Date: 2013-05-11
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: US-501, VA-130, Glasgow VA 
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

Huge thunderstorm overnite, but good sleeping weather hearing the rain on the shelter roof, and the wind is really blowing, I have to cover my sleepging bag up with my Polycro ground cloth to try to keep rain off that's blowing into the shelter. I'm first out of the shelter and back on trail by 7:15 am.  The Maine hiker is right behind me, he is also an early riser.  It's a really nice day for hiking, still a bit warm, but the views along this ridgeline are spectacular. It looks like the Smoky Mountains in the distance.  The AT is close to the BRP in this area, you can hear vehicles driving by a short distance away. There's a really nice scenic overlook on the AT just a short hike north of Thunder Hill Shelter, with stone steps leading up to a stone patio and wall. I stop here to take several photos of the vista below.The AT drops from 4100 ft at this ridgeline to the James River footbridge at 678 ft elevation, with one short climb in mid morning.   As the trail drops, the terrain changes, the rocks begin to take on a reddish iron ore color. The views of the surrounding valleys and the James River are something else. I pass several big waterfalls and creeks and spring. Songbirds are out. I've passed two big black snakes on the trail the last couple day and take photos.I arrive at the last shelter before the James River around 1 pm.... about 10-15 minutes behind me, the New York and Maine hikers show up at the shelter for a break and water. I'm wanting to hitch into Glasgow, so I head on down the trail I finally arrive at the James River "Foot" bridge around 2 pm, this is the longest AT bridge on the entire AT.   This is also coal country, and a train passes over the river on a rail-bridge nearby, loaded with coal. I meet a local guy on the brige with his little dog, and ask him about hitching into Glasgow, VA, a small town about 6-7 miles from the trail. He offers to give me a ride to town. I've decided I need to get on back home to FLA and come back up later for the next section.   In Glasgow, I visit the small country grocery store and Scottos Pizza and Subs.   Scottos has only been open since December, they have great pizza and subs. I meet a lot of other AT hikers and locals here, it's a great visit while I'm waiting on Del, my shuttle driver from Daleville, who gets there around 5 pm to give a lift back to my car in Daleville. I also talk with a guy outside the grocery store from the Washington DC area who owns a 2nd home down here, he and his wife us it for a weekend getaway place. I also meet a young flip-flop thru hiker from Portsmouth, VA who has just left Damascus about 3 weeks ago. He is having some knee problems. His plan is hike north to Maine thru the summer, then return to Damascus and hike south to Springer Mtn in the fall. That is a great way to do the trail actually. There is a small grassy field and pavillion behind Scottos Pizza where AT hikers can tent for free, it's provided by the town for AT hikers. Good spot to come into town and resupply. This has been a great 3 day section hike, covered about 56.8 miles. It's about 22 miles to Buena Vista from here, then about 3 more days to Waynesboro from there. Next comes Shenandoah National Park.With this last section hike, I'm now up to Mile Marker 780.3 northbound, at the James River bridge. After I get home and see the work schedule we have, I'll be looking over the calender for next section hike, but most likely it won't be til September in Vermont. I may try to get back up to VA in October to do another section north of Glasgow.