This morning, I woke up not to a Mt. Rodgers sunrise, but to my wet tent collapsing on top of me in a fierce wind. To everyone’s surprise, a wicked storm rolled over the ridge that brought pretty miserable conditions. I thankfully have my winter gear, but my buddies aren’t so lucky as theirs is waiting in Damascus.
We hightailed it out of the Grayson Highlands to get to more shelter and lower, warmer ground.
By lunchtime, the wind had died down and the skies cleared just in time for me to get great views from Whitetop Mtn and Buzzard Rock. 
Sometimes it pays to be the slow one in the group as my friends crossed this ridge when it was still foggy and rainy.
By evening, I knew I was nearing Damascus (one of the biggest milestone towns on the AT besides Harpers Ferry) when I walked for a mile or two along the Virginia Creeper.
This famous bike path was a walk down memory lane as I remember riding it as a kid with my family and my dad pointing out the white blazes of the AT on this bridge. Even in elementary school, the wheels were already turning about pulling off a thru hike one day. Who knew it would be on behalf of Holston!
The section hikers in camp have cooked a steak for dinner and can’t finish it-time for a hiker feast!