View Full Version : advice please
Slicedbread1214
03-09-2010, 15:28
Hi guys, im planning on hiking from Virginia to NY starting around March 16th. It doesn't really matter where i start in Virginia i was just wondering where would be the best town for a grey hound bus to drop me off to be as close to the app. trail as possible? or hopefully right on it. I would prefer to be somewhere in the middle or southern end of virginia but it doesn't really matter the closer to the trail the better, id rather not waste money/time on having to take a shuttle after a long bus trip from Florida. if you have any tips help!! thanks!
Toolumpy
03-13-2010, 10:58
Check out Greyhound.com as I have found they only go to larger cities. Roanoke or Wytheville would be some choices. Roanoke would be a place you should be able to hitch a ride to Daleville near the trail I would think. Either way I believe you will need to hitch or shuttle.
CrumbSnatcher
03-13-2010, 11:15
I would start in Damascus,and knock out the entire trail thru virginia. and it would be a shorter bus ride! VA. is great hiking, have a great hike!
Take the bus to Marion Va, its only 10 miles or so . Taxi take you to the trail for 20 dollars. But you will miss the Greyson Highlands one of the best places on the whole trail.
mweinstone
03-13-2010, 16:35
merion. and walk south to the highlands and retrace. its fun in the wind.
CrumbSnatcher
03-13-2010, 16:45
hitching in VA. is so easy, interstate 81 parallels the trail the entire way, getting on the trail is not hard to do, no matter where that bus drops you
modiyooch
03-13-2010, 17:16
hitching in VA. is so easy, interstate 81 parallels the trail the entire way, getting on the trail is not hard to do, no matter where that bus drops youI disagree. hitching for the interstate was the hardest hitching for me .
If you are riding from FL, I would think twice about a bus ride. I rode from Roanoke to Tampa. I'll never get on a bus again for more than 2 hours.
modiyooch
03-13-2010, 17:18
Take the bus to Marion Va, its only 10 miles or so . Taxi take you to the trail for 20 dollars. But you will miss the Greyson Highlands one of the best places on the whole trail.Grayson Highlands is my favorite park.
Slo-go'en
03-13-2010, 18:01
Take the bus to Marion Va, its only 10 miles or so . Taxi take you to the trail for 20 dollars. But you will miss the Greyson Highlands one of the best places on the whole trail.
Actually, its only $15 but I always give $5 tip, so yeah, 20. Well worth it to get a ride right to the trail head with out any delay. You get to Marion about noon, so go down the street a little bit and get a burger before hitting the trial. Opps, I see your coming from Florida, so you might not get to Marion or Roanoke until the middle of the night.
Actually, you have another option here, have the taxi take you to Atkins and skip 10 miles of non-inspiring trail.
If it was a long overnight bus ride, you might want to get a motel room for the rest of the day to rest. Its about 10 miles to the first shelter, going south and 5 going north.
Another way to go, which is what I did last year, was head south and pick up the Iron Mountain trail, just past Thunder Mt shelter, which gets you into Damascus in 3 days. Turn around in Damascus and head north on the AT so you get to see the highlands. I went right to the first shelter south from getting off the bus after a 32 hour ride and was a zombie when I got to the shelter. At least it was an easy walk.
The other good option is to go to Roanoak, which puts you about 1/3 of the way through VA, but you miss some good stuff south of there. Sort of depends on how much time you have and how far you want to go.
CrumbSnatcher
03-13-2010, 18:04
I disagree. hitching for the interstate was the hardest hitching for me .
If you are riding from FL, I would think twice about a bus ride. I rode from Roanoke to Tampa. I'll never get on a bus again for more than 2 hours.
i will agree to not ride buses! but i've hitched to traildays from groseclose ,waynesboro, & front royal. (3-times) and i've hitch twice from katahdin back to erwin/asheville! both times took less than two and a half days. stayed close to the trail/ trail towns around nighttime for obvious reasons
CrumbSnatcher
03-13-2010, 18:07
alot of people say hitching with a dog is harder! but i disagree. most of my rides told me they only stopped because i had a dog!
Ramble~On
03-13-2010, 18:14
I'd start in Damascus! I know you said you want to start in mid Virginia but have you seen the southern part of the state ? If time is an issue, skip part of PA and do it later.
CrumbSnatcher
03-13-2010, 18:23
if i left out of the highlands going north, i'd question myself why did i miss so few miles of VA. just south of here? it seems he has no time restrants, i personally would make my to damascus, day hike to the TN. state line and back,enjoy the evening in damascus and then the next day head north out of town.but thats just me:cool: