No no no. Not Paris, Pearisburg.

624 Miles in. After a couple of big hiking days we made it into town for another little stop. Got to the post office before it closed and picked up our packages. Got packages from each of our grandparents, and each of our parents. Tons of snack food that we are enjoying this very minute.

Pearisburg is a nice sized town. (it only takes a Walmart to qualify) Got in Friday around noon and will probably leave a little later today. Yes it’s true that we ditched our tent. We have these hammocks but still haven’t used them. We are doing pretty good just shelter hopping and not having to set anything up. The terrain in Virginia has been a little easier. We do a lot of Ridge riding. Where you just hike straight up to the top of the ridge and follow it until you have to come down to a road and then it is right back up again.

After that week of bad weather it turned pretty hot. Staying in the 70’s and low 80’s. Just means more water breaks and much stinkier clothing. The last two days before town we hiked 47 miles so we aren’t doing too bad. Nothing hurts except the bottoms of our feet but we are going to get new soles for our shoes today.

The hostel we are staying at is located outside town and is this old barn they put bunks in. Its on top of this big hill with a pretty view and run by a Roman Catholic church right in front of it. Pretty neat and beats hotel room prices. We thought about pulling a zero but it will be kind of nice to get back on the trail.

People have been asking what it is like to hike the trail. It is hard to explain because it is more of a feeling than a task. You tend to think only day to day and not long term. It is hard to describe what it is like to wake up and hike all day long and do it again the next day. Hard to say what you feel. I came up with this little mental image and Ricky agrees that it is pretty close and probably the best we can do.

“When you hike, your lungs are trying to kill you, your legs are behind you, your feet have abandoned and it is ALWAYS uphill in the morning. But you follow the white blaze and find joy in your company and surroundings.”

I hope all is well with you and as always we enjoy reading everyone’s comments.

Our beards are thick and we continue to lose weight.