Daleville, VA (USA)

Woke up around 0630 without an alarm, packed up quickly and was on the road by 0715. Made my decision on direction at the last minute - snow forecasted to the south but driving distance was shorter. Used I-66 and I-81 (gas fillup in New Market at 0900 and ate home made lunch in the car) to reach VA-311.  Tried to find an AT trailhead deep in the Catawba Valley without any cell signal. Located a really good one on (gravel) VA-620. Realized later that it was the same place where I'd turned around on the day I hiked to the Audie Murphy Memorial. Seemed more remote then but it was surrounded by lots of hunting and fishing cabins... By 1145, I left my car and headed NOBO (not really: more like east and south). I found myself on a "C" shaped, multi-peak ridge that climbed continually towards the Dragon's Tooth. The sky was spectacularly blue but the wind was icy and biting (even though temps were in high 30s, the wind was worse). Stayed layered all day. The views were amazing but I didn't see any wildlife all afternoon. I did encounter a serious trail runner couple with their dog right when I turned around at the View Point on Cove Mountain. They blew me away with their speed and I never saw them again, even with my good pace (for about 10.5 miles). Snow was forecast to the west and darkness loomed so I was glad the downhill backtrack (with some bushwhacking) was quicker than the ascent... At my car by 1615, feeling good! Saved the actual rock outcropping of the Tooth for the next time (i.e., climb up from VA-624). It's been a good month of hiking and I can tell I'm healing well. Stayed in the Roanoke (Howard Johnson in Daleville) area - more trail tomorrow! AT Today = 5.20 miles / Grand Total AT = 850.48 miles