Brad-O-Meter: the Road to Damascus, VA

My brother Brady has made it to Damascus, Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. The last day on the trail to Damascus he and his buddies hiked 39 miles. I don't know why they couldn't have gone a full 40 -- what a bunch of wussies! After 460 miles of hiking, he's still enjoying the walk:
"Another thing I can't complain about is the absolutely beautiful scenery over the past few weeks. From the high southern balds--rolling mountains capped by sprawling meadows and peppered with black boulders--, to the refreshing ravines and gorges that play host to roaring waterfalls, to the undulating open countryside from which a given vista might include the gray remains of an old farm in the foreground with the pastoral and idyllic Appalachian hamlet lying in the valley below, my surroundings continually impress me with their beauty."

I sent him some tasty trail food from REI, so hopefully he picked that up in Damascus and will enjoy some new food.