Monday April 15, 26.2mi/42.2km

Route 624/Four Pines Hostel (703.9) to Route 220/Daleville (729.7) (VA) +0.4mi side trail

Most of the other hostel guests were already up when I climbed down from bed at 7am. I left at 7:45am and it was a sunny, yet cold and windy morning.

All the rain from yesterday and last night had made the creeks larger.

It was a nice pleasant ridge walk all morning, and Bob and Turbo caught me just before McAfee knob. It is the most photographed spot on the entire trail, and we definitely took a break and many more photos.

It was very windy, so we went back into the woods and hiked on. Turbo wasn’t feeling well, and he stopped at the next shelter. The next 5miles were easy ridge walking, and then we got to Tinker cliffs.

In the distance, on the right of the ridgeline, is McAfee knob where we had just come from 2 hours earlier.

It was another 8 miles to town, so we continued on down the hill.

We got to town at 5:30, and checked into the Super 8 Motel, where I had a box waiting. New shoes!

It has been 730 miles on the first pair, maybe a little too much, but they held up great. I love the New balance trail runners for these long distance trails.

We went and got dinner at a local BBQ place, then did a resupply at Kroger. I found it amusing that even the grocery store was advertising the AT.

I am now one-third of the way done with the AT!