“My Journey Is My Destination...” Day 121

Day 121 30.8 mi Jenny Knob Shelter

Up and out at dawn. I walked down to the store to buy some toilet paper. How could I forget a thing like that last night! A guy offered me a ride back to the trail. He went inside and I called Becky to see how the night went with her sister. It went great, and today I am, “Uncle Farsang”! Today, I hike full of joy and happiness for Benjamin Cade McPherson. I am so happy for all of this. I called Robert and left a voicemail to tell him so.

I didn’t get a chance to get the TP before I got a ride back to the trail. I started the day hiking up “Angels Rest”, a huge mountain at the edge of town. My stomach hurt all the way from the “town food” last night. It was very windy and overcast. I walked five miles through a valley where all of the creeks had dried up. It was weird to see. It was like nothing I had ever seen. I noticed today how beautiful the woods are getting with the colors. I thought again about how fortunate I am for all of this.

At dusk I got water from a river, I hate doing that. I had 6 miles to go by headlamp, back to the light bubble! I had to redress my blister. I got down to the last road crossing near Crandon, VA. I saw faint blazes on the telephone poles to my right. I followed them for ? mile and then they ended. Road crossings are never marked well. No trail to be found. I walked back to where I started, stepping off into the ditch each time a car passed as to not be harassed. I was mad, hurting, and ready to give up for the night. I walked past where I had come out of the woods. Only 200 yards up the road was the trail. I walked a mile to the shelter and fell out. I found a map and saw the trail had been re-routed a few years ago, but blazes not taken down. Good work! I cooled down, ate some food, and went to sleep. Shin splint blazing even without walking.

Day 122 12.1 miles River’s Resort, Fayetteville, WV

Daylight came too early. Today I get picked up by my dad to go to Bridge Days in WV. We went a couple of years ago, but this year will be different. Bridge Days is the one time a year base parachute jumpers are allowed to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge. It ’s 876feet high and the world's second longest single arch bridge.

I was so tired all morning, my body dragged, my eyes were heavy. I got to the meeting spot in Bland, VA with 15 minutes to spare. I waited at the Senior Citizens center and could have passed for a broken old man. My dad arrived and I hugged him. It felt so good. That is one thing I miss out here, hugs.

We stopped for supplies and headed to River’s Resort. I had set a goal to make it to Bridge Day two weeks ago while I was still 300 miles away. So far, it is the only goal I have set for myself to make it to a certain place. I’ve walked 553 miles in the past month. Today, I’ve been on the trail for four months.

At Rivers we set up our tent in the community tenting area.

Day 123 0 day River’s Resort

We all were not rafting today and walked underneath the bridge to the New River to watch the jumpers. It’s amazing to watch. Some don’t pull their chute to the very last second. It was a warm sunny day, some of us swam. We really enjoyed each other’s company.

Day 124 0 Day Rivers Resort

Time to go rafting on the Upper Gauley River. Dad and I have done it once before, and was kind of boring. But not this year! I didn’t have to wear a wet suit. I put on all the clothes I had so I get my laundry done at the same time!

Rivers is selling its property to developers and moving. This means changes for everyone, including our guide, Terry. He is a little fed up with it all and today is the last day of Gauley season. He was holding nothing back. Terry hit every hole, surfed every spot, and flipped the boat many times in the big whitewater. He was doing things that no other boat would attempt. All the other guests and guides were looking at us as if we were crazy. I just stood up and screamed with my paddle held high. At one point we lost our guide and my dad. We navigated the boat while my dad swam “the Box." My dad said that he spent more time in the water on this trip than all trips combined, I agree. I had so much fun.

For the last time for it to be Rivers this year, we had a time that is almost unexplainable. We can’t get our heads around it. The people were awesome, and the rafting was so good that we probably won’t do it again. We’ll just go back to see our friends.

Day 125 0 Day At some motel on Highway 77

We packed up, got breakfast at Tudor’s biscuit world, drove awhile, ate Mexican lunch, then got a motel. We were both tired and it was too late to get back on the trail. I enjoyed the cable TV and a soft bed