Date: 2017-06-20
From: VA 311

To: Daleville, Virginia 
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 49Tuesday, June 20, 2017 VA 311/Catawba, VA (708) to Daleville, VA (727.8)Miles: 19.8 miles in 10 hours with two breaks2017 AT trip miles: 727.8Total AT miles to date: 2017.3Weather: Sunny, 70s-low 80s with less humidityDinner: Grocery store sushi and potato chips paired with a box of Bota Mini Cabernet SauvignonHikers: Screech and several others on the trail, Cindy Lou Who, General Hendricks and Grade School at the hotelWildlife: Bear #8, copperhead-like snake (without the triangular head), deerGood call on waiting for a better day to see MacAfee Knob. No rain today. My shuttle driver told me that this area is visited by 500-600 people each weekend. On this day there were only eight of us reaching the iconic vista mid-morning. It turns out, that for me, MacAfee Knob is more that the most photographed section of the trail. I passed my 2000-mile mark here. I took a break to secure the requisite photo, then created my 2000-mile marker image. Today was long and felt like work. I don't think I should do these many miles. Even though I had a room awaiting me, I felt pressure to get there and it wasn't fun to force myself o make the miles.This was a nice section of trail. It reminded me a lot of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore minus Lake Superior. The AT skirted Tinker Cliffs, where I stopped for lunch. The trail remained high within pines and paved by sandy soil, and the occasional rocks. I saw bear #8 along the ridge near one of the overlooks after Tinker Cliffs. I was listening to a podcast and looking down, as one does, when noises¢both vocal and the tearing of bark¢caught my attention not twenty yards ahead. A cub was furtively scrambling down from a pine tree and took off down hill. Yikes! I yelled out: ¢Where are you mama?¢ and backed away furtively looking everywhere myself. Belted out my first iTunes library song ¢Ahead By A Century¢ by the Tragically Hip at full volume, clicked my trekking poles together, talked and cautiously moved up the trail. Never saw mama, thankfully, and headed on for ten more minutes before I absolutely had to pee. Thanks adrenaline.Later, I stopped for water nimbly scrambling down a short bank to a stream. After filling up my water bottle, I headed back up to my pack when I then noticed a large brown snake inches from my previously chosen path. I created a new one giving it wide berth even though it lacked the triangle venomous head shape and never really moved. And the cicadas are out screeching up a racket. I didn't get back until after 6 p.m., but decided I should pick up some groceries and perhaps check out the outfitter to see about new shoes. The trail was quite rocky for about five miles and my feet have been getting sore. Trying on new shoes did feel better on my feet, so I went ahead a bought a new pair of replacement Obozs. My original pair has held up well¢or I had assumed they had. When I returned to my room and compared the soles, turns out I REALLY did need new ones. The lugs on the old pair were worn completely away in places and I think even some of the substructure was showing in the heels. I was attempting to make them last until the end¢but after more than 700, likely more like 900-plus miles, they had done their job.Another surprise was awaiting for me when I got back from shopping¢Grade School hadn't yet left. She had left her guidebook in another hiker¢s room, who wasn't back from dinner. So she decided to stay in my room¢s second bed. So we had a chance to catch up since  Damascus. And Cindy Lou Who and Hendricks checked in. Tonight I recognize many more faces. I decided to stay a third night and do a second day of slacking tomorrow¢just not as long. This will give me time to get laundry done,  catch up on some writing and ¢plan for my final NINE days. Sam and have talked and decided to proceed with a finish date of June 30¢when he will meet me at Shenandoah, where I started this crazy trip 14.5 months ago. As of tomorrow, I need only average 13.4 miles/day. We now have a plan and the end is in sight. A mere 120 miles to go! Those shoes will be practically new.