Virginia Blues?

I’m convinced that the nicest people in this great country hail from Virginia. Everyone is friendly. I’d best compare it to going to grandma’s house:

• They want to sit down, have a chat and get to know you- while sharing a snack or a cold beverage.
• They want to know where you’ve been, where you’re going and how you’re planning on getting there.
• They want to give you all their food and get you more.
• They clean, maintain and tidy up the trail to give you the best experience possible.
• They tell you about town- all the highlights and history.
• They encourage you to go out of your way and ‘Get you some Cracker Barrel’. Which is never a bad idea.
• They wish you good luck and to be careful. And genuinely mean it.
• They ask if they need to call any family to let them know you’re ok.
• They want to be updated on your whereabouts and what you’re doing in the future.
• They tell you to come back as soon as you can.
• They offer you cough drops and make you believe it’s candy (Ok, so maybe that was just my grandma).

Virginia is in fact for lovers. They love to love on people and I love it. Looove it!

I heard so much about the Virginia Blues, that I was expecting all of Virginia to be boring. I can only assume that the blues they speak of, are the blue ridges of those gorgeous mountains they’re growing out here.

If I’m being completely honest, the first part of Virginia was a little boring. Especially with having to deal with so much of the s-word. But, as I travel north, the views get better, the trail gets flatter, the weather gets warmer, the bear-talk gets more realistic and the people- man, the people, they want to see you succeed so much they’re practically carrying you up the trail.

It could be the fact that the weather is (dare I say it) turning warmer, but Virginia just gets better and better.

Next is the Shenandoah’s. I don’t know what to expect, but I’ve been promised bears and plenty of side trails to food. If I don’t get either of those, I can say for certain that the people have already made it a great experience.

So join me in a slow clap to honor the great Virginians and their contribution to making this trail what it is!