I arranged a shuttle from Luray, Virginia to Reid's Gap. I left my truck at Open Arms Hostel in Luray, which is off of mile 945 of the trail, 100 miles from my starting point on this leg of my journey. Preacherman Wayne and his lovely wife picked me up and dropped me off here. The trip took about 2 hours, but he regaled me with lots of funny stories about some of the hikers he experienced over the years. He also gave me some great ideas for slack pack opportunities, as well as a recommendation to get off the trail at mile 910, where hikers can get a ride into town.
I get dropped off at Reid's Gap at 2 pm, which is earlier than my last start, but still late to get many miles in today. At least the weather is beautiful! The trail is also relatively easy, with only 1700 feet of elevation gain over the next 7 miles. My plan is to hike until dark and stealth camp where ever the mood strikes.
The trail parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway for most of my hike. Thankfully the sounds of road noise is minimal and doesn't detract from the sounds of nature.
I cross several small streams that emerge from the rocky mountain side, the water tumbling over the trail and down the mountainside to the valley below. Butterflies are out in force, fluttering all around the trail.
The views of the valley to the west are plentiful along the trail, and I pass several rocky outcrops that would be a great place to stop for a break, but I only stop for some quick pictures before moving on. I decided I would really like to hike to the next shelter for the night because it's supposed to be on a beautiful stream, but I don't want to hike much later than 8 pm, since I usually try to go to bed by 9.
The most beautiful view of the day is at mile 852, seven miles into my hike. An open rocky outcrop overlooks Wintergreen Ski Resort to the south. The ski runs are grassy green slopes separated by dense strips of trees. The sun is starting its rapid descent to the west, the mountain ridges standing out in stark relief from the hazy blue sky. The wind is picking up, and the temperature is cooling rapidly, so I start my descent down the mountain.
I cross the last water source until the shelter. Dark is falling quickly and I don't think I have the energy to make it another 7 miles. Normally, this would take a couple hours since it's downhill, but in the dark I would have to pick my way more slowly, and I don't want to hike until 10 pm. I guess I will stealth camp, but the wind is so fierce near the summit that I don't even start looking for a site to camp. I grab a liter of water to get me through the night, and keep walking down the hill, hoping the wind will let up as I get a little farther down in elevation.
I round a bend and see a cluster of tents on the left of the trail. A teenage girl is sitting in the trail on her phone. I ask if it would be okay if I set up near their tents, and when she looks up to reply, I recognize her! I realize she is the eldest daughter of a family of thru-hikers who I watch on Youtube, called the Six-Pack Hikers. I watch their adventures on a regular basis, and my husband, who really isn't into hiking updates, watches along with me. I guess this is where I was meant to stop tonight.
I walk over and talk to the parents, who invite me to set up next to them, with the warning that they get up early, which is no problem for me. I chat with the mom and dad while I am setting up, but I am so tired that I am easily distracted, and I realize after they go to bed that I set up my tarp wrong, accidentally staking out my doors to the side! The wind is so fierce that I get up and try to rectify the situation, and I end up not going to sleep until almost 10 pm. I am so tired, in fact, that I skip dinner altogether and have a snack.
Today's Stats: 10 miles, 1790 feet gain, 1880 feet loss
Trail Stats: 856 Miles, 194K feet gain, 199K feet loss
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