Date: 2011-05-23
From: Daleville, VA

To: Buena Vista, VA
Miles today: 79.3

5/19: HoJo offers a lot of stuff to eat for breakfast and I of course had to sample it all. That and checking on my camera order delayed my start to 0720. I ordered an Olympus XZ-1, a rather expensive small sensor camera to replace my DP-1. The new camera does have a much faster lense and much better macro capability, so it is better choice for the AT with the lack (green tunnel and/or clouds) of light. I just hope it can hold up to the beating it will take. Anyway, overcast but no rain for a change. Moderate elevation changes for this day. Following the Blue Ridge Parkway now, a road walk would have more views, the trail has to pop out to roadside overlooks every now and then to give you a glimpse. I saw maybe six thru's today, there does not seem to be a crowd on the trail now, at least it seems similar to the PCT in density. I found a decent place to put up a tent (there are not so many of those these days) near the Buchanon Trail junction, and quit there, almost 27 miles for the day.5/20: Got an earlier start 0600, but it is already getting light out by that time. Much more elevation gain and loss today, very wearing. Started out clear, then overcast, drizzle and fog on the way up to Apple Orchard Moutain. Thought I might stop at Marble Spring, had rare tent sites, but it was only 1600, so pushed on. Managed to make a clean tent site at the Gunter Ridge trail junction, which as rocky as hell, but I really wanted to stop, even though it was only 1730. A bit less than 25 miles, shorter distance but longer hours than yesterday, them ups and downs 'll do that to ya.5/21: Another 0600 start. All downhill for 7+ miles, then a 2K+ foot uphill on hot day. Sweat from my brow was burning my eyeballs, that kind of uphill on that kind of day :-0 Planned to stop a few miles short of the road into Buena Vista, then hitch in tomorrow morning. Mostly clear and really warm all day. I had been wishing it would warm up way back when. Be careful what you wish for you may get it. But I was not wishing for temps in the 80's and high humidity. I was hoping there might be a pleasant interlude before full-force summer set in. Not so far. Later in the day, walked by Lexington's(?) reservoir, very exciting :-) The guide for the area south of US60 has a few errors and is confusing, but I think I stopped at 'campsite' about 4.4 miles from the highway. That campsite does not have water indicated but there is a good stream. Highlight of this segment: Really large frog (six inches+?) siting in this stream. Wondered it its croaking would keep me awake, but was not a problem (with earplugs).5/22: Out to the highway by 0800. Traffic seemed nil, there was one other thru ('Photon') there trying to hitch. I think we were very lucky, all of a sudden there was a burst of traffic and thank goodness for big gas-guzzling pickups, one pulled over and we piled in the bed. I got off at the Budget Inn, though it was too early to check in, and the other fellow continued on to the supermarket. I should say that my traveling strategy of avoiding shelters, somewhat higher MPD, etc. have left me with absolutely zero ongoing fellow travelers. On the PCT, it was not like that at all. At least in the towns, I met people I then saw for hundreds of miles, and it was fun to share experiences. But so far I have not run across the same people twice, at least anyone I can recognize. My camera is due in town on Monday, this is Sunday, so nero today, a zero tomorrow.5/23: I was able to pick up my camera, which had to be express-shipped to SD from NY, then express-shipped to BV from SD, at the PO. High heat, humidity and t-storm potential for the forseeable future. Back to the trail tomorrow.