We got up extra early this morning because we had a lot of miles to cover and lots of car shuttles. The first drop was my car in Zoar. The second was the Eckerts’ car in Malvern.
One guy in Malvern came up to us to chat while we were staging our cars. He’d hiked a chunk of the AT and knew about the NCT, but said no one else in Malvern knew it ran through the town. Typical!
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Making Our Way Back to Zoar
Today’s trek was almost entirely on roads. We had a few HUGE climbs in the morning, then hit the town of Waynesburg around our snack time. We bought some treats at a gas station, used the restroom, then enjoyed our snack at the adjacent ice cream parlor. It wasn’t open yet, but had lots of outdoor seating inside a tented area. That was great, as the temps were cool and it was windy out.
The next leg was to the town of Magnolia. We scored big again here. The Magnolia Bank had a pavilion with benches next to it, so we enjoyed lunch there. Then the bank president came outside, offered to take a group picture and let us use the restrooms inside the bank. How kind!
Long End to the Day
The last section was a long trek back to Zoar. At one point, I thought I’d dropped my AirPods a ways back. Amy offered to get them while I hiked on. Turns out they were in my backpack. Oops!
We made it back to Zoar at the day’s end, passing the primitive camp we were scheduled to stay in the previous two nights. We’d bailed, due to the freezing temps and rain. Good choice! It was very primitive.
Tonight we’re tucked away at Fireside Lake Campground. It will be a little chilly, but not freezing. The owners bought the place recently and are fixing it up, as it had been in a lot of disarray. They are very kind and accommodating!
Snowshoe
Ohio NCT miles today: 19 (30.6 km)
Ohio NCT miles to date: 957.9 (1,541.6 km)
Total NCT miles to date: 3,805.6 (6,124.5 km)
Total NCT miles to go: 794.4 (1, km)
Most useful gear today: This thick (but light) sponge, which I placed between my backpack and lower back. It kept the backpack from digging into my back.
