View Full Version : Plans at Va. Rt. 42 trail crossing
PorkchopBob
05-04-2012, 13:56
My wife and I are very excited to be planning our retirement at this point and hoping to set up a hostel for hikers on the AT. My wife is a section hiker named breeze and I am well,...a day hiker. We both have spent a lot of time planning and experiencing the love of the woods we share and look forward to sharing great times with all of you in a couple years. We just bought a 35 acre place on the trail and will first be setting up a chapel. We know God is our guide and will give shelter to those who need it until we move in. .
WIAPilot
05-04-2012, 13:58
Best of luck to you and keep us posted!
PorkchopBob
05-04-2012, 13:58
This is straight forward in that we are looking for needs in the area we can meet.
Moose2001
05-04-2012, 14:17
Is this the Bland area?
HikerMom58
05-04-2012, 14:38
Oh this is so exciting... I live in Roanoke, VA Is your property near Bland or New Castle? I would love to meet you both sometime. I would be willing to do anything I can to help you out. I do trail magic around Roanoke. I have a love for hikers and want to reach out to them as well. :) My daughter has hiked over 1/2 the trail. Trail name is Strange Habit. (her strange habit is she likes to set up her tent IN shelters when possible) I have hiked with her at times. I LOVE being in the woods. God bless you, Karen
Johnnydavids
05-04-2012, 16:43
Good luck!!
Best of luck. PM me if you need any advice.
Blissful
05-04-2012, 21:04
Glad to hear!
From what I recall of that area, it could use a hostel, and also a resupply stop since the grocery in Bland was closed last year. Best of luck.
camperjames64
05-05-2012, 07:23
On my list of places to do good things.
Odd Man Out
05-05-2012, 09:48
He said it was "on the trail" at the VA Rt. 42 trail crossing, which according to Google Maps Street View is here. Beautiful!
15851
Not Sunshine
05-05-2012, 10:00
If it's 42 near Ceres, it is south of Bland about 30ish miles. 11 miles north of I-81 at Atkins. We all look forward to the haven you plan on create for hikers! :D Thank you. Virginia is for Lovers.
WingedMonkey
05-05-2012, 11:15
The same area where hikers use to be able to use the O'lystery Community Pavilion. Then they abused the honor so much the church said "No more".
Slo-go'en
05-05-2012, 11:35
The trail crosses RT 42 in two places - the first time near Atkins and then farther north near Roanoak. They haven't indicated which end of RT 42 they are planning on. I would think the more nothern crossing would be a better location for a hostel. Although it doesn't matter at the moment as they say it will be a few years and the first thing their going to build is a chapel - I guess that might be useful to a few hikers...
The trail crosses RT 42 in two places - the first time near Atkins and then farther north near Roanoak. They haven't indicated which end of RT 42 they are planning on. I would think the more nothern crossing would be a better location for a hostel. Although it doesn't matter at the moment as they say it will be a few years and the first thing their going to build is a chapel - I guess that might be useful to a few hikers...
The Rt 42 location near Roanoak is the "Sinking Creek Valley" area. Another 27 miles north of that spot is 4 Pines Hostel.
PorkchopBob
05-05-2012, 18:36
Our place is in Ceres and we are taking over an abandoned place that has been vacant for some time. I'll be there in The summer but will not be doing much more than deciding what stays and what goes. We will keep in touch. My wife has some friends on a through hike she started them off in early April for five days and friends have been hooking up for sections. So who knows when we will be there. We sure are grateful for the positive comments.
Cookerhiker
05-05-2012, 18:44
Good luck to you!:)
If your place is in Ceres, you should contact Rambunny in Atkins. She ran a hostel there for several years and has a ton of experience elsewhere. PM me for her email address.
mountain squid
05-05-2012, 20:35
you should contact Rambunny in Atkins. She ran a hostel there for several years and has a ton of experience elsewhere. PM me for her email address.Absolutely concur.
I hope you are not getting into this without having some experience. When this topic comes up I always suggest to prospective future hostel owners to be caretakers for a season (or five) at an already established hostel. You will learn alot and might even decide that it is not for you . . . hikers are VERY demanding . . . and if you are hoping to make a profit . . . .
At any rate, Good Luck with this endeavor.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail))
Rambunny will be a great resource.
I also suggest that you contact The Blueberry Patch hostel in Georgia
PorkchopBob
05-08-2012, 15:33
thanks, we have some trail experience and have been involved with extreme sports type folks for a long time. This is a retirement plan with no expectations of profit or anything but keeping it simple and evolving. we are going to keep it basic and try to meet the needs of the folks we meet. Any trouble makers, and I have done my homework and heard of some, will be dealt with as it happens. But mostly we love the place and the type of people drawn to independence and nature. The Bland area is full of great things to see and undisturbed natural scenery.
mountain squid
05-09-2012, 17:51
Well, I'm not sure how well 'trail experience' will translate to 'hostel experience'. If anything it might hinder it. As a hiker arriving at a hostel, you are concerned with your needs being met (food, shower, food, town run, food, bunk, etc). As a hostel owner, you will be concerned with the needs of many hikers, including the hiker that shows up at 10:00 at night and wants his/her mail drop . . . (it will happen) . . .
So many things to consider (and you probably already have):
shuttles
slackpacks
alcohol allowed
dogs allowed
work-for-stays (someone will be asking about it)
mail drops
food for sale - resupply or just for eating (frozen pizzas, etc)
laundry
shower
bunks
tenting allowed
internet
wifi
price structure (everything included or seperate prices for everything)
etc
You may have already considered this stuff, but if you haven't experienced it yet with 10 hikers and then 4 more just showed up, 2 with dogs and it has been raining all day - When are we going to town? . . . . you might be surprised . . . it will be 24/7 for 2-3 months when the hikers are coming thru . . . .
Again Good Luck (and go be a caretaker first).
See you on the trail,
mt squid
PorkchopBob
05-09-2012, 21:25
You have great ideas, lots to think about. Most we have considered. Please keep one are open minded and the caretaker ideas sound smart!