Here I am, sitting next to Watauga Lake outside of Hampton with 5 bars of LTE service so I thought I’d do a little update. The breakfast at Mountain Harbour was definitely as good as people were saying if not better. They had baked eggs, a potato gratin, fruit salad, bacon, sausage, ham, French toast, biscuits and gravy, and a cherry danish. I ate about 3 good plates worth and several cups of coffee. I wish I had my phone with me so I could share some photos. Leaving the b&b was pretty hard that morning, I think we all wanted to stay longer than one night.
I’m sure it was because of the breakfast, but that day I flew over the hills. I wasn’t even hungry during lunch but decided to eat anyway. It was an awesome day with a nice waterfall and warm weather. I could smell the flowers and lots of butterflies were out and about.
The next day we walked by Laurel falls, which was a really nice lunch spot before going into Hampton. No swimming though, apparently there is a really nasty whirlpool.
From the AT there was a one mile trail into Hampton. I walked into town and went into the McDonalds with Tetris, Mumbles and Ptarmigan. It wasn’t the greatest, but it was fun being stared at by locals. After 2nd lunch we did our resupply and walked to a campsite next to Laurel Creek and the town trail. One thing we did pack out was some 24 oz. beers. Once we got to camp we stuck them in the creek so they’d be relatively cold. That and a nice campfire made it a pretty memorable campsite.
I also jumped into the creek which made me feel as clean as after a shower. So far I think this was my favorite town stop. Super cheap but still refreshing and comfortable.
My next post will probably be in Damascus, the first town of Virginia. I’ll either get their Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, we’ll see what happens.
-Orion
Thanks for the quick update. I like seeing picture with people in them. More of you would be good too of course! Take care.
Seems like you’re finding pieces of Heaven on Earth, in so many ways! Great memoir/travelogue. Thanks, & keep posting!
Nice to see how prominently a good breakfast figures into your blog. It makes me hungry and I haven’t been hiking, but I think if I were hiking, I would think about breakfast much of the time. What a beautiful butterfly that was! Keep posting!
So are the spring flowers beginning to bloom on the AT? It seemed so grey when you started 400+ miles ago. Would you say “Spring has sprung”?
In the meadows and by rivers it has, but up on the ridge line it’s still rather bare.
Watch out ahead! Wildfires have closed Skyline drive in Virginia, including twelve miles of the Appalachian Trail from Powell Gap (mile 70) to Doyles River Overlook (mile 82).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/04/19/shenandoah-wildfire-grows-to-3000-acres-shuts-down-12-trails-and-skyline-drive/
See:
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/alerts.htm
They should be out by the time you get there.
Wildfires have closed Skyline drive in Virginia, including twelve miles of the Appalachian Trail from Powell Gap (mile 70) to Doyles River Overlook (mile 82).
We, and many of our friends, are enjoying your narration and pictures. You are doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work. Love, Fuz & Muz
I looked at your butterfly picture and at pictures on the internet. I think it is a Swallowtail Butterfly. Mom