Follow the White Blaze

Having reached Rockfish Gap on our hike Monday, I have completed right at 100 miles of AT in the past 2 weeks. D-Tour and I did about 70 miles, I have done 2 day hikes in Shenandoah National Park and 20 miles between VA 664 and Rockfish Gap. Now I am concentrating on the 100 miles in Shenandoah. Tomorrow morning Gene will take me up to Skyline Drive for a 1 night backpacking hike. I am following that white blaze and connecting point to point.

Speaking of white blazes, that is how we hikers know where to go. The 2100+ miles of the AT are blazed every few feet with a roughly 2 x 6 inch white blaze. It is like reading street signs and traffic directions. A single white blaze marks the trail. A double white blaze indicates a place where the hiker should be cautious to stay on the trail, usually because of a turn. Sometimes the top blaze of a double blaze may be slightly to the right or left of the lower blaze. This indicates the direction of the turn. Blue blazed trails lead to shelters, water sources, or points of interest.

To help you know exactly where you are along the trail, there are maps and guidebooks. The most popular books are the Thru-Hiker’s Companion, Appalachian Trail Data Book, and the Appalachian Trail Guide Books. The Thru-Hiker’s Companion and Data Book are all inclusive in one small book giving the hiker the bear essential information about the location of shelters, water, roads, groceries, lodging, campgrounds, and towns. The Guide Books are many—one guide book for about every 100-200 miles of trail. These books are much more comprehensive than the other two and include some local history, descriptions of side trails, and more details of the AT. I use the Guide Books most often. The maps include a trail profile. Although I spend a great deal of time looking at the profile, practically memorizing how many up hills there are, when I’m actually hiking it seems to be all up hill. The maps are waterproof and now are GPS compatible.

Sometimes that white blaze goes where I'd rather not go.

Today I took a zero day. I stayed home and did chores—laundry, grocery, vacuuming, etc. I fixed a couple things for Gene to have to eat while I’m gone, including a pineapple upside down cake. I can’t remember the last one of those I had. I have enjoyed the day. I really am a home-body. I like to just piddle around the house. It has been fun and a nice break from hiking. But the white blaze is calling my name and I’ve got to get back out there.