Marion, VA (USA)

It was a heck of a day, but it ended on the trail (and that's all that matters to me!). I was up at 0500, worked for a few hours in Warrenton.  As I was leaving the area, I stopped for gas in Haymarket (0945) and then drove to Roanoke to visit the VA Medical Center.  My business there didn't take too long (1215-1330). I then headed south, bound for Marion and another four days of AT! Got lunch at Taco Bell in Dublin (1430).  I checked into Travel Inn, Marion, VA with coupon (1530) and got changed.  Using a map I bought last time was in the area, I found a trailhead on Pugh Mountain (VA-601). At 1630, I hiked NOBO towards VA-16 (trying to meet up with another section I hiked with Mollie during the previous month). The leaves above were vibrant reds, oranges and yellows - my camera couldn't capture the startling colors. More than half of my hike was through a deep tunnel of rhododendron bushes. There were no signs of people and I only saw birds and squirrels. After an hour of walking, I realized I'd overshot my turnaround point (I passed the pile of rocks before seeing another pile I recognized from my photos). As a result, I hiked ("retreaded") almost an extra mile (about six total for the day). And then it got dark... I never had to use my headlamp, though - I was able to sense subtle clues of the beaten trail and was relieved to occasionally catch glimpses of the white blazes in my peripheral vision. It felt kind of like drifting down the river - following the path of least resistance. After finishing (1900), I carefully made my way back down the narrow gravel road to civilization, just as it started raining. Hoping to climb Mount Rogers in the morning! AT Today = 2.50 miles / Grand Total AT = 805.58 miles