Waynesboro

Well, here I am at the Public Library of Waynesboro, Virginia. One hundred miles in, four hundred to go. Rain down in the valley today , more rain tomorrow. I may waste another day down here, relax and let all my inflammations work themselves out.

For eight days, Dan and I hiked over moutains, some taller than others. We saw a little bit of rain and snow; some days were sunny and hot, one night was so cold our water bottles froze solid. We cooked several tremendous meals and a few atrocious ones. A walking pace is very gradual--every so often, I felt I could begin to know the land around me, to imagine the song of the mountains and know the slowness of its tempo.

There was some real shoddy chainsaw work when they cleared the trail after an ice storm. I may shoot the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club an email and offer my services to help clean up all those leaners.

Shenandoah is a habitable place; people lived and died for centuries on the ridgetop. Their homes and graveyards remain.

Dan will be posting a more factual account of the trip soon. The only item of import I have to add to his version of events is that he snores like a dump truck.

PS-- It was very good to see Dad and Doug at Skyland, the shower, bed, meals, raincover and pants were much, much appreciated!