Hiking Trail Journals

Appalachian Trail 2003 - Chelsea's Journals

Entry #58 - May 26, 2003

10:25 PM - Tonight we are cozy at the Woodshole Hostel. Did about 20 miles today to get here. Was a pretty easy hike, but towards the end of the day, we could really feel the big miles catching up to us.

Woodshole is about a half mile off of the Trail. It's owned by Tillie Woods, who's somewhere between 80 & 100 years old. She and her husband found the place in the 1940's while he was studying elk in the area. It changed hands some through the years, I think, and they bought it back maybe 20 years ago. There is an old cabin and a separate bunkhouse for hikers. Tillie's husband died in 1987, but she's been coming our in the summer since and keeping the place for hikers. It's free, but she asks that you pull a couple weeds or fix a stone in the perimeter wall. We'll also get to have a big breakfast in the morning - she cooks for the first 8 hikers to "reserve" it. Luckily, there are only 6 of us here tonight (Us, MothMan, Woods, Iron Chef), so we all get to eat tomorrow. The meal costs $3.50.

Once we get back on the Trail, we're only 10 miles from Pearisburg, so we're pretty excited to get into town, shower, do laundry, eat, etc.

Note: Been seeing a neat thing on the Trail - well, neat to me since I'd never seen it - mistletoe! It grows in clumps and hangs from the trees here & there.

Also: One of the best things about Virginia - there's a privy at most every shelter. I haven't dug a cathole since Tennessee - Yippie! I guess I'll fall out of practice now, hee hee...

Anyway, the breakfast bell rings at 7:30 AM! First call 7:00! Better get to sleep...

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