Plan for today: Easy miles into Damascus. Should be all ridge walking in a generally downward direction.

Walked through a section where a bear seems to have taken up residency at a shelter. Made for a little bit of tension. We had to get water there, so Turmeric and Torch guarded our packs while Buckeye Boy and I went down for water. No bear sighting today though, which is good.

Crossed from Tennessee into Virginia today, which is the fourth state on this journey. We’ll stay here in VA for quite a while now.

Strange feeling walking into a town you know already. A lot more empty though.

Did a crappy resupply at DG, which hasn’t been restocked since traildays. No flour tortillas and no hot chocolate will make for sad meals.

Noticed the mesh on the back of my backpack ripping. Asked at the outfitter what to do about this, they said they’d ask Osprey about that.

Choice of town food today was Subway (two footlongs).

To get back to Warrens place we got two hitches out of town. Damon took us halfway there, then Debbie got her pickup truck and drove us the last two miles. She let us ride in the back, a welcome first.

Back at Warrens place we got into our familiar bunkhouse and went to bed.