Day 80 - Sunday, June 9, 1974 - Mosby Leanto to Three Springs Leanto

25.0 miles - 682.4 cumulative miles

We woke up around 6AM and started hiking about 7:30.  There were rats around the shelter, but fortunately I didn't see them.  No problem.

Manassas Gap Shelter - mid morning break

Hiked through some real nice woods and then onto the roads.  Got to Linden, VA.  Quiet Sunday morning.  Hiked up the road a ways when a couple of older ladies stopped and tried to offer us a ride.  They were PATC (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) members going out to work on the trail.  Hiked through a short section in woods off the road.  Then back on the roads and to a fire tower.  Then down the road.

Fire Tower

It was hot and sunny and dusty and just generally rotten hiking.  Not crazy about road walking.  It was easy, though.  We made good time and got to Ashby Gap at about 1:30-2:00.  There we ate at a snack bar. For about 2 miles or so just before the gap there was a section where a landowner had put up signs saying "This is not the Appalachian Trail", etc. and he had painted out the blazes.  It is a public road, but it seems that he is just trying to keep hikers out of the area.

View from the fire tower

Continued on at 3PM and hiked up hard surface roads (the previous 8 miles or so were gravel).  Got to Three Springs shelter which is on a short loop trail off of the road.  No familiar names here.