Abingdon Gap Shelter
6-8-12
AT miles hiked today: 15.9
Total AT miles hiked: 456.7
I think I'm in Tennessee now, with the Virginia border only a few miles away. I'll be back in Virginia tomorrow. I think it's really neat that I was there for Trail Days. The drive took about four hours, and it has taken me 3 weeks? to get back to Damascus on foot. Also fun is that I know some useful things like-there is no laundromat in town, and Quincy's makes good, cheap pizza, great side salads and has beer on draft. The Exxon gas station has a grill and makes lots of yummy and affordable food including blueberry pancakes. Cell phone service may be spotty or nonexistent and there are good outfitters there. Yay for Trail Days!
I could have hiked 20 miles as planned today. Eagle Eye and I got up at 5am and left camp at 6:30. We got to this shelter at 3:40 and waited almost an hour for the other women to arrive. They had a great idea that Eagle Eye call the Post Office about her package she was rushing to get tomorrow by 11am. Now it's all worked out and so there was no reason to hike the extra 4 miles to a dry campsite, though getting water here was a very steep and rocky journey. The only reason I would have gone on was to say I had done a 20 mile day. But my feet hurt and I did good and feel good about today, and we will just hike 10 into Damascus tomorrow. There will be plenty of other days I can hike 20+ miles.
The trail was very nice today, with a metal box giving sodas and treats in the name of Jesus. It had crosses carved in the metal lid and there was a journal inside to sign. Eagle Eye and I shared the last can of Dr Pepper and it was still cold from yesterday, I think. Thank you for the soda! Next we walked into a handicap accessible section of the trail in a big pasture. The views were great and I took pictures. Then we walked through cows and calves and a couple of bulls and followed an easier trail today, because there were no mountains to climb. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed it immensely. I always have a better hiking day when I start earlier, and 6:30 was my earliest start. I'm getting up at 5:30 tomorrow, to leave camp by 7:00. I'm in my tent now, after cards and music earlier. We have hiked with Wrangler the last couple of days and I am tired and happy. Damascus tomorrow!