I am back on the trail. Hallelujah! My friend Bodie picked me up with coffee and a big smile. She drove me north so I could makeup some miles that I missed during my hiatus. The day was warm and the trail was dusty. But I was back out to finish what I started and God was on my side.

I hit the trail at 8:30am. Today I was slackpacking so my bag was light, my feet were nimble, even with a brace wrapped around it. I figured it was insurance for my first day back. My rash is growing, but only underneath my right armpit. Ends up that Bodie’s Mom is severely allergic to all things poison oak, ivy and sumac . So now I have super duper ointment that kills anything poison on my body. Thank you Bodie’s Mom.

This mornings hike was nice. There were lots of trees shading the trail, pines, oaks and maples. The first mile I saw this crazy looking caterpillar. I’ve never seen one like this. It was neon green with two black spots on the back of its head. And boy oh boy, it was big! Like half the size of my shoe. I didn’t want to touch it since it had a pre-determined path it set, and moving really fast for a caterpillar. It was, quite unique. Something like the baby giraffe without spots.

It was extremely dusty on the trail. No rain, no water and the trees are thinking it’s Fall. There were some Maples that already turned red. Quite a few leaves had dropped to the ground. I felt like a kid who raked up all the leaves and then jumped in the pile. It was too much fun stomping through them!

As I was heading up the hill, I heard someone calling my name. Geisha Girl, is that you? I turned around and saw Billy Goat. I met him the first night I left Harpers Ferry. We stopped and chatted for quite awhile. We both were talking about how lonely it was on the trail. There’s no one left. I mentioned to him that Reset was still headed southbound. He has been trying to catch up with her for the past week. I shared her number with him and knew they would be matched in hiking ability. He took off and up the trail he went in search of Reset, and a hiking partner.

I turned onto the Blue Blaze and climbed up to the shelter for lunch. There were a couple of section hikers that were behind me and we all had lunch together. They too were slackpacking. They told me that they have been having a couple of elderly women drive their car and park it at the their planned end point. It worked out great until one afternoon, the car wasn’t there. Slackpacking, typically you don’t bring anything for overnight use. So once at their destination, and no vehicle, they started collecting fire wood to keep warm for the evening. Did they steal the car, crash it or what? Ends up there was an accident that blocked the roadway so they were two hours late. I could only imagine what was going on in their heads. All the scenarios of why their car wasn’t parked at the trailhead. And to think, they didn’t even have the ladies real names. We are so trusting out here.

They left before me and I hung out admiring the peace and solitude. There is such a difference between being lonely and embracing the solitude that, to me, is never loneliness. No others were stopping by but the butterflies and bees. After 1pm, I headed back down the trail.

Today I was walking on the Blue Ridgeline that follows the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was much like the Shenandoah’s with groomed trails and moderate climbs and descents. As I meandered down, there was a sign that said stay on the trail as we were walking through private property. To the east and west were huge ranches and farmlands with manicured grasses and bales of hay. It was quintessential Virginia Rolling Hills.

I crossed over many dry creeks, only two in fourteen miles had water trickling. They really need some rain! In the east, no one has sprinklers since Mother Nature supplies all the water they require. Except for this year. Things are still green but its not lush and green.

I started hearing the Highway and walked across several country roads. With less than a mile to go, I met up with a swarm of gnats. I really don’t like gnats. They just swarm around your face breathing in the CO2 that I was expelling. Then for no good reason, one decides to fly into my mouth. Yuck, I start to spit it out but the darn thing went down my throat. No way! I grab something to drink and sucked down my last drop off water. I could still feel that gnat in the back of my throat. I started coughing, spitting and gagging hoping to get him, her or it, out of my throat. That gnat has somehow decided that it’s quite happy inside my nice warm and mucous lined mouth. And that’s where it stayed until I arrived at a Gas Station some 20 minutes later. I grabbed an Iced Tea and finished it up. That gnat is now in my belly, hopefully not flying around. Darn Gnats!

I made it back to Motel 8 and took a shower, rinsed off all the dust, dirt and grim I had on me. My Poison Ivy seems to get a bit itchy when I’m hot and sweaty so the shower helped to stop that. I doused more lotions and potions on, along with the magic ointment that Bodie’s Mom parted with. Awe, much better.

It sure was nice being back out there again, and finishing up what me and my Lord started. A few more miles to go and McAfee Knob will be in my sights. I’m going to take it slow, enjoying my last few days on the trail. It’s hard to believe that I’ll be done by this weekend. Bittersweet but incredible memories to cherish for a lifetime.