5/16 Reflections on Shenandoah

13.4 hiked today, 955.2 miles N, 1218.8 miles left
Front Royal Hampton Inn

I had a easy hike into town today. It was only 13 miles of very warm hiking. While I was making breakfast I saw a deer playing around in the shelter water source. I took that as a good sign I should add iodine to my water today. The trail to town did have some serious assents and decsents, 1000' and 500', but the trail construction was so well graded that I hardly noticed them. I saw more dogwoods and columbin near the trail.
Since I have left Shenandoah National Park I thought I should write my reflections. Earlier I wrote "Shenandoah is for Drivers" and I think this was a perfect the statement. Skyline Drive is the main focus of the park and the AT a seond class resident. Rarely did the trail have that immersive natural solitude since the road polluted some much of the areas audio and visual. That being said for people who are not setting out for long hikes this is proably a perfect spot. There are hundreds of miles of trail and one can have a wounderful day hike all over. Lots of places provide stunning summits are just a 30-60 minute hike from the road. In addition there are many places have awsome outlooks where one doesn't need to even get out of their car and I hear one can spot lots of wildlife from their car too.
It was another tough hitch into Front Royal but I finally got to a shopping mall in town. There I picked up lunch and the fixings for Thai Drunken Noddles. Wingheart's RV has a kitchen and plan on taking advatage of that! I got a taxi to the post office to pick up some of my forwarded mail and then to the hotel where I am getting picked up tomrrow. Unfortunatly the hotel, Hampton Inn, cost $120 for smoking room but I sucked it up as it would cost me a lot to get a cab ride back and forth to this spot in this spead out town. My room is very nice even if it is a smoking room. I opened the boxes I picked up and again was reminded my friends rock! I got a great beer from Allison which I I have been lounging around sipping while cleaning up and packing. Thanks!