62. Wytheville, Virginia

Day 62:  Saturday, August 22, 1981
Damascus to Wytheville:  63 miles

After our 80-mile day yesterday, we were worn out.  Jack awoke at 8:00, but Choo Choo and I didn't want to.  Jack and I tried the Gateway Restaurant for breakfast.  It was nothing to rave about.  We finally made it out of town about 10:00.

Choo Choo takes a break

We've already crossed the Appalachians!  It didn't take nearly as long as crossing the Rockies.  Most of the terrain today was rolling, with gentle grades - even though the hills were still a lot bigger than you'll ever see in Michigan.  We had a seven-mile climb this morning, but it was the easiest climb of that length on the trip.

Name these flowers!

The route parallels the eastern side of the Appalachian range up to Roanoke, then heads back southeast.  Jack and I are at a KOA tonight.  We paid $3.90 each for a campsite - the highest ever on the trip.  Choo Choo had said this morning that she would stop at Rural Retreat tonight - she probably didn't leave Damascus until noon.

Rural Retreat's railroad station, long unused

Jack fixed a real conglomeration for supper tonight.  We stopped at a produce market and picked up three green peppers, six pears, eight nectarines, and three ears of corn for $1.87.  So Jack combined the peppers, corn, an onion, some tomato sauce, a pound of sausage (the store was out of hamburger), and some Minute Rice.  The sausage was terrible.