Date: 2014-05-23
From: Cardinal Inn, Luray, VA

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

We awoke to a cool (53 degrees), clear morning. We packed up headed into town one last time. We had arranged for Dr Dick to pick us up at a restaurant called Uncle Buck's, after we had breakfast. According to Dr Dick, it was a place a lot of the locals hung out. Sure enough we walked in to find a group of local farmers and businessmen having coffee. We have found similar places in several of the small towns we've "zero'ed" in. It's kind of neat.After breakfast, Dr Dick appeared so we headed back to Thornton Gap and the AT. Dr Dick gave us some tips on the upcoming trail (he hiked the AT on the 13 year plan), then dropped us off at the same place he had picked us up 2 days ago. We thanked Dr Dick for all his help and hit the trail at 8:15am.As with any gap, we had to climb out of it. But with fresh legs the 900 foot acent went quickly.The attached picture is of the concrete posts we have seen throughout the SNP. This is how they mark their trail and road junctions. The grey band at the top is metal and imprinted with trail names and key destinations (like huts, springs, etc. By looking at the imprints, we could always confirm we were on the AT; thisin addition to the white blazes on the trees. Most the hikers call these posts "tombstones".Consistent with our desire to "eat our way through the SNP, we stopped at the Elkwallow Wayside Grill. The burgers and fries were great. But best of all we finally got our blackberry shakes. We had heard about them but, up to this point, these were the first we had found.We met an older couple at the Wayside who are thru-hiking the AT. Spider had read their trail journal before we left California, Runaway and Grasshopper. We ate with them and found out that they were heading to the same shelter as we were.We finished our meal and headed back to the trail for a 1000 foot climb..tough on a full stomach!! We finally arrived at our destination hut at 4:30pm.We followed our normal pattern when arriving in camp: We find a good camping spot, then ET sets up the tent while Spider gets water. Then we both unpack our packs into the tent (except for the food). Then we take our Vitamin-I (Ibuprofen) and lie down for a while to rest and let the Vitamin-I work. After a while we get up, have dinner, hang the food bags so bears can't get them, then get back into the tent for journaling and reading before lights out.Like last yearn we can tell Memorial Day is coming...The shelter and surrounding camping area are crammed full. There are probably 20+ people here. Hope they all don't snore!Animal sighting: 2 Deer. We were walking down the trail when a deer came running straight at Spider. When he stopped, the deer just kept coming. So Spider hit his 2 trekking poles together making a clicking sound. This startled the deer and it did an about-face and ran away with its tail in the air. Spider learned this pole hitting technique on the Pacific Crest Trail when some bulls were getting too "friendly"Another animal sighting was the tick ET had to remove from Spider's arm.Lastly, one plantish sighting: bright orange fungi growing on a downed, dead tree.