They say Virginia is flat… Having just climbed from 1,300 ft to 4,000 ft, I can say that is a lie! This statement is usually made in conjunction with the knowledge that people state to push more than 20+ mile days in Virginia, I would contend that more miles come with better fitness, more efficient camp set up/pack setup and longer days. Also, my personal experience has been that there are really rocky and rooty sections that slow me down more than a vertical climb would at this point. With that said, Virginia has seemed to have longer flat sections that the previous state I have gone through so far. I am a little over 800 miles in and can definitely feel my ability to push longer miles still improving. No longer are my feet covered in tape, my muscles aren’t as sore, and even thought my feet ache at the end of a long day, the pain is quickly forgotten in the morning. Today I will end at the Priest shelter and tomorrow I look forward to the Devils backbone Brewery.
