A preeminent hike- hiking with the thru-hikers met earlier this year. Long hoped for, it was finally happening Saturday. My brother John couldn't make it, so it would be just be me and fellow hiker Steve. Of the thru-hikers encountered on the AT in GA & NC during a 2-week backpack earlier this year, I was following two. Ewok was about to enter Shenandoah, Pusher had finished but lives nearby.
I had met Ewok on the AT at Stover Creek Shelter in Georgia. It was his first night on the trail. He made it to Hot Springs then left the trail for a few weeks. Upon resuming, he found conditions dangerously dry, so he flipped and headed south from Katahdin. He plans to reach Hot Springs by New Years, but may continue with companion Sissy to Springer. The winter will be challenging, particularly the Grayson and Roan Highlands and the Smokies. As a Florida native, this will be Sissy's first winter. She started out solo (well, with her dog Mabel) SOBO from Katahdin, encountering Ewok in New York and they've been hiking together since. They've had some amazing experiences out on the trail.
Pusher, the other thru-hiker I met on the AT in Georgia and later in North Carolina, completed his thru-hike on October 15th, the last day Baxter is open for legal hiking. His final days in Maine were pretty rough. I'd been following him (and Ewok) on Facebook. He lives nearby in Opal, and I had contacted him to let him know about this hike. Ewok knew of him even though they met only in passing on the trail, as I had asked Ewok to keep an eye out for him (it's fun being an armchair thru-hiker!). Sissy remembered him, as Pusher had carried a guitar, and played "House of the Rising Sun" for her months earlier. After a couple texts, he was going to come out for post-hike beer and pizza at Gravel Springs Hut. This hike was one I had been looking forward to for over five months! How cool is it to hike with "your" thru-hikers?!
Ewok and Sissy would be starting the day SOBO from Jim & Molly Denton Shelter, Steve and I would start out NOBO from US-522 near Chester Gap, meeting (hopefully) halfway. We started a bit early, they a bit late. We waited a spell at the top of the thousand foot climb, then slowly continued north. The few southbound hikers we met said there were only hunters ahead. About the time I was getting concerned, they appeared! A warm greeting, then we all hiked south.
We had donuts and apple cider waiting for them at Chester Gap. The donuts were from "The Apple House" in Linden, half pumpkin, half apple. They make the donuts right there (you can watch them being made). They are delicious! Turns out Ewok and Sissy had eaten there the previous day during a mail-drop pickup in Linden. The donuts are a bit on the small side, so we should have bought a dozen, not eight. Ewok and Sissy each had three plus assorted candy and could have eaten more. Never underestimate a thru-hiker's appetite. Oh well, we'd make up for that later with beer and pizza, right? They weren't planning to go as far as Gravel Springs Hut, but for beer and pizza, absolutely!
The long climb into Shenandoah followed. There was still fine color in the lowlands, tapering off as we climbed. It was warm in the sun, the forest had that nice autumnal smell, and the crunch of the dry leaves made for great hiking, though at times difficult to hear all. At each rest break, Mabel would be zonked out almost immediately. The steep climb ended at rocky Possums Rest, but there were people here with two large dogs that weren't very friendly towards Mabel, so we didn't linger long at the viewpoint, and entered into Shenandoah National Park ("The Shennies" as thru-hikers call it). We talked about all our trail adventures. One sad item was that the mayor of Unionville, New York had to sell his house, so it's no longer a thru-hiker's stopping place. We hiked to the junction with the Dickey Ridge Trail, where we'd part ways. Ewok ate dry Ramen noodles, Sissy had bologna and cheese on crackers. They'd hike on another eight miles to Gravel Springs Hut, we'd hike another six back to Chester Gap via Dickey Ridge, Hickerson Hollow, a road walk, and the AT. We'd then get beer and pizza in Front Royal, head down the drive to Gravel Springs Gap, and walk it in to the hut. This would be great!
I'd thought through most everything, had it all planned out. There was only one item that I had forgotten to check, the status of Skyline Drive. Surely it was open, the north and south districts close at 5pm in December only, right? I've hiked SNP for years, and never had an issue with Skyline Drive except in December. Well, since my hikes are long and ending with an uphill is no fun, almost all hikes start from boundary access. Was I certain the Drive would be open? Halfway out Dickey Ridge, it nags me enough to check. I call my niece, she checks the Park web site... you know that sinking feeling when something goes horribly wrong?... well, I had that when told that Drive closures started November 8th. There was no way to get to Gravel Springs Gap. I'd promised thru-hikers something I couldn't deliver. Guilt, dismay; emotions were deep. I still had the candy that I would have given them at the shelter. The thought of them anticipating beer and pizza that could never come was unbearable. We hadn't said our proper farewell. There was more I wanted to say, more I wanted to know. The only saving grace was that I had asked Ewok to text me from North Marshall to help time things. I sent him a voice and text message, hoping beyond hope that he would get it. I called Pusher to tell him not to come.
It was a gloomy hike down Hickerson Hollow. I was gloomy, not the trail. This was the last remaining trail in the north district that I hadn't hiked, but I was numb. It is a pleasant trail and there were patches of good color in the hollow, but my head wasn't there. Out of cell range, we had a two mile road walk and a little over a mile on the AT to get back to Chester Gap. The western sky was crimson, and I hoped Ewok and Sissy were enjoying it from the AT. Would they get my bad news? Our hike ended well after dark, passing the expansive 4-H center in fading twilight. The AT stretch was spooky, with deer's eyes glowing from just off the trail. There were many eyes watching us.
On the descent into Chester Gap, my phone rings. It's a text from Ewok, "pretty sure I'm on North Marshall, should make it to the shelter soon enough." Oh no! He didn't get my message? No, this can't be! As I was freaking out, a second text arrived, he got my message, said "no worries, thanks for trying, it was really fun to see you again." Thank goodness! I still felt horrible, but at least knew they wouldn't be waiting for a meal not coming. Trail magic happens, but sometimes you can't force it, and there was nothing we could do. We drove to the north entrance to confirm the Drive was closed. It was.
The November Drive closures are nothing new. How in the world did I not know? Long hikes not using the Drive, that's how. I'm embarrassed and overly guilty, but ever so fortunate to have had the opportunity to hike with these great adventurers. Pusher may try to link up with Ewok and Sissy during this week. I have all week to contemplate trying to link up with them again. Maybe some things should just be left alone, but I'm not sure I can settle for that. I'm certainly grateful for the time I did get to spend with them, and I wish them the very best.
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