Friday, 5/15

AT Miles = 18.5 / 737.1
Other Miles = 0.4 / 30.3
Total Miles = 18.9 / 767.4

I didn't want to hike today. It rained cats and dogs last night, and it was cloudy and warm and muggy this morning. Just lying in bed watching TV really appealed to me. But I am trying to get up to Shenandoah NP by Memorial Day weekend, and I'll never get there sitting in a motel room.

I was lucky and talked the motel clerk into bringing my bounce box to the post office, so saved myself a long road walk. I was off around 9:30. The trail leaving Daleville just follows along the right of waqy of I-81 north for a couple miles, which makes for a very strange walk.

Eventually the trail worked its way out of town, through some farm fields, and up into the hills. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make the 18 miles I planned, since I got such a late start. But once I started walking I was feeling good and after two short days I made great time.

This afternoon I reached the point where the AT meets the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), and then parallels it north. It felt like an old friend, as way back in '97 (?) I did a bike tour along the Skyline Drive and the BRP as far south as the James River. That's quite a ways north of here, but being alongside the BRP again felt nice. I even had a nice chat with some people at one of the overlooks where the trail comes out of the woods and crosses the road.

I haven't seen any turtles the whole hike so far, but today I have seem three. I also saw a rabbit, and quite a large black snack; all actually on the trail.

It is quite muggy and heavy tonight. I expect it's going to be a hard night to sleep. I am hoping to do another 18 mile day tmorrow. Till then…

Monkeywrench
Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com