Sidetrack Café serves a nice breakfast too! I ran a bunch of errands this morning including hitting the outfitter for low gaiters & liner socks. Then I had another great burger at Dairy King but unfortunately they were out of corn dogs—I love corn dogs! I hit the post office and then we walked out of town just past noon. I’d guess 90% of the hikers we had dinner with last night are staying at least another day. Hey, if $30 buys all the food you can eat in 24 hours and covers lodging? That’s a tough place to leave!

Our pace is partly determined by our preference to keep walking and partly by our schedule. D is due back at the community college he works at in VA by early/mid-August. My limiting factor are tryouts for the high school volleyball team I help coach in late August. The hikers without deadline are far more likely to stay in towns rather than hiking out, for better or worse.

I had a great walk today and am still massively enjoying walking without pain. The AT leaves Damascus routed next to the Virginia Creeper Bike Trail along a river. There are a bunch of pretty wildflowers in this stretch and it was a relaxing 11-mile afternoon.

I showed up at the agreed-on site nearly an hour before the rest of the crew (my Bro, Rockhound, J-Bird and Burning Boots). Green One is fighting the pain a shin splint but managing. I’m looking forward to catching up on sleep. Now!