Waynesboro, VA

I have arrived in Waynesboro, VA after a long haul from Pearisburg. I have been pushing some pretty long days to get here. If you look at a topographic map of Virginia, you can see ridge after ridge going across the state. That is exactly what I have been hiking through. There were three or four days ascending and descending ridgelines...no water up top and farmland in the valleys. It is really pretty though. One of the places I hit while crossing this terrain is McAfee Knob, an iconic high point of the AT. It is an incredible view from these flat cliffs far off into the distance, and 100 pictures still wouldn't do it justice (even though I took lots).

I have hiked with a few others since getting back on the trail but still haven't caught the group I was with before. I know they are only a couple days ahead though. I will hopefully catch them and hike for a few days and eventually move on. Every shelter on the AT has a "trail log" you can write in, so I am able to see the notes of many ahead of me. They are fun to read and sometimes hysterical.

Since hitting the trail again I have seen 5 more bears. At one point, I was climbing a high peak, came up to a flat spot, and a huge black bear was in front of me walking the trail north. I made some noise and he trampled off around the turn. I came around the curve, and there he was again. I picked up a few rocks and yelled, but he kept moving up the trail. For the next 45 minutes I followed him up the mountain. He was even hiking the sharp curves of the trail. Finally I heard him move off up ahead. It was intense but funny to see such a big animal hiking the trail.

Tonight in town I'm in a Super 8 hotel with 5 others in a room: "fish hook", "meatloaf", "super bubba", and a young couple "whittler" and "scout" with their dog olive. The room is crammed with gear and people, but no one cares. I had Cracker Barrel for dinner and a resupply at Wal-Mart. I think I could walk through Wal-Mart for hours and not get bored...

Leaving Waynesboro means the start of Shenandoah National Park, a one hundred mile section of beautiful mountains and very tame wildlife (so I've heard). I'm looking forward to it. I should be out of VA in a week or so. Though it's pretty, I am ready for a new state.

If you interested in mailing something, here are two addresses I will be stopping by.

Jeff McKnight
C/O General Delivery
Rouzerville, PA 17250

Please Hold For AT Hiker
ETA July 18, 2011

-It is a post office, so FedEx and UPS cannot be delivered there...

Another is:

Jeff McKnight
7 North Market Street
Duncannon, PA 17020

Please Hold For AT Hiker
ETA July 22, 2011

See you on the other side of the Shenies!