I only got to see a couple rhododendrons on the trail,
but outside our motel, they were in full bloom.
I usually don't rush through my hikes, because I want to enjoy them. Today is a little different. I saved some time tomorrow to take Lynn up to Mount Rogers to see the ponies. The problem is the Weather Channel is predicting rain for tomorrow. If I get through today's section early enough, we may have time to get up there this afternoon.
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I've seen lots of rock walls along the AT, but this is the only one that I remember seeing during the past two weeks.
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This small, unnamed shelter would probably only hold two hikers.
It's listed on the AT map as an emergency shelter.
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Further up the trail I came to the Abingdon Gap Shelter.
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Next I reached the Tennessee/Virginia State Line. Note the faint VA and TN on the right post of the sign.
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There was a line of rocks along the state line. On the Virginia side someone had written 'VA' using rocks.
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I've got less than 4 miles to Damascus, and I'm looking forward to finally finishing Virginia.
I put it in high gear and made it to Damascus about 12:30 where I walked under the 'Welcome to Damascus' sign.
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Looks like the AT turns briefly into two lanes, I guess one for nobos and one for sobos.
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There's a shelter right there in the park. Since this shelter is located right in town, I imagine it not only shelters nobos and sobos but probably a few hobos.
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As I walked through Damascus a carnival was being set up, probably part of 'Trail Days'.
Trail Days is a celebration held annually in Damascus.
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Once again I crossed the Virginia Creeper Trail
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As you can guess from the picture below, the Virginia Creeper Trail is a rail trail.
In recent years throughout our country, thousands of miles of abandoned railroad beds have been converted to hiking, biking, walking, running, and horseback riding trails. Converting railroad beds to trails provides great recreational areas for these sports as well as preserves these railroad beds for possible future use.
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There is an ice cream shop conveniently located on the AT on both ends of town.
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It was a gorgeous day as I walked through Damascus.
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I just missed trail days. I'm about a week early.
At first I was disappointed that I missed it, but then I realized it was for the best. Can you imagine Lynn and I trying to find each other as the town was filled with thousands of visitors.
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There is supposed to be a hostel in town for thru hikers. I never saw it, but I did see this inn.
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I met Lynn coming from the other end of town, and she took my picture by this sign.
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We walked down the street together until I got to the Subway where I stopped a few days ago. My AT journey through Virginia is 100% complete. It's my 5th completed state. I celebrated by getting a sandwich at Subway and then driving down the street to the ice cream shop that was closed earlier in the week. With the location of the shop being right next to the Appalachian Trail, I found the name quite appropriate.
This leg of my AT journey is complete, but I still have some non-AT plans. Now I am going to bring Lynn up to Mount Rogers to see the ponies, tomorrow we will travel, and Saturday I will attempt my first ultramarathon.
