06/24

After a late check out from the hotel, we got in our shuttle (different from the one nick tainted with vomit) and she drove us the “scenic” route through Buchanan VA. Acting as our tour guide, she was kind enough to point out all the standouts of the countryside. Like the small town rust bucket mechanic shop owned by Virginia s own “grand marshal of the kkk”… She assured us that while she was as “conservative as they come” she just couldn’t get behind such hate. Glancing at each other, Nick and I were both grateful to hear she wasn’t as fanatic as her peers. Quickly changing the subject, I discovered she lived a rather simple and goodhearted life. A retired trucker turned school bus driver, she lived up the road and just enjoys meeting new people. We were dropped off back at Jennings creek, “Noro ground zero” and grabbing our packs, I slapped the car on the trunk just above the confederate flag sticker and waved her goodbye. We spent most of the day sitting creekside waiting out the heat before beginning our hike around 6pm. Thinking we’d hike 10ish miles into the night, we set out and up. Those next tenish miles happened to be at a 60° angle into the sky. Thanks the the heat, which lingered longer than anticipated, we ended up stopping just 4 miles in at an over grown campsite.