Daily Miles: 25.6, Total Miles: 970.0 Alison, from the hostel in Luray, got me back to the trailhead this morning. Once again the trail roughly paralleled Skyline Drive heading north through Shenandoah NP. Hogback Overlook provided the best views of the day then up and over North Mount Marshall. I exited the park late in the day and found a tent site only two miles from US Route 22. A few sprinkles late in the evening.
Daily Miles: 7.0, Total Miles: 944.4 I hate to admit this but that huge dinner and blackberry ice cream pie came back to haunt me last night. Let’s just say a bad tummy ache and nausea made sleep difficult until the early morning hours. Fortunately I felt better when I woke up and only faced a short hike to Thorton Gap. I had previously decided to take a nero in Luray VA, about a nine-mile hitch. I came out on…
Daily Miles: 23.3, Total Miles: 937.4 Today had its ups and downs in more ways than one. I needed water this morning so the first stop was a nice spring at Pocosin Cabin. Got up and over Hazeltop and set my sights on the restaurant at Big Meadows Lodge for lunch. Got there just as they opened up the dining room and had a good cheeseburger and fries. Back on the trail and when I least expected it, my supposedly…
Daily Miles: 25.4, Total Miles: 914.1 The trail paralleled Shenandoah NP’s Skyline Drive all day. The first climb got me to Loft Mountain. Nice views – too early to be tempted by the nearby Loft Mountain Camp Store and its reputation for good milkshakes. I got water at beautiful Ivy Creek. Down the trail came Frostbite whom I hadn’t seen for a few weeks. He got his trail name early in the hike when he had a water bladder leak…
Daily Miles: 24.4, Total Miles: 888.7 Got a much appreciated ride to Rockfish Gap by High Class, a local trail angel/2020 AT hiker. It wasn’t long before I entered Shenandoah National Park on a cool, beautiful morning. The first thing I noticed was the sweet smell of honeysuckle flowers and it stayed with me all day. This was a great day on the trail with more gently gradients, good tread and nice forest scenery with some views of the Shenandoahs….
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 864.3 For a Quality Inn, not a bad breakfast. After the eggs, biscuits and gravy, I tried to avoid the waffle maker but succumbed to the temptation. The only shopping items on my list today were a gas canister and a new eyeglasses case. My current case is cracked and broken after falling on it numerous times on some of my stumbles on the trail. I struck out at the nearby Ace Hardware and Walmart…
Daily Miles: 8.7, Total Miles: 864.3 I seem to always wake up early on a town day. Used my headlamp on the first hour of the hike. The trail once again paralleled the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere in this dark, heavily wooded, intensely green forest, there are reminders of history and the people here before us. One was an old cemetery, perhaps a family, the gravestones formed from large flat rocks….
Daily Miles: 21.1, Total Miles: 855.6 If I had to do 3,000′ of vertical, I’d rather do it first thing in the morning and I got my wish. The high point at Three Ridges Peak was heavily wooded so the views were filtered. Much better views of the nearby valleys and mountains on the way down at Hanging Rock Overlook. I got down to Reid’s Gap and a trail angel was just leaving. He stopped and re-parked when he saw…
Daily Miles: 24.5, Total Miles: 834.5 One of the better sleeps on the trail last night. On the trail by 6:30am and resumed the climb started yesterday afternoon. Got to a high point for the day at Bald Knob and it was fogged in with no views. The heavy mist lifted up in time and got some nice views at the next high point at Cole Mountain. The sun finally came out and I continued following the ridgeline up and…
Daily Miles: 22.8, Total miles: 810.0 I had a nice stay at Stanimal’s Hostel but ready to get back on the trail. Got the first shuttle back out to James River and the AT trailhead. First day out of town usually starts with a climb and today was no different. 2,600′ elevation gain spread out over the first nine miles got me to the high point at Bluff Mountain. This site in the George Washington NF had good views and…
