Date: 2017-06-07
From: US 220, Daleville, Virginia 

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter Tent Site 
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: overcast clouds

6/7US 220, Daleville, Virginia to Bobblets Gap Shelter Tent Site18.5 miles Total miles:  746.6There are two milestones I met today.  Today is my two-month anniversary of being on the trail, and, although there were no markers along the trail, I am now over one-third of the way to the end.  I slept okay at the Super 8 and was up at 6:30.  I filled up on Raisin Bran, yogurt, and make-your-own waffles at the Continental Breakfast.  It's difficult getting an early start from town, but Gravity and I were back on the trail at 8:05.  We hiked together for awhile, but then I hiked ahead, and we didn't see each other again until late evening in camp.  I was surprised at how good the trail was leaving Daleville. In fact, I believe today was the easiest trail I have hiked along the entire AT so far.  Granted, there were many steep ascents and descents, some of them quite severe, as we are, after all, still in the mountains.  However, the entire 18.5 mile section I hiked today was surprisingly devoid of major rock scrambling.  Not that there wasn't the opportunity.  Numerous times the trail approached a large rock formation, and I would get ready to start climbing and scrambling.  But every time, the trail skirted the rocks, sometimes almost daintily, and bypassed the formation.  A few times the trail passed through, but chose not to climb over, the rocks and boulders. It's almost as though a kinder and gentler hand laid out today's trail. I saw a bumper sticker a few days ago that read, "Virginia is for Lovers." Perhaps the trail engineer for today's trail loved hikers or, at the least, decided to go easy on us for today.  After the third time of skirting a rock formation, I actually voiced my concern to the trail:  "What are you, and what did you do to my AT?"  I've voiced this concern once before on a short mile-long section, but this sentiment lasted the entire day.  Seriously, I know there will be many more challenging and difficult days ahead, but the trail today was surprisingly good, and I made excellent time.  A few miles into the day, as I crossed through a fence stile, I passed the one-third mark on my way to Katahdin.  In many ways, it doesn't seem possible. The two months I have been on the trail have flown by.  As I said, I made excellent time today and set a steady pace which I kept up all day long.  If I am hiking the same pace without difficulty at mile eighteen as I was at mile one, then I feel I've found a good pace.  As I mentioned, there were many ascents and descents today, and this afternoon led me to the AT's intersection with the Blue Ridge Parkway.  My family and I drove on the Parkway several times years ago, and it provides a beautiful, meandering way through the mountains.  The trail crossed the Parkway three times today, at Taylor Mountain Overlook, at the Montvale Overlook, and at Harvey's Knob Overlook.  I made such good time today, that I remained at the Montvale Overlook for over half an hour, enjoying the view.  The sun had disappeared behind the clouds by then, and it was growing darker, but the views remained beautiful.  Several vehicles stopped, but everyone avoided the homeless guy with the scruffy beard and backpack. I had to chuckle remembering the last time I was on the Parkway.  The kids were young, and I was under my old 1970 Nova, parked at a scenic overlook in a cold, foggy downpour, trying to wire my muffler back up with a coat hanger so we could get to town. Ah, the memories.  Since getting on the trail, while atop many viewless summits, many hikers and I have joked that someone needs to cut down the darn trees so we can view nature. I discovered today, while hiking below several scenic overlooks, that this is indeed done. I hiked among piles of fallen trees, cut to provide views for the motorists above.  Despite taking my time at the overlooks, I still arrived at the Bobblets Gap Shelter area by 5:30.  Tent space was almost nonexistent, but I was able to squeeze my tent between the shelter building and a large tree.  I made sure to locate another spot on the other side of the shelter for Gravity, who arrived a bit before seven. What the shelter area lacks in tent space, it makes up for in privy-ness.  Virginia continues to outdo herself.  Our privy for this spot boasts a vent pipe, a sliding door latch, coat pegs, and disability support railings on the walls by the toilet seat. A doe wandered down out of the woods this evening, perhaps to check out the privy's accomodations, and was kind enough to stay long enough for a photograph.  I visited with Young Gandalf, Summer, and Cheese Steak (one guess where he is from) while I prepared and ate dinner.  Gravity showed up soon after.  It will be a far shorter day tomorrow, as the destination is the Middle Creek Campground only ten miles away.  They provide resupply and are rumored to have the best Bacon Cheeseburgers and Milkshakes around.  I feel duty bound to check this out.  As I write this in the wee hour of 12:30 am, a steady rain has started to fall, so tomorrow may be a walk in Liquid Sunshine.  Like I said last night, all part and parcel of this adventure.  I'm going to sleep now to see what tomorrow will bring.