Day 70 (Saturday, June 21st) - Waynesboro to mile 869.3, just past Sawmill Run Overlook

Today's Miles: 11.40
Trip Miles: 869.30

Gadget and Delaware

Our first day back hiking with Andi and Yvanna. We had a little breakfast at the motel before heading back to the trail and I bumped into Delaware and Gadget; nice young people. M & N and A & Y hitched out from Main St. I walked down W. Broadway to 250, and using my "Hiker to Trail" sign, I got picked up very quickly. Lee Diehl, who produces organic feed in Waynesboro, was kind enough to take me to the trailhead. Thanks, Lee. And thanks for the Mennonite made pecan roll; delicious.

A & Y were already there and M & N got dropped off shortly after. There's a kettle korn stand near the trail and we were enjoying some when Heike came walking by. She was just getting to town and said she had been caught in last night's rain. She's staying at QI and we told her about Jake's. We also told her we'd be in Luray for the Germany vs. U.S.A. World Cup game. She said she'd try to get there.

Natalie's snail

We got on the trail at 11:50 with no idea how far we'd go. The hiking wasn't bad, both because of the terrain and the company. It's nice to be hiking with our friends again. We hiked to Beagle Gap and had lunch. We could hear thunder in the distance and as we resumed our hike the rain moved in.

We sloshed through a downpour for a few hours. The AT became a creek running down the trail the color of chocolate milk. As it tapered off we began looking for a campsite and found one about a mile beyond the Sawmill Run Overlook. We had dinner and a little chatter before heading to bed. Oh yeah, we made sure we had a good bear bag hang. The bears are supposedly very active around here.

The rain began again shortly after we got on our tents. Pretty heavy out there, I'm glad I'm in here.

Night All.  

Beagle Gap,  Shenandoah

More Beagle Gap

The kids

Getting foggy

Sundown

Evening light

Evening fog