Optional extended hike: For an overnight trip, continue as the AT descends to the lower ridge of Catawba Mountain and into Catawba Valley, crosses toward North Mountain, and traces Tinker Mountain to the east. These miles have limited views and even fewer water sources or exit options than the adjacent stretches of the AT.

At 0.6 mi. beyond McAfee Knob, the AT reaches Pig Farm campsite, equipped with picnic tables, a fire grate, and views of Roanoke Valley to the right. Beyond the camp area 0.1 mi. is Campbell Shelter, which sleeps up to six. There is water available here from a nearby spring. If you opt for the two-day excursion, the next exit points are 3.1 mi. beyond the Campbell Shelter, where an old road leads left approximately 2 mi. to VA 779, and at Scorched Earth Gap (6.1 mi. from McAfee Knob). Here, the yellow-blazed Andy Layne Trail leads left 2.3 mi. to VA 779 and a small overnight parking area. The water sources throughout this section are scattered and unreliable. Be sure to pack plenty of fluids.

Hiking in the spring is glorious, but there is a substantial risk that you will catch whatever seasonal virus it is that drives people to think they should hike all the way from Georgia to Maine. This insidious disease has a long incubation—so long that you may think you have escaped. However, here are some symptoms that may precede the onset:

The victims (you or a loved one) start collecting maps and guidebooks.

They ask everyone they meet about tents, Gore-Tex, and water filters.

They start introducing themselves by a funny new name.

They insist on knowing the weight, to the nearest gram, of everything they buy.

They don't like their 100% cotton underwear and socks anymore.

They develop an obsessive interest in weather, day length, elevation gains and losses, and how far they can hike in one day.

The most severe form of this syndrome was first described in 1948, but it was rare until the 1960s. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas succumbed in 1958. By 1982 there were 1000 cases on record; that number doubled in only 7 years. In the 1990s it became a major epidemic, with thousands coming down with it each year.

The virus respects neither age, sex, physical handicap, nor nationality. An 86-year-old got it in 1975, and a 6-year-old got it just 5 years later. Some people get it several times, and many victims write books about their struggles.

Several dogs and at least one cat have fallen prey to it. More men than women suffer from the disease, but, as with many other conditions, women are catching up. The causative agent has not been identified; there is some evidence of a tiny parasite that burrows through brain tissue, causing major behavioral changes but minor permanent damage.

No remedy has been found; victims harbor the ailment for the rest of their lives and seem to be highly infectious. However, many victims can lead lives that are surprisingly close to normal if they can acknowledge their affliction and get the hiking done, either all at once or in sections. Many self-help books are available, and support groups exist in some communities.