Daily Miles: 24.0, Total Miles: 1,018.1 As if the AT hasn’t been a roller coaster thus far and full of PUDS (pointless ups and downs). I started off this morning with a 14-mile stretch of trail officially named the Roller Coaster. Numerous, one after another steep climbs and descents with very few views. One saving grace was plentiful water which was fortunate because I was sweating profusely on a warm, sunny day. I crossed two milestones today, the 1,000-mile marker…

Daily Miles: 22.0, Total Miles: 994.1 Bill, a shuttle driver, got me back to the TH at US Route 522. A clear, sunny day on the trail through the sometimes overgrown green tunnel. Saw a trail volunteer later in the day with a weed whacker trying to make some headway. I had lunch and water at Manassas Gap Shelter and soon entered Sky Meadows State Park. A nice change of pace to hike through a few open meadows. Wanted to…

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…