BEARS!!

Although Tyler didn't want a bear to sneak up on him in his hammock while he was sleeping, he was about to die to see a bear for the first time. On the day that he spotted his first bear... he ended up seeing 7 in one day! This was when they started hiking in the Shenandoah National Park. Supposedly they are plentiful and not that afraid of humans. He got to take a picture of one that was hanging out in a tree, but all the other ones ran off as soon as they spotted him. He said there were 3 cubs and 4 big bears all in different areas.

Appalachian Trail Days, Damascus, VA

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Pictures from Bailey's Birthday Party, Sent by Jennifer

Cold and Wet in Virginia

Its been wet and rainy for Skuter and Hammerdown as they try to catch back up with Bill and Jesse. They are supposed to be in Waynesboro by Thursday. Jesse's friend Wyatt is picking all the boys up and they are headed to Damascus, VA for Trail Days... a festival in Damascus for the Appalachian Trail. I am meeting them there for the weekend, I think you can tent for $5 at a campground close by, so this will be a relatively cheap weekend. Supposedly they have a huge water fight at the festival. They have picked up the pace and are hiking 15-25 miles a day. Unfortunately, Skuter sent all of his warm clothes back with me, so he's pretty cold this week and its difficult to start a fire because its so wet, so the goal is to walk really fast to get warm so they can make it to Waynesboro on Thursday.

700 Miles!

On the climb to McAfee Knob, outside of Roanoke, VA, Skuter has reached 700 miles, about 1/3 of the trip. This last weekend he got to spend time with friends and family. Thanks Connie and Jerry for being great hosts, it was wonderful seeing you! He also got to go to Bailey's 4th Birthday Party. I know he really enjoyed seeing all of his family, what a great surprise.

He had an awesome day on Tinker Cliffs, they actually found this really cool hidden campsite and stayed there for the night. He got a scare while he was camping, a deer crept up into the site and he thought it was a bear. He's hiking with Hammerdown and his girlfriend, Marjessica (visiting from Florida). We hiked into a campsite on Sunday night and made vegetable kabobs.

Unfortunately, you've probably seen in the Roanoke Times about the AT thru-hiker that was hitching a ride and got sexually assaulted: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/160510
Tyler found out tonight he knows the hiker, but that she is back on the trail and in what seems to be good spirits. Keep her in your thoughts, she's probably going through a lot right now.

Hammerdown, Skuter, and Marjessica are now right outside of Daleville and hope to make it to Buchanan on Thursday.

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures

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I know I haven't updated in forever!! The boys walked through Pearisburg, VA last week and got picked up by some Hokies and hung out in Blacksburg last weekend. They have hiked almost 700 miles now. Hammerdown and Skuter are going to be near Roanoke this weekend and we are going to stay with Skuter's uncle and aunt, Connie and Jerry and spend a little time with his family. I think he's trying to take advantage of all the people he knows along the way in Virginia before he gets up to New England. Pictures above are of Furniture, Skuter, and Hammerdown in Atkins, VA and of Ishmael (drinking milk and eating bagel). He is a thru-hiker from Winston-Salem. He's hiking before he starts college in the fall.