My Sweetie is Back! Atkins VA

I'm in a hurry to get to Canada before winter, but with Spirit just back I am not wanting to start in on a multi-day section today. Instead we spend most of the day together and I just hike a short 11.5 mile piece to the next road crossing and we get back together again.

There are zillions of hikers. Over the past week it seems the number just keeps climbing. I see dozens today but do not recognize any of them.
I must have caught up with a big wave from early on. They got the full experience of an early start this year with rain, snow and ice storms, and then the noro virus outbreak. My hike has been comparatively easy, other than the difference in daily miles. 

I hear second hand that the flooded streams rose higher after I went through and the foot bridge below Wise Shelter was under water and uncrossable. The water looked pretty horrific when I went through but was still below the bridge. Apparently the hikers found a different route out for the story to have made it to Marion. The Appalachian Trail does have far more options to hike out a side road and call for a shuttle than do the other trails. Yesterday that would have been a great option for those above the bridge, assuming the story is accurate. 

Today the weather was much better with only occasional thunderstorms. Even so with the ground soaked and creeks high, the National Weather Service reissued Flood Advisories. I got to swap out my failing rain gear for the DriDucks that had been in the RV at the Charlotte airport for two weeks, along with my waterproof boots. They performed well today, at least in the moderate rain. Maybe being cold and wet is behind me?