June 18

Leaving home

Got a late start getting back on the trail, but had a good time at home.  Made a quick trip to AOA outfitter in Luray and got some much needed BodyGlide and a small compression sack for my summer sleeping bag.  Here we go.  Said bye to mom.  It'll be 3 months until I see my family again.  Hiking started out easy up Pass Mountain, and I stopped at the shelter to check the register book to see if anyone I knew had passed by there recently.  Took another break when I got to Elkwallow Wayside.  Somewhat out of character, I didn't spring for a cheeseburger.  Just got some junk food snacks to suppliment my sandwhich and mint iced tea I had packed out from home.  I wasn't sure how far I was going to go this afternoon.  I was making pretty good time though, and the miles were coming easy.  I've been hiking alone all afternoon.  Only seen a few other hikers on the trail.  Actually, most of the people I've been seeing were day/section hikers coming the opposite direction southbound.  When I got to the Hogback Mountain area, the skies started looking pretty unfriendly.  No views at all along the way.  Everything was greyed out in clouds and fog.  It started to sprinkle a bit as I neared Gravel Spring hut, so I pulled in there for the night even though there was still an hour or two of daylight left.  My friends had left some funny entries in the register for me to read.  Slept in the shelter with some other NoBos and some sectioners.  Stayed dry.  Knocked out 14 miles all this afternoon in a handful of hours.

Crossing the Skyline Drive yet again in SNP.