Daleville, VA (USA)

Well, it only took 25 years but I managed to finish hiking all 101 miles of the AT in Shenandoah National Park! My day started in Troutville (gas fillup - 0805) and I got a late start because of the shift to Daylight Saving Time. Ate breakfast then drove over an hour to the trailhead on Skyline Drive near US-33. I started SOBO at 1000 and began a climb up Hightop Mountain. I saw a deer near the trail and enjoyed some tremendous views of the Shenandoah Valley, including Massanutten. It was another clear and cold day. Temps were in the low 30s and my beard froze a few times. The evidence of snow increased as I climbed. When I reached the top of the ridge, I encountered a hiker (Bob) who was on his phone at an overlook. We talked for a bit and I learned that he was very worried about an incoming blizzard. He asked if I could take him to Thornton Gap. I agreed - but first continued south to the Hightop Hut. I then backtracked to Skyline Drive and walked back on the road to my car, completing my nearly seven mile day at 1245. Bob was waiting and we headed for the hiker hostel shuttle pickup point. On the way, I learned that my passenger was making his fourth attempt at a through hike. He was raised in East Tennessee and worked in the Chemistry Department (as a contractor) at Notre Dame while I was there. Small world... He described how he'd managed to get a little bit of the AT done each year (since 2014) while dealing with multiple surgeries and family crises. Interesting guy! After stopping at Big Meadows to get my SNP AT Hiker Patch, I dropped Bob off on US-211. Then headed to Warrenton to visit my friends, James and Renee. It was a great weekend - lots of sections tied together... AT Today = 3.40 miles / G.T. AT = 893.46 miles