Heather and Tally are still here with me at D and Cic’s house in Charlottesville. Today was another wonderful one, hitting 90 degrees and sunny. I spent lots of time planning with D, Heather and my parents now that I have a far better idea about the logistics of thru-hiking.

• Heather’s going to drop me at the trail around noon on Monday after meeting a few hikers at a BBQ thrown by D, Cic and her aunt Jerrie and uncle Jerry.
• I’ll see her again in southern Pennsylvania.
• D and Cic, Jerrie and Jerry are going to host me at their place in the resort community of Wintergreen twice during the next week. That means I don’t have to carry more than two days of food at a time and get to stay clean and well fed!
• Then my parents come into town and I see them in Front Royal, Virginia and again in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Dad’s even going to hike and camp with me for 24 hours!