Date: 2015-10-17
From: US 250, Waynesboro

To: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 19.2

What a thrilling day today! Adam dropped me off at Reeds Gap trailhead at 7:10 when it was still dark and a brisk 35 degrees out. For the first time I wore my base layer long pants normally reserved for camp, and I sure needed it. It was cold and windy most of the day. In no time at all I could see the sun rising behind the tall trees on the ridge line I was hiking. The colors looked spectacular even though I could only catch glimpses. It was enough to put a skip in my step to see if I would have a vista around the next bend. Views to the east are less common than to the west it seems.Less than a mile up the trail I came upon my third bear of my hike. He was just minding his own business and cute as can be. I took some pictures and a decent length video as he made my day and spent considerable time near me. My good camera wasin my pack but I didn't waste the time trying to get it out so my pics aren't the greatest, and I handle the phone sideways while recording. I wish I could figure our how to post it here. Funny how things were work out as I was just lamenting in a previous entry how I had not seen a bear in the Shenandoahs. This is my first day out of the Shenandoahs and what a great day it is! I may have said it before but whenever I think this journey can't get any better I am amazed because it does.  Sometimes I feel like a little kid in a candy store while in the forest. Such bliss.I really had a skip in my step today after this despite all the rocks and thick piles of leaves on the trail. Several times I internally freaked out because I thought I had left my backpack behind when I stopped because I couldn't feel any wright on my back. What a huge difference!  I could really get used to this. I think I also hiked faster because I didn't want the two other slackpackers behind me to pass me even though I had a ten mile head start. The music I was listening to especially Leonard Skynard and Madonna kept me moving and sometimes grooving along the trail. Normally I don't listen to anything but the sounds of the forest and my internal ramblings while hiking, but I am trying to mix things up a bit and am really enjoying it. The trail had a lot more ups and downs today and seemed to be endless switchbacks which reminded me of hiking in Georgia and North Carolina. It seemed like the northern section took you straight up and down the mountains and less around like here. I saw several large groups near Humpback Mountain and volunteer trail maintainers were out in full force with chain saws. The trail is so well maintained here, and I thanked them all. Adam had asked me to text him my ETA five miles before I finished because he was at the University of Virginia vs. Syracuse football game. I told him 5:30 and without looking at the time until I finished I was amazed to see it was 5:29. I have really become in tune to my pace and being more realistic about estimating arrival times from my former hiking partner. He was a wiz at it and now I am showing signs of great improvement.  It was a great psychological boost for me to get in all this mileage before dark, and was beaming when I was dropped off at the hostel. I was not passed by the other two slackpackers so that was uplifting too. Forger was only 10 minutes behind me....but still. Adam asked a trail angel named Dubose to pick us up since he was still at the game, and he was there promptly in 10 minutes. He said he has given rides to 537 hikers so far this year. Just amazing! The hiking community has so many big and generous hearts. So thankful to each and every one of them.I just had my hard earned hot shower and devoured leftover chips and hummus for dinner. Hiking clothes are being washed and my alarm is set for 5:45 am so I can be deposited back on the trail. I went back and forth about slackpacking again tomorrow and spending another night in the hostel because temps are expected to drop in the low 20's, but it would be so much shuttling and expense. What a fantastic day!