Date: 2016-08-15
From: VA 615, Lindamood School, Settlers Museum 

To: VA 16, Mount Rogers Visitor's Center
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I was hoping to be on the AT over the weekend. Unfortunately we could not leave until I collected all my diabetic supplies and, because of insurance, I had to wait to get my refills until the very end of the week. Then I had to put together packets of those supplies for Rod to send to me in my resupply boxes.Rod dropped me off at the Settlers Museum parking lot. The Museum is closed on Mondays, so we had the place to ourselves. After dropping me off Rod tried to check into the hotel in Atkins so he could put my insulin in the room refrigerator. It was early, so the hotel had no clean rooms yet. He was able to book a room, but could not check in. When Rod parked Maggie at the Mt Rogers Visitor's Center he got a little creative to make sure Maggie stayed in the cool shade and my insulin did not get warm.Meanwhile I had an easy climb up Glade Mountain.   How nice to hike without knee pain! For a while the AT paralleled a stream, which made the trail damp and buggy. I bandana dipped (dunked my neck bandana into the cool water). The bugs, both the annoying flies that buzz your ears and the pesky knats that buzz your eyes, were plentiful. I moved my neck bandana to cover my ears. I had a head net in my day pack, but it is very hot to wear. Curiously, I had less problems with BOTH the flies and the knats. Of course there were rhododendron tunnels - but all of the beautiful white and pink flowers were gone. The blackberry bushes were bare too. What a huge difference a month makes. But I did notice some new wildflowers and LOTS of really interesting looking mushrooms. (Thanks to "Mushroom Al", I started to look more closely for mushrooms along trail.) I stopped frequently to take pictures.Shortly before the Chatfield Shelter I ran into a large man with red hair and beard, and dressed in a camo T-shirt. He said he got his child off to school and decided to hike up the mountain and back. It is great that he is enjoying the outdoors and getting some exercise.I took a break at the shelter. I also collected a bag of garbage to pack out, including a cheap battery operated razor.Near the top of the mountain, as I was enjoying the view, a small group of NOBO day hiking older women came by. We chatted very briefly. They seemed to be on a mission. Occassionally there were rocky patches, but overall the trail was easy. I received a text from Rod that he had hiked in 4 miles and reached the gravel road crossing, which I assumed was USFS 86, Glade Mountain Road. I expected to run into him at any moment. But there was no sign of him. Then I began to wonder if maybe he hiked SOBO instead of NOBO. There was a gravel road about 4 miles SOBO too.As I hiked along I tried to figure out what to do if in fact he had mistakenly hiked 4 miles in the wrong direction. I tried texting him but received no response. Cell service was sketchy.When I reached USFS 86, Glade Mountain Road, I was SO relieved to find Rod sitting on a boulder, waiting for me. He was relieved to see me too. He was afraid that my knee was giving me trouble again. Rod was no longer keeping track of his mileage.   We already turned in his 100 miles for the National Park/Appalachian Trail 100 year anniversary patch/sticker. And he was not interested in climbing Glade Mountain just to turn around and hike back down.  (I could not blame him.) So he just waited on a large rock at the road crossing. As we headed up the trail it started to rain. We stopped under a tree to avoid getting totally soaked. Eventually the rain cleared and we moved on. With the exception of a few rocky patches, the trail was very easy today. I did not want to over do it, so we stopped for the day and headed down the windy twisty road to our hotel in Atkins. Along the way we saw a car, on its side. The driver apparently drifted off the edge of the road and rolled the car over onto its side. The accident had just happened. Volunteer firemen were on the scene directing traffic. Further down the road we saw fire trucks, 2 ambulances, and at least 1/2 dozen more volunteer firemen on their way, blue lights flashing, to help with the accident. We hoped the people in the rolled vehicle were alright. Now we know what can happen on the windy twisty mountain roads.The AT is calling. It felt so good to be back.