Today's miles 14.3. AT miles 952.2
The sun was back out today after three days of rain and it's forecast to stay that way for the next week thankfully. The heavy rains caused some severe flash flooding in several areas and there's also been lots of devastating tornadoes, luckily not near us.
We had breakfast at the hotel again, packed our bags and were picked up by Dick again at 9:30. He kindly drove ourselves and our three German friends back the nine miles from Luray to the trail at Thornton Gap. Dick kindly took a photo of the five of us, and then we got a photo of Dick and ourselves. What a lovely guy. It was about 10:15 by the time we started hiking. The trail was good going underfoot again today but we had a few smaller mountains to go up and over, Pass Mountain, Neighbor Mountain, Hogback Mountain and Little Hogback Mountain.
After about eight miles we all stopped at Elkwallow Wayside for some lunch. As we approached the Wayside a lady in the car park said "did you see the little baby bear over there?" We didn't. Still no bear sightings today. Some hikers have seen bears and some haven't so we're not the only ones not to have seen any yet. Milk Monster had been dreaming of a milkshake all morning, someone had said they were good from the Wayside, so he was distraught when the lady told him the milkshake machine was broken. That put the dampers on him and demotivated him for the afternoon. Little things mean so much out here, they can lift your spirits instantly or make you feel very down. Nigel had a hotdog and I a black bean burger, very overpriced, followed by an ice cream. It was lovely though to be able to sit outside at the picnic tables in the sun.
From the Wayside it was another six miles up and over Hogback and Little Hogback Mountain to Gravel Springs Hut where we arrived just before 5pm and camped for the night. Our German friends carried on a another six miles further, but my blistered feet had had enough for the day. They stood up well though, no further damage now I'm back wearing my old boots again, so hopefully each day they'll heal a bit more.
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