Rusty's Status Changes?

[Survivor Dave]

Could someone please explain why Rusty's has made 2 changes in the past couple of months. I read a comment by Lone Wolf in the correction section of the Appalachian Pages about it.

The first was that there was a minimum $20 fee(not donation) and now I hear that he is only accepting previous hikers to stay and no new hikers.

"No phone, no light, no motor car, not a single luxury...." for twenty bucks?

What's the deal here? I was kinda planning on stopping through, but it sounds like he is a really strange. There are other things that have been floating around about him as well. I'll let your mind run wild on that one.

[hobojoe]

I have it on good word (lowrider) as recent as a week ago, That Rusty's hard time hollow is closed to NEW hikers.

[hobojoe]

Could someone please explain why Rusty's has made 2 changes in the past couple of months. I read a comment by Lone Wolf in the correction section of the Appalachian Pages about it.

The first was that there was a minimum $20 fee(not donation) and now I hear that he is only accepting previous hikers to stay and no new hikers.

"No phone, no light, no motor car, not a single luxury...." for twenty bucks?

What's the deal here? I was kinda planning on stopping through, but it sounds like he is a really strange. There are other things that have been floating around about him as well. I'll let your mind run wild on that one.

He has a phone an electric light and a couple of motor cars, as for luxuries, a wood fired hot tub not good enough for you??? .......Oh, he is crazy by the way, but a special, warm, and fun kind of crazy.

[Survivor Dave]

Hobojoe, it's not the tub itself I have issue with, it's the company. I've heard from more than one hiker...........

He has a phone an electric light and a couple of motor cars, as for luxuries, a wood fired hot tub not good enough for you??? .......Oh, he is crazy by the way, but a special, warm, and fun kind of crazy.

[A-Train]

Waynesboro is close by, and a good trail town with everything you need. No reason to go to Rustys.

[Survivor Dave]

Thanks A-Train.

I was looking in the Appalachian Pages and saw that. I hope the hell it's not pouring rain that day or I have an injury.

I'm trying to keep a 60's open mind about it.

Waynesboro is close by, and a good trail town with everything you need. No reason to go to Rustys.

[minnesotasmith]

Sure, it's a good-sized town, with all the grocery stores, etc. anyone could want. However, AFAIK, there is still just the church hostel there, which locks hikers out during 8-5. Kind of inconvenient to take clothes to do laundry, drop them off, buy food for resupply, drop it off, start packing relatively early in the day for leaving the next day bright and early while still getting a ton of sleep the night before, etc.

While passing that way during my thruhike in 2006, I was offered and accepted an offer by someone now active on WhiteBlaze to stay in their home over using the hostel in Waynesboro, and was very glad of it.

Rusty's definitely has issues from what I have heard (I have never been there), but there is no grade-A hostel in Waynesboro to compete with it.

[max patch]

I stayed at a hotel in Waynesboro that had a POOL.

[Jack Tarlin]

Right, Smitty, but you can camp by the YMCA for almost nothing, or there are any number of motels.

The "hostel" in Waynesboro is a place to sleep, and they don't want hikers coming and going......or simply hanging around......all day long.

And I can't say I blame them.

And I'm not sure Rusty's "competes" with A-Grade hostels, whatever an "A-Grade" hostel is. Most Trail hostels have full bathrooms with plenty of hot water; they offer laundry services; a phone; in many cases a computer; usually a full kitchen that hikers can use; shuttle services; tenting; a TV room, and other amenities. As far as I know, Rusty doesn't offer any of this.

His place is indeed unique, but I don't think it's right to compare it to full service Trail hostels.

[Survivor Dave]

Thanks Jack.
I was checking out the Y and they work on donations. Camp, hot showers, lot's of facilities in town to keep me occupied.

Is it correct that it is about 29 miles from Rusty's to Waynesboro? It doesn't appear to be a tough trek to Waynesboro.

Right, Smitty, but you can camp by the YMCA for almost nothing, or there are any number of motels.

The "hostel" in Waynesboro is a place to sleep, and they don't want hikers coming and going......or simply hanging around......all day long.

And I can't say I blame them.

And I'm not sure Rusty's "competes" with A-Grade hostels, whatever an "A-Grade" hostel is. Most Trail hostels have full bathrooms with plenty of hot water; they offer laundry services; a phone; in many cases a computer; usually a full kitchen that hikers can use; shuttle services; tenting; a TV room, and other amenities. As far as I know, Rusty doesn't offer any of this.

His place is indeed unique, but I don't think it's right to compare it to full service Trail hostels.

[CrumbSnatcher]

i never cared for this place,but some people loved it. i knew of hikers that took multiple days off at rustys. i prefer to move on to waynesboro. free tenting or a good motel. great grocerie store and alot of fast food. dont judge rusty without checking it out for yourself, your dog will have to stay in a pen if you stay there, that was the biggest turnoff for me. rusty has been saying no new hikers for at least 5 or 6 years,just be polite and offer a donation.

[Jack Tarlin]

Rusty's is a couple miles walk from Maupin Field Shelter. The Shelter is about 21 miles from Waynesboro, so no, it's less than 29 miles.

And some of this 21 is a bit rocky; if you're planning to go from Maupin to Waynesboro in a day, I'd leave early in the morning. Or more likely, I wouldn't do it all in a day, unless I wanted to arrive in town at dusk.

[minnesotasmith]

That's actually pretty easy to define IMO.

1) The staff actually welcomes and understands hikers, being sympathetic to their issues.

2) Hikers can come and go 24 hours a day, as long as they are not disturbing others.

3) It is a secure place to leave their gear.

4) Does not have a price exceeding 20.00/night in the South, or 25.00/night in the North.

5) Has hot showers on premises.

6) Has laundering facilities, nonpay telephone (so does not eat up calling cards) and Internet access on site, or within easy walking distance with decent hours at a reasonable price (preferably free for Internet).

7) Has a common large bunkroom, ideally with either or both of sleeping pads or at least nonsplintery (Thermarest-non-puncturing) surfaces.

8) Does not limit hikers to a single night.

9) Ideally is either located within a mile of a full grocery store, or inexpensive rides to and from same are available.

10) Is located either within a mile of the Trail, or is a single not-too-difficult hitch under 10 miles or so from a Trail/paved-road crossing.

11) Happily accepts mail drops for no extra fee, and keeps them secure.

Note that work-for-stay, couples rooms, allowing booze or dogs, offering meals, having a hot tub, having a scenic view, offering frisbee/boardgames/lawn games, having a library, offering slackpacking services, having hardwood floors and fancy wall art, etc. are NOT mentioned as essential to a hostel being top-notch IMO. They can be desirable (well, except for allowing in dogs, for most hikers), but are not core requirements.

[Jack Tarlin]

Your list is pretty complete, Smitty, except that any place that permits hikers to come and go 24 hours a day is not a secure place to leave one's gear. (Witness the recurrent theft problems at The Place in Damasacus,for example).

I would also be willing to pay more than $25.00 per night up North, depending on the level of services offered, or if a ride back to the Trail was included, etc.

[RITBlake]

Rustys may not be the 'best' or 'deluxe' hostel out there but it certainly is one of the more unique ones. Was glad to have spent the time there and can say nothing but good things about it.

MS why bother hiking, just drive from holiday inn to another, what a baby.

[minnesotasmith]

[quote=Jack Tarlin;542663](Witness the recurrent theft problems at The Place in Damasacus,for example).[quote]

I was told by a native of Damascus that The Place allows unemployed homeless people to stay there, many of whom subsist in whole or in part by theft from productive people. That was why it had such a theft problem, and why I avoided the place without wanting to know anything else about it.

[Lone Wolf]

i say avoid rusty's. total inconsistency when you go there. not a hostel in the true sense of the word.

[Survivor Dave]

Thanks Wolf. I think at this time I have a pretty good idea of what my plans will be when hiking around that vicinity.

I do appreciate all the valuable info y'all.

SD

i say avoid rusty's. total inconsistency when you go there. not a hostel in the true sense of the word.

[Phil1959]

Hey Survivor Dave! Can I add my 2 cents worth? When ya go on the hike,it is best to be open to whatever presents itself,instead of planning every step.I would of went to Rusty's just to check it out.Some of my friends had a ball there.But in my case it worked out best to keep moving that day and enjoy 2 days of Waynesboro.I had a blast at the YMCA campground on the river!

[Almost There]

Rustys may not be the 'best' or 'deluxe' hostel out there but it certainly is one of the more unique ones. Was glad to have spent the time there and can say nothing but good things about it.

MS why bother hiking, just drive from holiday inn to another, what a baby.

Yeah, but Blake you were a cutie when you went thru and stayed at Rusty's!!!

There I said it, whatcha gonna do!