Virginia AT Day 11

Browns Gap Turnpike to Powell Gap

19.0 miles

Today was a completely pleasant stroll through the Shenandoahs after a lovely stay with Anne and Dave. Anne joined me for the 6 mile ascent back up to the AT and then some. We stopped by the Loft Mountain Campstore and I realized that’s where I ended one of my days during my northbound FKT. I remember being in so much pain climbing up and down that short hill to get up to the parking lot. Blisters, shin splints. Every step was excruciating. I’d hiked 47+ miles to get there in over 19 hrs, arriving at 11:30pm, then I got up and left again the next morning at 3:57am. Yikes. I don’t know how I did it. Now here I am enjoying a sandwich and a coffee on a warm, sunny day and my body feels great. Would I do something like that again? In the way I did, probably not. When thinking about the things I want to do next, it helps to remember just how hard this sort of thing is. You have to really, really want it deep down, otherwise you’ll find a million reasons not to go on. My parents intersected with me at Powell Gap and we zipped up to northern VA. I’d like to visit the trail one last time tomorrow, this time without a pack. Though the #1 comment I received on this trip was, “I can’t believe your pack is so small!” I didn’t have much with me, but I had everything I needed–a great takeaway for the next big hike!