Date: 2016-04-20
From: SNP: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Mountain Home B&B; Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

13.4 miles in 8.5 hoursGravel Springs Hut (956) to Front Royal (969.4)Sunny, clear in the 60s 70s?Dinner: Beef curry noodle bowlWildlife: Deer, 6¢ (very passive) bull or black snakeHikers: Several sectional, Bearfoot (at the hostel)Left the shelter early with the possible goal of trying to reach the Denton Shelter, more than 18 miles away. This is supposed to be a good one. J. also told me about a hostel right along the trail at the Front Royal highway crossing. It was pretty cold this morning. I left my long underwear on and my gloves were needed to keep my fingers warm instead of protected from the sun. Took a second breakfast break on one of the last peaks before beginning my descent out of Shenandoah. At one point I rounded a small summit with stones thrusting upwards, a common sight along this section of the greenstone (?) ridge line trail. A narrow passage ran between two rock formations with a bent tree overhanging and all I could think of was ¢you must not pass!¢ from ¢Lord of the Rings.¢ But pass I did. In fact, I passed my 100 mile mark today, somewhere around Compton Springs, near the park¢s milepost number 11. The last remaining miles out of the national park where very level and almost graded, but you could tell when you crossed the park boundary. The trail changed to a goat path as you picked your way down and around a rocky drop-off, then switch backed to the footpath below. I hiked 10 miles to the Tom Floyd Shelter before stopping for lunch at 1:30. I put on my tall black gaiters to protect my blistered calfs from the now hot (again) sun. The descent to Front Royal was more than 1000¢ and I started thinking about those extra miles heading back up before reaching the nice shelter.That hostel was starting to sound better.I met two section hikers near a stream crossing and asked them about the water situation heading toward the shelter. My lunch break¢s stream was low. With no rain and little snow this winter, the water sources have been running drier. We all decided to get some water out of this deeper stream. ¢Jackrabbit¢ suddenly jumped as he almost stepped on the nearby 6¢ foot bull snake. It was huge, but didn't seem to mind us. It never moved the entire time we gathered water. The guys also confirmed the hike to the shelter was mostly uphill. Hiked another mile or so and reached the highway to Front Royal around 5 p.m., where a hostel sign indicated both the amenities and the directions. I followed. Showers, a bed, breakfast. Met Bearfoot, who was allowing his ¢Captain Crunch¢ knee to recover a few days while his friend hiked between Bears Den Hostel (my next destination) and Front Royal. Bearfoot thru-hiked a few years ago and helps edit AWOL¢s guidebook. It was a nice opportunity to have the chance to meet him and talk guidebooks and trail talk. The Mountain Home B&B was perfect for me. The owners, Scott (Scott thru-hiked in 2012)and Lisa, are in the process of renovating an 1800¢s house that will offer a few traditional B&B rooms, a bunk house and hiker amenities (showers and laundry facilities). For now, four beds are offered in the upstairs of the adjacent two-story brick former slaves¢ quarters with the owners sharing the space living downstairs. Very, very good call to stop here for the day, although I didn't realize until I went to take my shower that I had worn my shirt inside out all day.