Day 54 Lambert Meadows Shelter to Daleville

Today's miles 9.4.  AT miles 724.

I forgot to say yesterday, we past the 700 mile mark! Today was a shorter day of hiking into Daleville where we're taking a zero/rest day tomorrow. It was still warm and humid today, about 20°C but cloudy with a nice breeze. We left camp at nine, we were last to leave again, but caught up with 'team 118' not far down the trail at a great view point where they'd stopped to take photos.  We walked with them for a while but then they sped off, much faster walkers than us. 

The trail followed another ridge line today with occasional good views to the valleys below. We passed a large overhanging rock which had chalk marks where climbers had been, Nigel had a little play. The last couple of miles the trail was downhill to a busy road in Daleville.    We're staying at the Howard Johnson Express with quite a few other hikers, most of whom we know, there's a couple of new faces.

After checking in and showering we wandered down the road to a small retail park where we went to Wendy's for some lunch. We had a quick look around the outfitters and a Goodwill store (charity/thrift store) where Nigel got some shorts for $3, we'll go back again tomorrow and have a good look, we have all day and need to food shop too.

We managed to get our laundry done, there was a bit of a queue with so many hikers arriving together. We also both treated ourselves and shaved!  Nigel his beard and me my arm pits and legs for the first time since on the trail, we were both getting very hairy. Most hikers ritual, male & female, is not to shave until they finish.

There's a Pizza Hut opposite the hotel so we ordered a pizza each in the evening, we could only manage half of them so saved the rest in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.  We're always hungry but can only manage small meals, so eat small but more often.