Black & Blue

No not me, but this area is known as the Virgina Blues and I would add Black to that. Black as in black out, no cell service at all anywhere at all ever.

Virgina is about 500 miles or approximately 24% of the entire trek. Statistically most who started will not make it beyond Virginia and mostly for psych reasons although physical problems definitely arise and/or persist.

The area I'm in, at the bottom of the Jefferson (named after Thomas) Nat'l Forest is actually a type of rain forest caused by the northern facing triangular shaping of the mountains trapping the weather/moisture as it were.

Indeed, unlike yall up north it has rained almost every day for the last 7 or at least misted. I wonder if this may explain some  reason for "The Virginia Blues". 

I'm guessing there are many factors others being lack of social activity, walking virtually everyday, monotony, lack of realized "goals" if one entered the journey with some percieved expectation, there's no milestones for 500 miles etc 

I've run into this nice young man several times but can't remember his trail name. He actually picked up (bought) this 7 1/2 week old boxer in Damascus and has been carrying it since. I give him credit but wonder.

I came across yet another kind of privy, this one's really nice and apparently the newest type; a composting privy. I was sure you would not want to be left out of the loop.

One other note about this privy, it too uses "duff". 

Duff!!! My friend Duff, via Marissa, is sending me a fav dish; cauliflower rice with curry, yum yummy in my tummy. Between the duff and scotty in the privy my buds just keep on turnin up.

Can you spot the critter?

Beautiful:

Ever been in a 1 room schoolhouse?

I hadn't

Incredible trail magic,

Interesting student rules, lashes hmmmm???

Hmmmm teacher rules???

Why the timeframe?

More scenery:

Still getting txts, emails, IMs and friendly facebook msges, all and every greatly appreciated. This daily walk is a tremendous blessing with great challenge but far more reward. 

God bless,

Sparky