Bad DNA & Sweet Magnolia, Blue Ridge Parkway
This is a crazy stretch of trail that seems to play tag with the BRP far too much. Sweet Magnolia and I lunched at Wilson Creek, and found a hiking groove in the afternoon where we tagged the Parkway at Black Horse Gap (tourists gave us some soft drinks), again at Taylors Mtn (local couple asked Trail/Hike questions and offered diet cokes), yet again at Montvale Overlook with a biker from PA having dinner. We did finally manage Bobblet's Gap Shelter as the sunlight faded completely. It was a bit dirty, but the water was great.
A joy to meet Rainbow Rocker and Dannie B at the shelter. They were older hikers. Although they were both from towns near one another in PA, they weren't hiking as a couple. Very different, and very accepting, styles. Rainbow was a chain smoker. Amazingly, I'd say more than 5% of the remaining hikers were heavy smokers. Anyone who tells you a smoker can't pound miles is -- well, quite wrong. Rainbow has brilliant tie-dye T's for hiking. No mistaking when he's around. Dannie B was a direct decendent of Daniel Boone (hence the trail name); in her upper 60s. Very different people -- very easy to be with.
The liner in my shorts HAS to go. Chaffing. Didn't sleep well in the shelter. Maybe Rainbow's Zzzzs. The man can saw logs. Maybe the bugs. Cold from the sweat, even with the poncho liner? Not sure. Could have used the tent. Should use it more, I suppose. Why else haul it up and down the PUDs?
M=18.7;C=721.1