Meals were simple. Energy bars or the like for breakfast. Lunch of tortillas and a packet of chicken or peanut butter or the like. Cashews or some sort of gorp for snacks. Freezer bag or freeze-dried dinners. When I am doing miles, I tend to go with simple boil meals.

I got my water along the way. On the Iron Mountain Trail, water was generally available only around the shelters, but they are every 5-6 miles. They were excellent springs and I never bothered to treat the water I drew. Along the AT, I treated water from creeks and continued on. With minimal planning, water is no problem in the region.

The two bigger considerations are weather and horses. You are at 5000 feet for a good chunk of time in Grayson Highlands so expect the weather to to at least 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of southern Virginia. The ponies are cute, but watch them. They are habituated from hikers feeding them and they may try to root around in your food bag or walk right up to you while you cook. They can be a nuisance up close. From a distance, they make for great pictures.