Going off the grid in Catawba – The Trek

Sunday, May 31, 2026

After setting a blistering pace for the last 3 days, I slowed it down a bit. I lead a fellow hiker, catch up with a few others along the way, and find a unique spot to take a much-needed shower.

Morning at the trailhead

tThe value of sleeping in after a few intense days on the trail cannot be understated. Eight hours in a sugar coma probably isn’t the most restful sleep, but I’m not going to complain about it either. When I opened the sliding door, hikers were heading to the trailhead from the nearby Niday Shelter. The first one I encountered was none other than Diver. Soon they came down in pairs and I enjoyed showing off my minivan, Luciana. Everyone loves my setup, especially the full size memory foam mattress.

As I was about to hit the trail, another hiker I had met a few nights before appeared. Was looking for a ride to the general store but had no reception at the trailhead. I offered him a ride and I learned that he is a car salesman. I was amazed at his knowledge of the trade, including details like the orientation of the rear HVAC vents on specific minivan models.

Dragon Tooth Bed and Breakfast

On the way to the general store, I passed by a hostel that I had been specifically looking at the previous two nights. After passing through several grasslands and hearing other hikers talk about ticks in the area, I thought it would be prudent to find a place to shower. The Dragons Tooth bed and breakfast promised a luxurious outdoor shower. On my way back to the trailhead, I stopped along the way and met up with Thumper and Locomotive, who are still in the process of building what will be a one-of-a-kind off-grid hiker lodge/bed and breakfast. They assured me that I could take a shower after finishing that day’s hike. They also kindly offered to let me sleep in their truck in the driveway if I wanted.

Locomotive and Thumper hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2024. They are equal parts entrepreneurs and workers. The amount of work they had done on site on weekends over the previous two years is staggering. Being able to complete one of my free day errands today would be a huge help. Plus, in the morning he would be parked closer to Roanoke. Being able to help a fellow hiker and make a dent in my day off tasks was just the start I needed for the day.

Server slack

Back at the trailhead, I put on my Camel-back and started up the trail. My planned route was a 7 mile round trip hike to Sarver Hollow Shelter. I could see that it would be a few kilometers of climbing, followed by a few kilometers along a ridge line above the neighboring valley.

My legs, frankly, seemed to be on their last legs. During the arduous 3-mile climb to the top of the ridge, I could feel every mile I had covered over the past six days. I continued, other hikers assuring me that the views along the ridge were worth it.

Opera and sedimentary

Two hikers I can’t help but run into on a daily basis are Opera and Sedimentary. They are a couple of hikers, mother and son. During my walk two days earlier I was able to hear the opera performing by the talent of the same name along the way. I was amazed by his ability to sing at such a high level and at the same time exert energy by raising the AT. When I recognized them coming down the trail this morning, I cleared my throat and did my best imitation of operatic vocalizations. I’m sure I sounded like a cat falling down a flight of stairs, but they both enjoyed my attempt.

The crest

The ridge itself was a challenging tiptoe pass across a sloping rock face. The view of the valley was truly spectacular. It would be a perfect spot for a day hike and picnic lunch. You could have spent quite a bit of time watching the sore birds back and forth, either looking for easy prey or just enjoying the freedom of effortless flight.

View from the ridge.

View from the ridge.

The rocky ridge means that hikers sometimes have difficulty moving along the trail.

The views of the valley stretched for several miles.

A large circle on the ridge.

Deer and to be determined

Another pair of hikers I must have seen a dozen times by now are Stag and his son TBD. They always have a calm but relaxed atmosphere and are quick to greet their fellow hikers with a friendly smile.

Stag, See You Tomorrow and TBD hanging out on the Eastern Continental Divide.

Out of gas

I had planned on hiking another six miles after returning to my truck, but I barely had the energy to hike back from the ridge to the trailhead. I had promised Locomotive and Thumper that I would be back around 6:00 pm or so for my shower, and it was just after 4:00 pm, so I decided to busy myself with some chores to give myself some free time during my day off tomorrow. I set up my tent at the trailhead and re-treated the groundsheet and ten with permethrin. Then I started reviewing my hiking plan for the next week. I was able to plan a 4 day backpacking hike through the Triple Crown area of ​​Virginia. I kept the mileage in a reasonable range of 20 to 22 miles per day. This would allow me to enjoy the Triple Crown, McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker Cliffs features. I would follow this with a day hike.

I wouldn’t need to move my car during the week and I’d be close to Roanoke to have a free Sunday to catch up on blogging and watch the Monaco Grand Prix, one of the main events on the annual F1 calendar.

Clean

Once 6:00pm rolled around, I packed up my tent and tarp and drove to Dragon’s Tooth B&B. Locomotive prepared me for a revitalizing hot shower. Fans of absolute privacy may find it a little lacking, but with no one around I didn’t mind. I was able to get completely clean. Better yet, I didn’t find a single tick, they must not like me very much.

After the shower I decided to drive to the McAfee Knob trailhead. I figured I’d have cell reception there and could get an early start on my blog. I spent several hours catching up on posts I hadn’t been able to write while vigorously walking the previous four days.

The outdoor shower at Dragon’s Tooth Bed & Breakfast.

-See you tomorrow

Total: 14.8 miles, 33,221 steps

• Walk type: Slack-packing
• Camp: van

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