April 24
End: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles: 37.2
Total: 2627.1
Metro North and his friend were not planning on hiking big miles, but I was. After taking time off to visit home I was ready to hit the trail again for a full day, so I left the shelter early.
After the first few morning hours I was snaking around the Blue Ridge Parkway, usually hiking right next to it. There were plenty of good views to be had, and I enjoyed the chance to be near a road while still being in a mountainous environment.
The trail was fairly easy, with few climbs. I made the day a little more difficult by losing the trail on some forsaken forest road. By the time I realized my mistake, I was far below the trail, and had to bush whack straight up a steep hill, slipping and sliding down the entire time.
Eventually the trail spent some time away from the parkway, and I walked along the sides of a few mountains, even climbing to the tops of a few. I found small piles of snow left by the storms which I had missed during my break from the trail.
I saw a large sphere atop a mountain, but assumed that I would never climb to that height. Little did I know that the trail would soon make a turn and ascend Apple Orchard Mountain to that very spot. I got to see The Guillotine there before traversing the last bit of trail before Thunder Hill Shelter, where I met Socrates and saw Tommy Lee Jones again.
I had covered significant ground and arrived before dark, making for a successful day. Cooking up dinner and sleeping were the only two remaining things on my schedule, and they were accomplished by the time the sun set.
