Need resupply advice in Atkins, Bland area.

[msumax1985]

I'm starting where I left off last year at Partnership Shelter, NOBO 250 miles to James River, mid-April. But I can't seem to figure out my resupply points in the Atkins, Bland area. Where would you recommend I resupply?

Remember, I'm just starting out, so doing 10 mile days. Most thru-hikers are doing 15-20+/day in this area which makes it easier to cruise on through.

Atkins: or actually Groseclose, says it only has short term resupply. I hit this area only 24 hours after I start. Can I do a 5 day resupply here? Or should I just leave Partnership with 6 days food? Do they have Ramen, Tuna/Spam, Trail mix? I'm just starting out so won't be sick of anything yet.

Bland: 3 miles from trail, so might want to hitch in and resupply, spend the night. But there is no camping in town, and the only motel is $60? If they had a hostel I would go in for sure. But what other resupply options are in this area? Do I just hitch in, resupply, and hitch out?

TIA for any advice you can provide!

[Slo-go'en]

I started at Partnership shelter last year and got to Bland for resupply with no problem. I got to the trail head nearly 2 pm and went to the first shelter north (Chatfield) despite having almost no sleep on the bus ride to Marion overnight. I was stuck at a bus station until 3 AM. I bought food at Food Lion which is in the same shopping center the bus drops you off at and had a fast food meal before calling the Taxi for a ride up to the Mt Rodgers visitor center. There isn't any good resupply at Atkins, but you can get some stuff at the gas station you go by at the highway. You can at least get lunch there or at the Barn. I think I got there early enough for a late breakfast.

I then went to Knot Maul, Chestnut Knob (be sure to get water on the way up to the shelter at the pond) Jenkins and then Bland. From Jenkins I made to the US52 and hitched into Bland for Lunch. Resupplied there (we got a ride to the dollar store a bit out of town, but you can do a decent resupply at the gas station convenience store and grill). Then hitched back out and got to the next shelter (Helveys Mill) well before dark.

So, it looks like I only needed 3 1/2 days of food leaving Partnership. Non shelter camping sites are limited in this area. Your crossing a fair amount of farm land and have few water sources other then at the shelter sites. It's reasonably easy hiking. When you get to the old school house before getting to the highway, go inside. There maybe snacks and drinks stashed in there.

[Starchild]

You might considering going from Atkins to Partnership first, then getting a ride back to Atkins after major resupply in nearby big trail town.

The motel price in Bland was OK when split 4 ways, but IIRC there is a trail angel who allows camping on his property and shuttles hikers for resupply in this area near Bland.

[msumax1985]

I started at Partnership shelter last year and got to Bland for resupply with no problem. I got to the trail head nearly 2 pm and went to the first shelter north (Chatfield) despite having almost no sleep on the bus ride to Marion overnight. I was stuck at a bus station until 3 AM. I bought food at Food Lion which is in the same shopping center the bus drops you off at and had a fast food meal before calling the Taxi for a ride up to the Mt Rodgers visitor center. There isn't any good resupply at Atkins, but you can get some stuff at the gas station you go by at the highway. You can at least get lunch there or at the Barn. I think I got there early enough for a late breakfast.

I then went to Knot Maul, Chestnut Knob (be sure to get water on the way up to the shelter at the pond) Jenkins and then Bland. From Jenkins I made to the US52 and hitched into Bland for Lunch. Resupplied there (we got a ride to the dollar store a bit out of town, but you can do a decent resupply at the gas station convenience store and grill). Then hitched back out and got to the next shelter (Helveys Mill) well before dark.

So, it looks like I only needed 3 1/2 days of food leaving Partnership. Non shelter camping sites are limited in this area. Your crossing a fair amount of farm land and have few water sources other then at the shelter sites. It's reasonably easy hiking. When you get to the old school house before getting to the highway, go inside. There maybe snacks and drinks stashed in there.

Hey, that's my exact plan! Greyhound arrives 11am, resupply at Food Lion, (Heet at the Auto Zone next door), shuttle to Visitors Center, then spend first night at Chatfield.

Chatfield to Knot Maul is 18.9 miles, too much for me. I'm planning Chatfield, Davis Path, Knot Maul, Chestnut Knob, Jenkins, then Bland (or Helveys Mill). After that, who knows!? Hopefully my hiker legs will kick in by then. Glad to hear the terrain is easier in that area. I guess I can plan on some light resupply and lunch at I-81 to save some weight the first 24 hours. Glad to hear getting into/out of Bland isn't too bad. I'd like to split a room in Bland, but I won't really have a hiking group yet. They'll all be doing double my daily miles, so expect I'll see new people every day. Maybe I'll find the Trail Angel Starchild mentions.

[Mountain Mike]

Bland now has a Grant Grocery store in town across from the county courhouse.

[Nick P]

Bland is difficult to hitch into. (I ended up walking.) There is a (new) Kangaroo convenience across from the hotel. The hotel owner is a great guy, and his brother in law shuttles, but he'll want $10 for the 5 miles up the hill. I wouldn't recommend Bland as a re-supply.

[Slo-go'en]

Bland is difficult to hitch into. (I ended up walking.) There is a (new) Kangaroo convenience across from the hotel. The hotel owner is a great guy, and his brother in law shuttles, but he'll want $10 for the 5 miles up the hill. I wouldn't recommend Bland as a re-supply.

I guess it's hit or miss like all hitch hiking. The couple of times I've gone through that area I've had no trouble getting in or out in short order and I usually suck at getting rides.

There's no water at Davis Path campsite and the water down at Davis Hollow is kind of nasty looking. You'd probably be better off pushing on to the Crawfish trail which the book says there is camping and water. Even though its a long stretch, it is really easy.

[bigcranky]

The only 5 day supply in Atkins/Groselose is if you hitch 10 miles west into Marion, where there are several large groceries. The trail crosses I-81 at an exit with a couple of gas station convenience stores. I guess it's possible to get 5 days out of an Exxon station if it hasn't been wiped out by previous hikers, but it's unlikely. When we visited in September the Exxon station was reopening and said that would be opening a Mexican restaurant inside. There is also the Barn restaurant across the street.

[Cedar Tree]

MSUmax--what MSU are you a fan of? I live here in Marion and I would be happy to help you out if I can. I will be gone some in mid-April. You can contact me through the Packa website.

[Praha4]

others have already given you great advice, here's another $.025 worth advice

there's plenty of hiker resupply available in Marion, VA, near where that Greyhound Bus station is located. I've been thru there a couple section hikes on the Greyhound.

You can call Marion Taxi or a shuttle and get a ride back to the Mt Rogers Visitor Center, located next to Partnership Shelter. Like others said, when you get to Atkins/Groseclose and the US-11/ I-81 intersection (mm 542.7), there's the Relax Inn, and a gas station with typical gas station food (maybe a 2nd new gas station) and The Barn restaurant. The food at The Barn is great, they may well have the BEST Hiker Cheeseburger/Hamburger special on the AT. I parked my car at The Barn for 2 weeks on one section hike, those people running that place are awesome. Plus great country cooking there, you should really chow down there. I didn't try to hitch into Bland at US-52 (mm 590.1), but 18.5 miles north, there's Trent's Grocery at VA-606 (mm 608.6) is a short 0.4 mile walk from the AT road xing, and has a sandwich grill, and some convenience store food & drinks, but not a great selection other than the grill food. When I went thru there in early April 2013, it had great sandwiches, fries, and cheeseburgers at the grill, but the store pickings were slim....also I think most here would highly recommend staying at Woods Hole Hostel at Sugar Run Rd. (mm 623.8), if you get that far on your hike. And then you're only 10 miles from Pearisburg, the home of the Dairy Queen with the BEST chocolate malts and shakes on the AT.

[Gersh]

At route 615 you could call Fort Bastian (road crossing before Bland) that is in AWOL's guide. I stayed there last year and he drove me into town for resupply.

[Don H]

I'd do a mail drop to The Barn Restaurant (free and you walk right past it) or the Relax Inn ($5 fee but a 1/4 mile off the trail and is always open) in Adkins. That's better than buying food out of the two gas stations there, which is what I did last time.

[Slo-go'en]

He's starting at Partnership (Marion) so it makes no sense to do any resupply at Atkins other then maybe getting a snack. He'll have only eaten one dinner and a breakfast at that point.

[msumax1985]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Great input. I'm heading to James River this year. I ended last year in Marion and spent 34 hours there waiting on my bus, so am very familiar with it. I'm planning to arrive on Friday so I can take the local $.50 bus out to Mt Rogers. I scouted the Food Lion, and walked the entire town from Econo Lodge to Macados. Looks like I just need to "sack up" and get 5 days food at Food Lion. Eat a hearty meal at the Barn. Then plan on resupply in Bland. I've read somewhere that True Brit and Fort Bastian might not be there this year, might be moving to Florida? I was originally going to depend on Trents, but I've heard several on WB mention it isnt a long term resupply place. After this first 100 mile section I'm fine--looking forward to Woods Hole, The Captains, Dragons Tooth/McAffee, Four Pines, amoungst others. It always sucks the first week back on the trail trying to regain your trail legs, and going much shorter distances than most around you.

[msumax1985]

T dupl post

[Slo-go'en]

Trents is worth the walk for lunch and maybe refill the snack bag. And check out the collection of stuffed critters they have. However I'm pretty sure I got a touch of food poisoning there last year. One of the risks you take eating at a gas station grill.

You forgot the "Homeplace" AYCE in Catawba. Just remember they close at 2 PM on Sunday. I barely made it there in time. Wasn't all that impressed though. Probably because I had a big meal at the Catawba Grocery a few hours earlier. This is a good stop and seemed less then the 0.4 miles off the trail the book says it is. First road crossing after descending off Dragon's tooth. Good for long term supply. You can camp behind the store too if you ask.

[LittleRock]

I'm planning to hike some of this same section (VA 603/Fox Creek to Pearisburg) later this year but opting for mail drops instead of resupplying in towns. Plan is to send one package to the Relax Inn in Atkins and I'd like to send another one to Bland.

Any suggestions for a mail drop in Bland?

[msumax1985]

I'm planning to hike some of this same section (VA 603/Fox Creek to Pearisburg) later this year but opting for mail drops instead of resupplying in towns. Plan is to send one package to the Relax Inn in Atkins and I'd like to send another one to Bland.

Any suggestions for a mail drop in Bland?

Hey LittleRock, how do you ship your box? How much does that cost? Maybe I should rethink this.
I did 4 drop boxes from Neel Gap to Fontana, but stopped because the postage expense seemed prohibitive, it's like $12-$15 isn't it? But are there cheaper ways to ship? After the responses earlier in the thread I just decided to start with 5 days food, but a drop box in Atkins would save a lot of weight on my first day.

But then again, I kinda like the mystery/surprise of what I'll be eating when I resupply along the way. Every time I walk into a resupply store it's like Forrest Gump opening a box of chocolates. Maybe it has the same allure as thru hiking a trail. It's all just hiking through the woods, but around ever corner is some place you've never been, and a new experience--even though it's kinda the same experience. If that makes any sense.

[misterfloyd]

msumax1985,

I'm basically doing the same hike as you but I'm starting at Damascus as soon as school is out and going to Buena Vista. Not certain if it will be Vista or another place close-need to find a way back to Charlotte, NC

Yes it does suck to regain trail legs

Do you mind if I contact you about your hike and resupply options? I have mapped out mine at this point but I'm always open to new ideas.

I have always resupplied by maildrop, which you always know what you have but it locks you into eating what you got. There have been times my food tastes have changed on the trail. I swear if I look at GORP again I will puke! Not good at hitching, well actually horrible at it, few places I will have to make a go at it though

Have a great trip and will hit you up when you get back.

Floyd

Since

[LittleRock]

Hey LittleRock, how do you ship your box? How much does that cost? Maybe I should rethink this.
I did 4 drop boxes from Neel Gap to Fontana, but stopped because the postage expense seemed prohibitive, it's like $12-$15 isn't it? But are there cheaper ways to ship?

Yeah it costs a bit. A medium flat-rate box from USPS costs about $12.00 to ship. But honestly, cost isn't really an issue for me since I work full-time and only get 3 weeks/year off. Hiking the AT still WAAAY cheaper than a typical vacation.