RE: [at-l] short section

["Nicole Markee" <thatgirl@astrogirl.com>]

> Behalf Of W F Thorneloe, MD
> I am planning a short section the 2nd week of March as my high school
> senior and her mom are heading to the Caribbean and I have about 10 days
> available to take a walk. Currently, I am toying with Neel's Gap to
> Franklin, NC. I've considered a trip to Virginia, flying into Dulles and
> getting a ride to a point in NOVA (?Harper's Ferry) and down to I-64 near
> Charlottesville.

OK, I'm a Northern Virginian, so I'll give you some advice.

If you're flying into Dulles, it would be easier to get to Front Royal,
which is also on the trail.  Front Royal is on I-66 -- you're likely to be
able to find a ride from Dulles going down that road.  Harper's Ferry is a
wee tiny place and I don't think you're likely to find folks going that way.
Also, from Dulles, you might be able to find your way Charlottesville and/or
Waynesboro without much difficulty, possibly even via commercial bus
service.

> What sort of weather would be likely in VA in the next 4 weeks? Are there
> services (small stores) convenient to the trail as we have in GA and NC?

It gets darn nice here in the March, but the nights are chilly, especially
in the mountains.  I'd say it could reach 75-80 during the day and drop to
32 during the night.  Last March, our house just about floated away from all
the rain, but the year before that, we got all the rain in the fall.  We are
seriously due for a rainy few weeks, and if we don't get hit before you come
this way, be prepared.

That said, I don't find the storms here to be very spectacular, but I'm from
the midwest where we have real thunderstorms.

-Nicole

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