Date: 2017-04-21
From: Campbell Shelter

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: mist

It was just the four of us in the shelter last night and we all wanted to get an early start, so Speck set her alarm for 5:45. We were all up and on the trail by 6:45. I got a few yards down the trail when I realized that I had put my first aid kit on a shelf in the shelter and didn't remember packing it. I checked and didn't see it in my pack. I ran back up to the shelter and retrieved it. It's one of the reasons I like to stay in my tent, I am much more organized and don't leave things behind. If I lose something, it's almost always at a shelter or hostel. I did wake up a bit sore in the quads this morning and my legs just feel a bit fatigued? over all. Luckily there is just one uphill of 800 ft up to Tinker Cliffs today, then mostly down into town. It's never all down or all up. The climb up seemed pretty steep in spots and I had a tough time with it, but I just kept moving. I felt like I had no energy at all, but I made it to the top without eating my last Snickers bar. I try to save my daily Snickers bar for the last climb/push of the day. That jolt of sugar helps give me a little push. There is rain in the forecast for later this afternoon, but we have a sunny, warm morning to enjoy the views from Tinkers Cliff. The views are amazing, some of the best I've enjoyed so far on the trail. To the west are mountains as far as the eye can see and to the east incredible views of what I think is the James River. Everything looks so peaceful and serene, fills so soul with goodness just to take it in. If I didn't have so many miles to hike today, I could have stayed here for hours. Made it to Lambert Meadows Shelter where I found the others. Speck was on her way out as she wants to get to town sooner rather then later. We all say goodbye and she takes off. It was a true pleasure getting to know her the past couple of days. She is a tremendous hiker and person. (Good luck on your John Muir hike later this year!). It is a very warm day today and we all fill up with water. My filter has all but quit, so LG let's me use his Sawyer. It's a very nice filter that I really like, much faster then my current gravity one. Well anything is faster then mine right now, it is barely dripping. The others head out before me and a hiker that tented near the shelter last night stops by. I say hello and ask if he is a thru-hiker. He said yes and this is his third thru-hike. I was like awesome. He seemed a bit down and said he hadn't seen any thru-hiker, only section hikers, since Pearisburg. I let him know quite a few had stayed at this shelter last night and we're headed to town and quite a few were a day behind him as they zeroed at Four Pines yesterday. He said good, maybe he'd catch some in town and that he didn't like hanging with section hikers. Wow. I've never experienced that attitude before. We all have bad days, hopefully that was the case with him. I didn't say much else, just good luck and hiked on. I saw awesome view after awesome view today until I turned one last time on the trail and saw a cement factory down below, I am obviously getting closer to town. The temperature has to be close to 80 today and I'm loving it. I so enjoy the warmer weather more then when it is colder. However, I think I'm the only one that feels that way. We are about a mile or so out of town and I pull out my last Snickers for the last push. LG said he just ate his and Gigline asked if I was going to share. Of course! It was a bit melted and gooey, but it gave us both a bit of energy to get to town.We are almost to town when all of us run out of water. With the warmer temperatures, we really sucked down the water today. As we step out of the woods, we are on the edge of a very busy four lane road. Man was that an assault to the senses! I can't even describe it, but it was harsh. It was a bit hard to get across and running across with a full pack was not fun at all. We stopped at a little store and Gigline treated us to a Gatorade. It felt wonderful to suck that down. We arrived at the hotel checked in and made plans to meet for dinner. They had to go pick up LGs car at Cross Creek and I needed to do laundry and take a very long, hot shower. They treated me to a wonderful dinner at a little Italian place. I probably should have treated them after all they've done for me the past couple of days. I ordered lasagna and it was seriously delicious. Thanks LG and Gigline for a wonderful dinner. Once back in my room, I talked to Mark for awhile and collapsed into bed exhausted.