Numbers
Big Meadows campsite to Byrds Nest #3 hut campsite - 14.4 miles hiked today - 941.2 total AT miles hiked to date.
What a day! We packed up our tents early and headed up to the lodge for breakfast. I had the tall stack of pancakes with the house specialty blackberry topping. A hot meal makes for a great start. Saw my first bear, although it was a stuffed one in the lodge lobby. Ran into Wingnut again, as he was there with his wife.
We hit the trail after breakfast, enjoying moderate climbs along the ridges, with constant and incredible views down into the valley below. I had to stop half a dozen times and just soak in the views before continuing on. The views off of the Franklin Cliffs were particularly breathtaking. By lunchtime we’d reached Skyland resort, where we stopped for burgers. The Shenandoah park offers multiple opportunities to indulge in hot prepared meals all along the trail as it crosses Skyline Drive. So far, we’ve managed to take advantage of several.
After lunch we soldiered on toward our goal for the day, Byrds Nest Hut #3 (no one seems to know what happened to huts 1 & 2). It’s an old stone shelter similar to the one way back in Georgia on Stone Mountain. On the way, we passed the Stony Man Cliffs, Stony Man overlook, and the Pinnacle - all wonderful views from various perspectives. We arrived at the hut late in the day, where I pitched my tent, had dinner, and retired for the evening.
I did want to share a divine appointment that occurred in the afternoon. As I was hiking down from the crest of Stony Man, a man coming up the trail from the other direction with his wife called out “Waymaker! Is that you?” As I stopped, he re-introduced himself. We had met many weeks ago on Humpback mountain as he and his wife were doing a day hike. At the time I’d shared my trail name and it’s origin from the verse in Isaiah (43:19). He had told me then that it was a favorite of his. He and his wife do day hikes on different parts of the AT, and today happened to be hiking the very same section I was on today. He told me that last Sunday in church, his pastor had used this very verse in his sermon. After the service, he stopped the pastor and told him about our encounter. The pastor immediately told him that he would run into me again, and when he did, to give me a blessing. Four days later, here we were. He prayed over me right there on the trail, asking God for protection and for opportunity to show and share God’s glory through word and deed as I encountered others on this journey. With that, he and his wife moved on, and I felt a new vitality and energy as I finished the hike for the day. Truly God works in amazing ways.
Tomorrow we have a 17 mile day planned, requiring an early start.
Until next time…
The signs are all around if you look for them!
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