Advice for a Trail Days section hike?

[Greenlight]

I'd posted earlier on my upcoming section hike in May, but though I'd throw this out there for people with trail knowledge. I've taken vacation days from work from May 13th thru the 22nd. I want to hike into Trail Days and spend at least one full day there, possibly two, and then hike on north. On the May 23rd, as serendipity would have it, I'm to attend a conference that my employer will pay for, and they'll also pick up the cost of my travel back home.

My question for the group is...where should I start from? I'm thinking Roan Mountain, but is that too little mileage? I think I'll be able to do 12 to 15 miles per day, and I don't want to be late to the conference. If I'm behind on mileage, I'll simply skip Trail Days and keep hiking, maybe only spending a couple of hours there...

Does that sound reasonable to y'all?

[FrogLevel]

You could start in Hampton (at Watauga Lake) and hike to Damascus, do trail days, and then on to the Grayson Highlands. Easily doable in your time frame and lots of shuttle and parking options available.

[Greenlight]

I'll look at that. Thanks!

[2NewKnees]

That's a really cool section. I did that many years ago. Stayed at The Place. Sure there won't be any room there for trail days. Fun trip!

[mattjv89]

Worth noting that if you leave Trail Days on Sunday you will walk out of town with a very large bubble of thru hikers so best leave Saturday if that would be a drag. Or take the Iron Mountain Trail out of town which is quiet but way less of a sight to see than Grayson Highlands.

[Greenlight]

Thanks newknees and matt. As long as I can get food, all is good. I won't mind being in the bubble, in fact, the reason I'm going to TD this year is that I'm skipping it on my thru (probably 2 years out), to get more miles in. This year, I want the whole package; the sights, sounds, smells, friends, experiences, everything. I'll be hanging my hammock so full hostels and shelters won't bother me a bit. I'm going to plan this out to the best of my ability, realizing that it won't go as planned. I've learned that much in life so far! So I'm going to get to my start point and walk. If I get behind for my conference, I'll get a ride. If somehow I get ahead, I'll hike right into Pearisburg and grab a shuttle or thumb a ride. I'm having my "conference clothes" and technology FedEx'd to the hotel so all I have to do is get there.

Imagine if you will, me, walking into the hotel foyer with my pack on, stinking of DEET, back sweat and rotten shrimp, announcing that I have a reservation.

Or maybe I'll be nice and shower at the local truck stop first.

[Tennessee Viking]

Usually most thrus are past Damascus but come back just for Trail Days. But you might see campsites and shelters fill up from Trail Day traffic.

You are really not missing much from Watauga Lake to Damascus as in scenery. The better scenery is north of Damascus.

Check with Hostels and shuttle services to see if they shuttling to Trail Days.

You are not missing too much with Trail Days. Drinking/partying all hours of the night. Hearing the sounds of people farting in their tents throughout Tent City.

[Greenlight]

Thanks Viking, and the others who have responded. Since this is probably the only Trail Days I'll attend, and I want this outing to be as much about meeting people as putting in miles, I'm fine with the party atmosphere and tent farts (LOL) so long as I make my conference in Blacksburg on time...

This is what I want my life to be for the next 30 years. I burned the past 30 denying myself the trail. But I can't thru for a couple more years. I'm getting more involved with my local trail groups but the AT has a big draw on me. I want to do this TD in 2017, then focus my energy on triple crowning before I'm 60. I'll be fully retired a couple of years before that, but we'll see where that leads.

Usually most thrus are past Damascus but come back just for Trail Days. But you might see campsites and shelters fill up from Trail Day traffic.

You are really not missing much from Watauga Lake to Damascus as in scenery. The better scenery is north of Damascus.

Check with Hostels and shuttle services to see if they shuttling to Trail Days.

You are not missing too much with Trail Days. Drinking/partying all hours of the night. Hearing the sounds of people farting in their tents throughout Tent City.

[Gambit McCrae]

Trail days 3 years ago I did cross mountain to Damascus, got to Damascus about 2 pm. Wasn't for me so I went home. Bunch of bearfoot dancing and looked like a gear trade show.