There is something quite wonderful when you wake-up in a warm bed. I packed up my belongings, put Norman back in his rightful place, on my back and headed downstairs. Allison was up making coffee and I opened the refrigerator to retrieve my yogurt. A refrigerator! That’s another one of those things I’ve taken for granite. I cut up my Kiwi, had my yogurt and drank coffee with real half & half. Oh, the luxuries of a home, I so miss. I sat at a proper table and ate like a civilized person. The simple pleasures.

Allison was ready to get me back to the trail promptly at 7am. I love this woman! There’s no traffic in Luray, population of 4,831. It was started in 1812 by William Marye, a family descendant of Luray, France. I guess he couldn’t come up with a better name. Luray it is. Allison drove me back to the exact location she picked me up from. A purest at heart. We hugged, and I promised to let her know when I finished the trail.

My morning was wet. Yes, they had rain while I was sleeping. A significant amount because when the wind blew, rain fell from the trees. Everything was moist but not muddy! And the smell. Oh how I love the smell of the forest after a good rain. Especially when I’m tucked inside a nice warm home. I had a bit of a climb this morning, some 1500’ from the roadway. It was a very gradual incline over a few miles. Have I said that I love the Shenandoah’s! I remember thru-hikers bashing it. It’s so boring. There’s so many trees. You see the same vista time after time. I like boring, I love trees, and any vista is good in my book!

There was Little Stoney Man Lookout and Stoney Mountain 3972’, the highest point in the Shenandoah NP, but both were covered in clouds. Yet, the forest and the ferns were covered in dew and it seemed much more alive than the day prior. It’s amazing what a little bit of rainfall can do to perk up the environment.

I kept hearing cars above me. Skyline Drive, at times, parallels the Appalachian Trail. One funny thing is that the roadway has better views than the trail. I was nearly 100’ below the road and saw a man and woman taking pictures and gasping at what they were looking at. I could only imagine as I really couldn’t see much of anything with the overgrown brush. Ends up there was a Spur Trail that led up to the road. I did the extra bonus steps and sure enough, there was a spectacular view. Who would’ve thought? Crescent Rock Overlook was the first clearing and it was quite nice. In fact I could look back and see Stoney Mountain, so all was not lost.

A little before lunch, I made to to Skyland Resort. It’s a pretty nice spot and happens to have the largest logo I have seen for Virginia. “Virginia is for Lovers.” The Resort has a fine dining restaurant and brewery. It was a bit early, even for me, so I continued down the trail.

With the rain last night, I saw one of my favorite little creatures, the orange salamander. I was reading about a couple and their four kids who will become Triple Crowners this year. They will hike all three long distant trails in the US. One of the things they do to keep the kids occupied is play games. One day while they were hiking the AT, the counted over 200 Salamanders in one day. Can you imagine? I saw one, but he was the cutest little Salamander, maybe the size of my pinky.

My goal today was to get to Big Meadows CG and Lodge. It’s not much further and after all my rest and relaxation yesterday, I was ready to put in the miles. The terrain, at this point, was gentle with a couple of shale fields. The difference here is they don’t want you walking on the shale. Imagine that! So they cleared a path, that was relatively shale-free and all was good. No one got hurt, no slips or falls on sharp rocks, and before long I was on the other side.

I arrived at my intended destination with all limbs intact. The Lodge at Big Meadows is one of the most popular spots for tourists in the National Park, with rooms available by reservation. The restaurant at the lodge is a fancier option than the diner at the Wayside, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also a tap room at the lodge for the big kids. This sounds like my kind of place. I went inside and ordered a Chef Salad which was delicious. After my very late lunch, I decided to find myself a place to crash for the night. The Campground was a bit noisy for my comfort so I hoofed it and stealth camped a bit down trail. It looks like rain so I’m gonna get all cozy in my little tent and call it a day.

I’m a bit taken back when I realized that I’ve been on this trail for 100 days! Only by the grace of God have I been able to walk this distance. As my days get shorter and I’m nearing the end of this little jaunt, I become a bit overwhelmed. This has been much more challenging, both physically and mentally that I ever thought. The physical part may be attributed to the fact, I am getting older. I hate saying or even writing that, but my body is telling me that I’m not as young or as fit as I once was. The mental aspect has been toughest, much more so due to the extreme weather and environmental factors. Yet with all that being said, I cannot imagine not experiencing all that I have during these past 100 days. It will be etched in my mind for years to come and hopefully, encourages others to chase after whatever passions God places on their hearts. It’s well worth all the blood, sweat and tears, and I guarantee, you will thank your older self for it. God-willing, this girl who loves the Lord, will be completing this journey with strength, endurance, and a few stories to tell!