Collins Chew reporting
We hiked from Braemar over Pond Mountain on the AT to Shook Branch to measure a new relocation near the top of Pond Mountain. The relocation measured 1851 feet long and the entire section ended up 0.1 miles shorter than the guide book distance. We walked about 7 miles including the mile on the blue-blaze trail from Braemar. There were a fair number of wildflowers with Mountain Laurel the showiest. I was also fascinated by the white and pink-flowered shrub at low elevations at both ends. I guess it is Corymbed Spirea. The flower spikes of Galax got the most comments. Some flame azalea was still blooming. Hikers were: Bob Harvey, Lowell Toof, and Collins Chew.