What a great week we've had in central Virginia! The sun has been bright, the weather warm, and the views excellent. Despite walking in ankle-deep leaves much of the day, the lack of leaves on the trees provides for great views from nearly everywhere. Much of the trail over the past 100 miles has traversed the side of mountains, followed ridgelines, and summited peaks above 4000 feet. Being back in the mountains has renewed our appreciation of the trail.
Our mileage continues to increase despite climbing up and down several thousand feet each day and our bodies are holding up well. Daylight is our only obstacle now and the headlights are coming out more regularly for the last miles of the day. Our increased exertion on the trail has also brought our appetites back in full force and trail talk again revolves around food. During the 25 miles of trail we covered yesterday we strategized about the McDonald's Dollar Menu Challenge (eating one of each item), which we completed just hours ago.
Our standards for food have taken a sharp decline, most notably yesterday when Half Full excitedly discovered a ziplock of peanuts hanging in a shelter. Together we devoured the peanuts without a second thought. It was truly a "you know you're a thru-hiker when..." moment, as we would never in our "normal" lives eat food we found in a public place.
Mile by mile we can feel ourselves getting closer to Springer Mountain. We are counting down the miles now rather than counting up what we have already hiked and trying to find a balance between being excited about getting farther south and simultaneously soaking in each day on the trail.
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I received a phone call from David and Emily this morning asking for weather information. They are hunkered down in a shelter just south of Daleville, waiting out tropical storm Ida.
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