Day 55-A New Record Distance!

May 12-17.8 Miles!-Davis Campsite to Helveys Mill Shelter-AT mile 594

Surprisingly, for all the miles we did today, we still managed to arrive at the shelter by 4:15. We left Davis Campsite at 7:08am. Due to the fact that we had a half mile to get back to the AT, then .3 to get to the shelter from the AT, we really only did 17 trail miles. Fortunately, the terrain was pretty easy with lots of gently rolling ups and downs, and a fair amount of flat, smooth trail. 

It was colder than cold this morning when we started. It warmed up, but I never took my hoody off. 

Easy peasy trail. 

I was walking along, when I saw these fellas. 

Two male Scarlett tanagers. They were busy vying for the attention of a female, and didn’t seem to notice my presence. 

We got a few views today looking down into the valley. 




On Guthook, it said we would come to a place called Brush Mountain Outpost. They were supposedly open until 4:00 with hot food and a deli. I got there at 3:00. They had closed at 2:00. I was bummed. I had been thinking about what I was going to have for the previous 6 miles! Arrrggg!

We had about a mile or so of road walking today, then a final 2 mile uphill to the turn for the shelter. I’ll tell ya, after 15+ miles, you don’t really want to do another 2 mile climb! But, of course, we did it. 

At Brush Mountain Outpost, we caught up to the Polar Bear, El Presidente, Rebel, Lily Pad, etc. group. They were leaving Marion the day we arrived. They came to the shelter, but most of them continued on after a couple of hours. We also caught up, at the shelter, to the group we met at Thomas Knob Shelter (although I don’t think the whole group is here). This is the most people we have camped with for a long time. A couple are in tents, but the rest are in the shelter. 

I didn’t take many photos today, as I was mostly just cruising along. Sure Foot made the miles today too. His leg is no better, but no worse. He has ordered new shoes to be overnighted to Pearisburg, where we will be in 2 1/2 days. 

Another long one tomorrow to get to Trent’s Grocery (16.5 miles), but it is similar terrain as today (just one climb). 



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