Date: 2008-05-26
From: Daleville, VA

To: .4 miles north of Taylor's Mtn Overlook, VA
Miles today: 14.8

I woke up this morning about 6am in the comfort of the Comfort Inn.I really have to recommend this motel to any thru hikers walking through Daleville. I paid $40.00 and I heard the normal AARP rate for anyone who walks in is $85.00. They really give hikers a great deal!I made a pot of coffee and caught up some on answering emails, then walked down to the lobby and had breakfast and more coffee. :-)I had planned on leaving at 11am, but I was all packed, showered and ready to go at 10:30am, so I checked out and walked over to McDonald's.I bought two double cheese burgers to pack out for dinner, then walked up to the trailhead and started walking north on the Appalachian Trail.It's a warm day....warmest day in a while. I was walking through some fields and saw lots of tulip poplars in full bloom.The way I did this town stop is my favorite way to enjoy a town and still walk each day.I get close enough the day before to walk in by noon and still get in 10 or 15 miles, get a room and drop my pack off, eat a late breakfast or lunch, rest and get cleaned up and wash my clothes in the shower with me, then watch the Weather Channel while my clothes are drying, go out and eat a good dinner, rest for the evening, wake up the next morning and have a good breakfast and rest, then check out at 11am, eat lunch on the way out of town and carry out something good from a restaurant to eat for dinner on the Trail.I get a full 24 hours of rest for my body and usually can still get in about 15 miles on each of those two days.I climbed about 1,300 feet and got to Fulhardt Knob Shelter and signed the register and used up another smiley face sticker.Stubbs and Mr Bones were there and a local that I had met before going by the name of Wrongway.I stayed and talked to Wrongway for a while after Stubbs and Mr Bones left.He thought Heald was Ward Leonard. I told him that Heald was Heald. :-)Wrongway kind of looks after the lady that's lived in the woods out here for about 20 years. I met her in 2004, but haven't seen her since.I walked on and saw Bus Driver heading up to the shelter.I was walking along and ran into G-town Colonel who was walking south on the Trail. He had gotten 4 or 5 days ahead of me because of Trail Days, but his wife picked him up to help out with some storm damage to the south Georgia home.He was slacking south today and will be just a few miles ahead of me tomorrow.I caught up to Stubs and Mrs Bones at Curry Creek. Whisper was there, a young girl I hadn't met before.I got their picture before they left, then I sat there by the stream and ate those two double cheese burgers I had packed out, some dried apples, diced peaches, cashews, raisins and Fritos for an early dinner. :-)I drank the water I had and filled one bottle, then walked on.I got to Wilson Creek Shelter long enough to sign the register and use yet another smiley face sticker.There was a book there called "Cold Mountain". I know I had heard it was a pretty good book, so I decided to carry it for now....even though I'm not quite done with the book I've been reading.I stopped at a nice little spring about half a mile later and filled up both water bottles for the night.There were a number of times today that I was walking through a tunnel of rhododendrons in full bloom. That's an awesome view!I started hearing some distant thunder off to my left about 5pm.I walked by Black Horse Gap....kept walking and got to the first of many Blue Ridge Parkway crossings.This one was at Taylor's Mtn Overlook. Stubs, Mr Bones and Whisper were all there taking a break.It was sprinkling very lightly, so I kept walking and found a flat spot about 10 minutes later.I set up my tent for the night and crawled in.This has been another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)