning because comments say they carry gas.

Walked back to the hostel and FaceTimed the family and took a call with a friend from college. I really miss those guys…

Afterword I organized my food and polished off the reminder of my pizza and a banana. Full and exhausted I headed to bed.