5/25/01
The map profile showed a high climb followed by a steep descent then another significant climb, so I got an EARLY start this morning, knowing that I had 20 miles to get me to Montebello, VA. I was up before 6 a.m. and on the trail at 6:40, my earliest start on the trail since Springer Mountain. The 3000' climb wasn't as bad as I imagined, but having fresh legs really helped. Of course it was raining when I left the shelter and it continued off and on all morning. I stopped at the top of Bald Knob only to call Paula to confirm our meeting place, then continued on to avoid getting cold. The wind on the ridge was getting stronger by the hour and by lunch time it was raining sideways as I stopped briefly at the Seeley-Woodworth shelter. I was too cold and wet to stop for lunch so I kept hiking until I reached the road to Montebello,VA, then booked it on in to the general store where I'm currently sitting enjoying a dry warm place. Paula should be here anytime, so I'll go ahead and get the stats for the day, then continue the day's journal at a later time. Today's stats; low 58 degrees, high 63. Rainy, rainy, rainy. Today's mileage: 18.1 (plus 2.5 to Montebello) Cumulative mileage; 803.3.
Another milestone. Eight hundred big miles are done. Time to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend.
(continued later)
Red Pepper picked me up at Montebello around 6:30 p.m. and we drove to Lexington, VA. We found a great hotel room at the Livery Inn downtown, then went to the Palms Restaurant where I ate 4000 calories. It was a fun evening together.
