541 miles completed.....1640 to go!
Now at Marion.....Virginia
(a catch-up blog.......4 sections........lots to report!)
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| Progress to date.....now at 'Marion' |
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| Store at 'Nolichucky' hostel.........Didn't stay there.....promised to be 'Party Central!' |
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| 'Mountain Laurel' at a viewpoint |
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| '7-up' heading across one of many meadows or balds |
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| More meadows.....(the farmers get upset if you destroy their fences!) |
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| a balmy afternoon!......that's why you hike! |
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| Sandy and I would hike in to do the 'important' summits ....'Mt Rogers'.....in this case .....Highest point in Virginia...... NO VIEWS what so ever!.....bummer! |
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| Of course if we didn't feel like hiking we would just drive up! Mt Mitchell ....Highest point in North Carolina ....better views! |
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| Dinner...."Oh joy" |
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| 'Mountaineer Shelter'.......Better than most! |
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| early morning start |
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| 'Trilliums'....the forest floor was covered with all kinds of flowers!.....very pleasant hiking |
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| entering Virginia |
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| It's not all a walk in the meadows! |
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| and not all animals were wild.....in fact you had to keep your pack away from these guys... ......They'd chew on your pack while you're wearing your it (....for the salt!) |
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| "are you coming...?" |
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| "......look Angie....I told you we need to do 20 miles a day..." " ....please try to keep up!..." |
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| That didn't go too well..... ........Darrell ends up pleading for forgiveness! ....and mercy! None given! |
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| 24hrs in the stocks seemed appropriate to Angie! |
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| And, of course, 24hrs of R&R for Angie! |
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| And Darrell downs 'Hill Billy pain killers' by the bottle! |
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DAMASCUS - TRAIL DAYS
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| Coming into Damascus.... |
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| For hiker's 'Trail Days' ....a collection of vendors peddling light weight gear.......not cheap either!....pity! |
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| Apparently....if I follow her advise......I'll thrive......(works for me!) |
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| Angie getting her book autographed by 'Gene Espy' ...the second guy to thru-hike the AT......in 1951 ...still had all his marbles....Cool Guy! |
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| 'Helen Thayer' at a show she put on... a very accomplished adventure! now 76 and still doing 1000+ mile treks! |
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| And then there's 'Naptser' ...the cat....(naps a lot) adopted while on the AT trail (.....somewhere....near Damascus.....some little girl is going..."here Kitty"..."here Kitty"..."here kitty".). |
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Virginia Creeper Trail
- Rails to trails bike path from White Top down to Damascus -
17miles of downhill .....they said it would take 4 hours......seriously??....should be two!
Took us closer to five!....go figure! ....( we eat plenty of humble pie on this trip)
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| A 'rest' day......so we go for a bike ride? |
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| Pleasant cycling ...all downhill |
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| First stop (of many) at 'Green Cove' |
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| Three riders from 'WhoVille' on a Dr. Suess 'Who Bike' |
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| A unicycle? ....on gravel?....going downhill?......insane! |
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| ....very pretty........a little TLC? |
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COACHES CORNER
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COACHES CORNER
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| "Did you hear banjos?.....I think I hear banjos! ....... ......could you speed up a bit?" |
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| Our 'Rig' |
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| Our camp! |
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| Our camp 'kitchen' (slowly evolving)
These guys were all awesome..... .spent three nights with these groups plus more!
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