5/11 Saturday 16.4 mi
We walked in the rain again for the last hour of the day. My feet were sore from too many days of wet shoes. We had relatively easy walking for the day. Stopped at Trent's Grocery 1/2 mi off trail for a double cheeseburger and fries, plus a little resupply. We made it about 2 miles down the trail before setting up camp. Today we also passed 600 miles, which was 100 miles in one week. An average of 15 miles per day.
5/12 Sunday 17.7 mi
A cold morning made it hard to start the day. We had mostly ridgetop walking today, and passed Woods Hole Hostel so we could camp closer to Pearisburg and therefore get there earlier the next day.
5/13 Monday 5.5 mi
A short day into Pearisburg. Went to the Plaza Motel where we had a resupply box of food. Here we also sent ourselves summer sleeping bags and summer clothes. We ate at the Chinese buffet and did our usual town routine of laundry and grocery before crashing for the night.
5/14 Tuesday 14.5 mi
Escaping Pearisburg. Had one climb then mostly ridgetop walking. Carried extra water the last 5 mi of the day to a dry camp. Sunny and a few good views.
5/15 Wednesday 17.5 mi
A long day. One down and up for the day and then back to ridgetop walking (which is not level, by the way). Missed last planned water source so kept going to shelter at the bottom of the mountain. Found a campsite down from War Spur Shelter for the night.
5/16 Thursday 12.7 mi
A series of two steep climbs today and then back on the ridgeline where we camped. Passed a group of 15-20 boy scouts. Ran away.
5/17 Friday 15.7 mi
We had a long downhill in the morning, then up and over Brush Mtn and past the Audie Murphy Memorial (he was the most decorated WWII vet). Water sources are more scarce in this part and we have had to pay more attention. Set up camp in a nice Tulip Poplar grove, perfect for hammocks. There was some firewood there and it was dry enough, and so we had a campfire. It was the first campfire that I had started in 700 miles. It was a cool pleasant evening with few bugs and we eventually watched the campfire from the comfort of our hammocks.
5/18 Saturday 14.5 mi
Made it to Cawtaba Mtn Shelter for the night. We had Cove Mtn and the Dragons Tooth to go over, and then halfway through the day we found another place to get a cheeseburger close to the trail. We saw our first rhododendron bloom today. This was our third 100-mile week ending on a Saturday, as we passed 700 mi today.
5/19 Sunday 14.3 mi
We had the famous McAfee Knob along with Tinker Cliffs to go over today, which is an awsome hiking day. The weather didn't cooperate, however, and all of the views were clouded in. Stopped just outside Daleville to get to town early tomorrow.
5/20 Monday 3.5 mi
Got up early and had short hike into Daleville. Got a room and went to breakfast. Did laundry, shower, and early dinner at the nearby Mexican restaurant. All of our gear is damp or wet, and we try to dry out everything in the room. I get my shoes dry for the first time in what seems like forever. We have picked up the pace since Damascus in an effort to get as close as possible to Waynesboro by Memorial Day weekend (where my schedule said we would be, ha). There, two groups of family members from two different directions would like to come and visit us on the trail. Now the choice has come down to stopping at Buchanan, which is only 20 miles away, or Glasgow, at 57 miles away. Thoughts of a zero day in Daleville vanished, and we made plans to meet Wander's brother in Glasgow on Saturday morning. That gave us four days to do 57 miles, or 14 mi per day. Nothing we can't handle at this point, but a zero day would have been nice. Actually, we have not taken a zero day, or a day off, since Hot Springs NC, way back at mile 270, and we are both looking forward to a break. Just not quite yet.
5/21 Tuesday 12.7 mi / mile 736.2
We got up and realized we had said Glasgow last night, so that means we have to walk today. In a hurry we went to the grocery for 4 days worth of food, and reluctantly left town at 11am. After leaving town we had an 1100' climb over 3 miles, which is rather gradual. The day was warm and summer has come to the mountains. We no longer try to stay warm, but now try to cool off. It has changed as quick as that, or so it seems. We found a camp on the ridgeline about two miles past Wilson Creek Shelter and called it a day.
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