Pass Mountain Hut to Manassas Gap Shelter---May 19th

Up and logging miles early in the fog.  It was threatening rain until noon, but the worst I got was a few sprinkles.  In the afternoon the sun broke through the clouds and, to the delight of all hikers who've been in this rainy section, it decided to stick around for the remainder of the day instead of ducking behind another bank of storm clouds.  One added benefit of so much rain over the last five days is that drinking water is not a problem with any assortment of springs and streams found on or next to the trail.
Thank goodness that the vast majority of tread today wasn't stony.  My toe held up, but it was banged by sticks a few times, the kind that while you're walking, you step on with one foot, which holds the twig firmly to the ground and changes its angle to meet the second foot which is striding through.  Anyone who has spent a significant time hiking in the woods will understand of what I speak.  The sharp pain which shot through the toe was enough to bring forth some cursing and hobbling. 
It was late afternoon when I said my goodbyes to Shenandoah National Park.  I shall always remember it as being the wettest time on the trail, which sadly precluded nearly all of the views.  Struggling through such inhospitable weather helped me realize that, if necessary, I was capable of handling the rain while still putting in the miles.  At times it was difficult, but not nearly anything that would make me abandon my goal of completing the trail.  Just a different type of hiking really, one that makes you stronger as you rise to meet the challenge.  I hoped that turning my back on the park was also symbolic of leaving the clouds behind, that I'd be graced with better weather ahead.
Already at over thirty miles of ground covered by the time I reached Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, I decided to go another five to the next one.  Half of that distance would be a dip down to Va. 55 at Manassas Gap before climbing an equal distance back up to where I'd finally be able to rest for the night.  In hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I would make on the trip because I had my first and best bear sighting.  On the ascent out of Manassas Gap, I saw a big, healthy-looking, mama black bear and her three cubs dashing up the rocks away from me and the stream they had been drinking at.  Unfortunately, they'd disappeared into the woods before I could even think about getting my camera out.  I'll just have to live with the memory stored in the old grey matter. :-)
When I pulled in at Manassas Gap Shelter there was plenty of room.  A section hiker with his huffing bulldog and a female thru-hiker from New Zealand were the only others occupying the space beneath the roof.  They were pretty amazed by the distance I'd travelled today, but I said it wasn't much compared to a 23-year-old hiker I'd been playing leapfrog with for most of the day.  He'd done 50 out of Damascus.  As if on cue, the moment I said this, Lemur arrived.  As soon as he'd taken a place at the picnic table, he asked, "Will, how far did we go today?"  "Over thirty seven.", I replied.  Rummaging in his tiny pack, he withdrew his Thru-Hikers' Companion to confirm the mileage.  "Thirty seven point two!", he cried excitedly. "If I make it to Rod Hollow, I'll have my second fifty."  All three of us thought he was trying to be funny, but as he placed the book back in his pack, stood up and headed out, the laughter was replaced with the shocked expressions of three people who were totally gobsmacked.  For Pete's sake, it was getting dark already.  I couldn't imagine night hiking on the rockier sections of trail.  With my night vision, I'd be sure to sprain an ankle.  I was definitely staying put!

Leaving Shenandoah Behind Me