Day 69 – Catawba Shelter to Daleville 

Clear, humid, going up to 92 degrees.

Up at 6:30. Big day today. Hitting the last 2 spots on the VA Triple Crown. 

We reached Mcafee knob about 9:00. This is one of the most photographed places on the entire AT, and for good reason. 

YouTube video of McAfee Knob.

Roanoke airport from McAfee Knob.

It’s hard to overstate the awe of being on McAfee. It’s spectacular in its own right, but it’s a huge milestone on an AT thru-hike. People have been talking about McAfee since starting in Georgia. We may have take. A few too many pictures, but as you can see it’s worth it!

We left McAfee at 9:30 and headed to Tinkers Cliffs, the last of the triple crown. Stopped at a slow-flowing spring above Campbell Shelter to top off water at 10:10.

Nice views at Tinkers cliffs. Stopped for about 39 minutes and took a break.

YouTube video from Tinkers Cliffs.

Stopped at Lambert Shelter for water at 2:30.

Had a long, nasty hike all afternoon and evening. Hot, rocky, dry, and not fun. We are nursing our water to get to Daleville. We are both tired and hurting. We will be 3 hours late in Daleville.

The dam and reservoir above Roanoke.

Got to Daleville at 8:05. We are too tired to go out to dinner.

Got checked into the Super 8 and walked across the highway to get frozen burritos, snacks, and breakfast at the mini-mart. Showered, ate, attempted to dry clothes, talked to Dana briefly, and was in bed at 10:30.

Good start to the day, but the second half was a brutal death march. And tomorrow looks to be more of the same. We need to figure out how to make our days less painful.

Overkill and I have bonded well over the past week. Between the trail difficulties and the triple crown milestones and other things, we are really helping each other get through the day and make the miles. We talked about it a bit today. I guess we are a tramily of two. 

Technical Notes:

• Pop tarts 370
• Hershey bar 360
• Snickers 250
• Trail mix 210
• Snickers 250
• Trail Mix 210
• Beef stick 90
• Trail Mix 210
• Orange crush x4 840
• Burrito 840
• Hot pockets 590
• Pringles 500
• Water liters 6
• Miles 17.8
• Time 12
• Elevation gain 3789
• Calories consumed 5000
• Calories burned 7000