AT Section; Southwest Virginia

(Dec. 31, 2011 - Jan. 2, 2012; Dragon's Tooth to US220; 29 miles) Blustery days, knee-deep leaves, heavy packs, steep hills, frigid nights, warm sunny logs, blinding stars, hurricane rains, gourmet fare, gun fire at midnight, smooth artisan rye, clueless burger clerks, snow-squalls in the sun, empty shelters, exquisitely maintained tread, Starbucks for the road.............another fine section hike in the southwest Virginia highlands; slowly inching toward the state AT quest. Although this time around with good friends and carefree logistics. Thanks to the SSW Crew for one of the most enjoyable sections so far and for the photo on McAfee Knob!

Epic Trek in SNP

This year's post-Thanksgiving Day hike was an "Epic" 17-miler in SNP courtesy of the Silver Spring Wanderer. I was still in a food coma from the day before and not even having my camera along, I can't possibly add to the description or photography, so check out her post for all of the details. It was a great hike and a perfect day to be in the woods.

Fall Wrap Up On Old Rag

The 2011 ORMS season was a bit more eventful for me this year. I got to participate in my very first medical carry out in June (a head injury on the saddle trail); got to bring along my oldest son on July 4 for some rappelling (yes, Dad really doesn't goof off when he is on his ORMS patrols); another carry-out from the summit in October (an ankle injury); and a really spectacular fun day this past weekend to wrap things up.

The weekend started on Saturday morning ascending the ridge trail with Bob L. With the volume of traffic on a peak fall weekend like this (the parking lot was full), the only thing to do is take it easy, enjoy the sights, interact with the people as much as possible an don't be in a big hurry. Luckily there were no medical calls so we didn't need to rush and once on top, it was a training session with Chad practicing ascending and descending techniques and learning the intricacies of doing change overs from one to the other. Essential skills for rescue situations.



Sunday was our fun day with two climbing stations and an overhead zip line from the summit across a ravine on the saddle side. I had heard this was an ORMS specialty and I was glad to finally have a chance to give it a try. The first time was a bit scary and somewhat taxing for the sphincter ani externus but after that first run, you really can't get enough of this. What a cool smooth ride! I could do this for hours!


Click on the pictures for a larger image. Thanks Anne R. for catching those last two shots and for the push off Chad. And thanks to the Lead Stewards (Chad, Ben, and Jeremy) and all of the ORMS crew for the training, comradery, and support this season.

"Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting......."

No, a bit further south. That's the west face of South Mtn looking toward Annapolis Rock but it did seem a bit dream-like after one of the earliest snow falls on record. We had a little under four inches down in the low lands but the ridge got about a foot. Not bad considering we haven't even had a good killing frost yet. Here's the view going up US-40 toward the Frederick Co. line (click for larger images)



The AT was closed at many places until up past the leaf line. But the whole way I was pelted with fall out. Some of the globs were the size of snow balls.



All in all it was a fine morning to be in the woods.

Debut of Miss Rock

I had the opportunity to help out with a scout function yesterday. It was a wonderful day to be in the woods and an added benefit was being able to take the number one daughter on her very first rappelling/climbing exercise. I was a little apprehensive since this was her first time doing anything outside with any risk associated with it. Needless to say, all turned out well and she had a blast. Once she got over that first step off on the first rappel, she was hooked. After doing this several times she moved over to the climbing stations and conquered those as well. Way to go sweetie ! I think we finally have a trail handle for you; Miss Rock !

Breezy Fall Day on Annapolis Rock

It has really been an unusually busy summer and fall. So much so that posting has been sparse to say the least. I've had some opportunities to help out with BSA climbing, check out some of the classic routes on Annapolis Rock, and do some patrols with the ORMS, but there has been little time to do much posting. I also completely missed doing another leg of my AT in Virginia series. Of course that means that I will have to make time to do a much longer leg next year in order to get back on schedule.


Today was different. I had the chance to spend the whole day with the number one daughter since the wife and boys were involved with band activities. We decided to do our normal up and back hike to Annapolis Rock, and since we were in the neighborhood she had the opportunity to check out her brother's geocache for the first time. The cache was in good shape and we were surprised to see from the log book that someone had been there earlier today.


There are some interesting parallels between Annapolis Rock and Old Rag Mtn. Both suffer from being easily accessible and thus are loved to death by the crowds particularly in the fall when the leaf color comes on. Unlike Old Rag though, the crowds are a bit more sedate on AR, and I would assume a lot of that is due to the fact that the PATC keeps a ridge-runner camped out there for most of the busy season. Of all of the times I've been up there I've only seen the Maryland DNR police once and that was for a rowdy group of college kids a few years back.


The parking lot was full and there were lines on both shoulders of US-40. And yet we didn't see many folks on the rocks, and surprisingly there were no rock climbers there, so many of these must have been doing point-to-points elsewhere on the AT. We did run into a SOBO thru-hiker. We didn't catch his name but he said he left Maine in June and he seemed to have an Australian accent. I hope he makes it to GA before the holidays.

Trooper Is Off To Philmont With Crew 719-H2

Well the big day finally arrived this past Sunday. Trooper boarded a train in Martinsburg WV with his crew for the trip out to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. This culminates a full spring of training that began on Martin Luther King weekend and ended last Wednesday. The regimen included weekend day hikes and overnighters, and the Wednesday evening run up to Annapolis Rock each week as well as instruction on backpacking techniques and Leave-No-Trace principles. I am sure the guys of Crew 719-H2 will have a blast out there.

They will be doing trek number-14 and the Philmont Explorer has the full day-by-day itinerary as well as links to camp descriptions, elevation profiles, and maps. I can't wait to hear the stories and see the photos. This is day three so they should be at Urraca Camp by now; nearly 8000 ft, with the forecast calling for low 50's and scattered showers tonight. Hunker down guys and enjoy that sweet mountain air while the rest of us bake in the heat wave.

Major Hang Time

I was very privileged recently to be trained as a BSA Climbing Instructor by the fine folks over in the Shenandoah Area Council in VA. Part of the pay-back is helping out with their weekend climbing activities. This past Saturday, they had a rappelling station set-up from a fire truck for their spring camporee. After we were done with the scouts, the Luray FD guys on duty took it out to 80 ft. and we had the chance to get some serious air. Wow! Even though I prefer rock, this definitely was an exelerating experience.

Adventures in Geocaching

Trooper was finally able to place his hide for the final requirement of his Geocaching merit badge. Now all he has to do is maintain it for six months. Although the concept of geocaching is fairly simple, to place a cache correctly, especially on public land, takes some time. First off, they are not allowed on Federal property so that rules out national parks, battlefields, etc. Since the AT corridor is technically Federal land, that is off limits too. Luckily the corridor in Maryland is fairly narrow in most areas so we were able to do a placement just a little off trail on state land.

To make a hide on state land, one needs to get permission from the Maryland State Department of Natural Resources. In our area, this is done through the local South Mountain Recreation Area office. This was fairly uneventful but it took longer than expected since our first location, although well off the trail, just happened to be on a parcel of PATC-owned land (read Federal AT corridor). So we had to pick another location. Since Annapolis Rock is one of our favorite places for local hikes, we decided on another area well off trail but still in the general vicinity. So we can monitor the hide while doing our normal hikes in the area.

The real fun began with registering the cache on Geocaching.com. Trooper was due in for some elective surgery and the last thing we did before going to the hospital was to register the coordinates. This process is not immediate and requires approval by someone at Geocaching.com. We didn't give it much thought since we didn't want to place the hide until we had an official "GC" number (so we could write it on the container), and we figured they would grant permission and let us know by email before making it go live to the public.

Much to our surprise, official approval didn't take long and there is a whole fanatical community of geocachers out there who are into "first-to-find" (FTF) status. These guys are on standby for word of a new cache so they can launch and be the first to run out and find it. Needless to say after returning from the hospital, there were several emails in Trooper's in box from not so happy geocachers wondering where it was. Someone was kind enough to take the listing off line temporarily until we could get it placed.

It is now out there and doing well. We've received notice of the first four finds and most folks seem to like the location and adventure of going off trail well away from local roads. To find this cache you have to be willing to go almost all the way to Annapolis Rock.

We don't intend to give away any more hints or make it any easier on folks other than the fact that the name of the cache is "Stump-in-Rocks", that's STUMP, as in "tree stump": situated in a "bolder field", as in ROCKS and it is a bit down hill from the Annapolis Rock spring. Keep in mind too that this area is very special so Leave-no-Trace principles are very important. Please don't walk through the spring area. Also remember that this area will be well grown in by mid-season and is well watered so expect all kinds of hazards ranging from twisted ankles to poisonous snakes. And if you want to see an interesting cross-section of some of our fellow geocachers, read the visit logs, they are a real hoot!

More Springs in Maryland

We were out for another Philmont training hike with the crew yesterday (PenMar to Wolfsville Rd, ~10 miles). Brilliant sunshine, comfortable temperatures; overall an excellent day to be out in the woods. Had some difficulty with a couple of stream crossings due to the recent rains and Trooper even took a brief dip. Luckily we were able to keep moving so no hypothermia and he walked himself dry.

Collected another shot of a spring, this one just south of the tent sites near the Cowall shelter. This is a dipping spring protected by a masonry overhang. The flow is not overly obvious since a large step stone in the front holds back the flow and it seems to percolate into the rocks below. I've seen ample water here in the middle of August so it should still be reliable.

I guess this means that I will now have to collect shots and GPS coordinates of all of the water sources on the Maryland AT.

Earth Juice

Trooper needed another Philmont training hike so we hit the AT in Maryland for an 8.5 mile point-to-point from Wolfsville Rd. south to the US-40 parking lot. The day was cool and breezy and the ridge of South Mtn was shrouded in clouds. We started off at the Wolfsville Rd. trail head and after climbing to the ridge we were in the mist until just before the Pogo campground. This was excellent hiking weather, and as long as we kept moving, there was little chance of getting chilled. The mist was thick at times, and the salivating trees provided their own mini rain showers but overall we stayed fairly dry and didn't need the rain gear. Things cleared out by lunch time and we took a long break snacking at Pogo where we field tested a new very low-tech alcohol stove (topic of a future post).

Sitting there I started to think about just how lucky we are to have some really great water sources on this section of trail. The AT in Maryland is just over 40 miles in length and consists mostly of ridge running, but the water sources are numerous (both natural springs and faucets at several MD state park facilities along the way). My two favorite natural springs are at Pogo and Annapolis Rock. Great sources of cool, pure Earth Juice.



The Pogo spring is not piped and has moderate flow that is very consistent throughout the year even in periods of drought. It is located just off the AT along the Thurston Griggs access trail. Since Pogo is nestled in a small hollow, the spring's location seems fairly normal.



On the other hand the Annapolis Rock spring is almost a two inch fire hose and is practically on the ridge line! This spring has incredible flow all the time and is a true marvel. You really have to wonder what the subterranean geology is like to support this type of thing. It is sort of like an inverted artesian well. The pressures must be enormous.



We also had time to stop off at Black Rock before proceeding south to Annapolis Rock. Black Rock is the major outcrop that you can see from east-bound I-70 as you approach the base of South Mountain. The view up to Annapolis Rock is blocked from the highway by a small ridge. Unfortunately this whole section of the AT on South Mtn from Pogo to just before US-40 is plagued by noise from the Mason-Dixon Dragway. The noise is especially bad this time of year when the air is dense and bare trees fail to muffle the noise. However the views generally make up for the noise but if you intend to camp along this section of the trail on the weekends, it would be best to plan to stay just north of Pogo or south of US-40 or just stick to week nights.

An Early Spring Morning on Annapolis Rock

Out for a quick out-and-back to Annapolis Rock this morning. Trooper needed to get out for a training hike (his Philmont crew started their training hikes last Monday) and the daughter wanted to come along for some geocaching. Trooper also needed coordinates for his merit badge cache requirement so we had to recon a few spots. Now it will be up to the Maryland DNR office to grant permission for the hide.

Close Encounters with Technology

I always seem to be the last kid on the block with it comes to new technologies particularly new electronics and it hasn't been any different when it comes to GPS units. I've always been a map-and-compass kinda of guy and I remember back to the old days when civilian signal degradation made it not really worth the effort to play around with GPS. But with today's accuracy standard and several wonderful hand-held units with reasonable prices, I decided to finally bite the bullet. My second son Trooper had been on me for the last few months since the BSA now offers a Geocaching merit badge. He got a partial on his blue card at summer camp last year and it seems the only requirement he has missing is to establish and maintain a cache of his own in order to complete his badge. For that we needed a unit. I've also come across a good series of web tutorials on using GPS units in combination with map and compass for serious land navigation (see HERE, HERE, and HERE). So yesterday we hit a few local caches right near our house and it was a real hoot to say the least. I can see where this could get real habit forming very soon.

I was curious to see how accurate the elevation function was on the unit so on the way home we stopped by a local bench mark (along the C&O Canal right on the Antietam aqueduct). Unfortunately that particular BM did not have an elevation stamped on it so we will have to try again later.

The Tourist Thing

Well, for the 2010 post-Thanksgiving Day hike, we broke from tradition and actually did the tourist thing for a change. I am sure the hiking gods are plotting multiple avenues of retribution for our measly attempts to burn calories. We wound up doing really easy hikes and try as I may, I was not able to get the whole family to join me for something different and challenging. I couldn't even convince Alpha Boy to come along. Only the beta-son, Trooper, agreed to come along but only if I took him up to the Skyland Drive since he had never been there before.

So we did the SNP central district from US-33 north to US-211. The plan was to drive along and give him an introduction to the Skyland Drive with a stop at the visitor center at Big Meadows and an introduction to how the park was formed together with a couple of quick circuit hikes at Stony Man and Hawksbill to be followed with a late lunch at Ruddy's in Sperryville.

Even though the day was fairly breezy and overcast, the traffic and crowds were light and we had a wonderful time. Stony Man (PATC Hike No. 11; Circuit Hikes in SNP, 2005), and Hawksbill (PATC Hike No. 14) were extremely easy and I suspect that the guidebook is written for the causal auto hiker crowd. Even with Trooper along, I was able to knock both of these circuits out in about 30 minutes even though they are both rated at almost 2 hours in duration. One advantage to Hawksbill was being able to get an eastward view of Old Rag which was rare for me since I am usually staring off to the west from its summit.



Unfortunately, Ruddy's didn't open until 3pm and we needed to get back to C'ville so we hit the BBQ joint just down the street. The pulled pork and slaw were excellent (although there were no hush puppies to be had; my definition of a real BBQ joint). I would definitely recommend this place when you get tired of pizza (but they didn't have any beer!).

ORMS End of Fall Season 2010

Nothing can beat an Old Rag sunset especially when topped off with a cosmic Muir quote:

Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail.
John Muir (1838 - 1914)

It was another picture perfect fall weekend on Old Rag with the ORMS gang. Saturday was a work day with ascending practice, Sunday was a fun day getting up the western side of the mountain on fixed ropes, a rappel, and a bushwhack before making the summit trail and the walk down to the fire road. An extraordinary experience; thanks Jeremy, Chad, and Ben; can't wait until spring 2011.

Blue Ridge Outdoors Article on the BSA

Graham Averill over at Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has a nice article this month on the Boy Scouts of America. As an adult leader with two boys in the program, I find this piece particularly interesting. Aside from all of the social issues that have plagued the BSA over the last few years, and this article covers these in a fair and balance way, perhaps the most important involves the level of scout physical fitness. From the article:

"The Boy Scouts has been connecting kids with the outdoors for a century, introducing 112 million kids to the outdoors during the Scouts’ tenure. Staying “physically strong” is even a part of the Scout Oath. But it seems many Scouts have simply been giving that portion of the Oath hollow lip service. According to BSA’s internal Body Mass Index data collected at the 2010 National Jamboree, 41 percent of its youth participants are overweight or obese. That’s 10 percent more than the American average. And adult Scouts are struggling even more with their weight. An astounding 77.5 percent of the adult Scout participants at the National Jamboree were overweight or obese. If the Scouts have been getting kids moving in the outdoors for 100 years, why are an unusually large percentage of them obese?"

That's a question I've been asking myself since joining the program in 2000. Clearly there is a problem, and it is more complex than not getting kids enough quality outdoor time.

More Virginia AT

(September 2-4, 2010; 48 miles) Time for the next leg of the AT SOBO trek through Northern Virginia; slowly eating away at the AT in Virginia.

Sept 2, (Ashby Gap [US-50] to Denton Shelter, ~15 miles): I hit the trail at about 8:30am; the weather was hot and steamy. Terrain was fairly boring with little view of any significance. Cleared enough spider webs coming up the mountain that I felt like a mummy. The views improved for a while in the Sky Meadows State Park where the trail went through some short but nice meadow stretches; a very quiet section; no wildlife sightings but some of the freshest bear signs I had ever encountered including broken over shrubs and berry bushes. Shared the Denton shelter with four interesting hikers, one (Apple Juice) was a SOBO thru. Learned some new ultralite strategies and saw a new very high-tech (and very expensive) Cuben fiber tent system being tested by two local gear aficionados. Definitely a new fabric to keep an eye out for.

Sept 3, (Denton Shelter to Gravel Spring Hut, ~18 miles): Left about 7:30am with the intent of taking a short day at the Tom Floyd Wayside for rest and clean up but the Ginger Spring was dry. After lunch continued on to the Indian Run Spring just before my water ran out. Had dinner on the rock out crop on South Marshall Mountain. This was the best view of the day, and the air was starting to cool and clear out. Excellent view of the valley westward. Made it to the Gravel Spring Hut just before dark. The shelter was packed and I just managed to get the last space on the floor. Tent sites were full too. Nice dipping spring and new privy.

Sept 4, (Gravel Spring to Thornton Gap, ~14 miles): Best day of the whole trip; cool crisp air setting out by 7:00am. Managed to see my first pair of coyotes near the peak of Little Hogback Mountain. I was down wind and they barely gave me a passing look heading down the mountain. I was amazed by how large they were. In the Matthew's Arm area, there was so much bear crap on the trail you had to take care not to step in it. Most was old, but I can't believe I didn't see one bear sighting on this trip. Luckily it looked as if they were sticking to berries and fruits.

Made it to Thornton Gap by 3pm after spending an hour on the rock overlook on Pass Mountain. The winds were brisk and almost cold in the shadows but after the heat and sweat of Thursday and Friday, it was nice to get a little chilled for a change. Fall is on the way. Sorry, no pictures this time around.

Summer time and the living is easy..............

It is that time of year again when I usually come down with a very bad case of Wilderness Deficit Syndrome (WDS) so some type of therapeutic trek is definitely indicated and soon. Having spent the last two summers in the Mt. Rogers area means doing another section of the AT in NoVA this year. If all goes together as planned, I hope to resume the SoBo Virginia trek over an extended Labor Day weekend. Not sure yet just how much mileage I can knock off. The next section would put me into the north district of the SNP. Trail reports generally label this section of the AT as fairly easy. I'm not real crazy about being so close to civilization though (I hear the AT crosses the Skyland Drive too many times to count), but hopefully the views and water sources will be numerous.

So far, recent summer weekends have involved day trips on the AT in Maryland or putting the bike on the C&O canal and Western Maryland Rail Trail. I've also just begun to try some trail running in the Antietam Battlefield. It's still a bit shaky, being extra careful not to sprain another ankle, but it definitely is an improvement over the monotony of road running. Antietam has short but challenging trails in the Burnside Bridge area, and they have just added some new trails so there are many circuit and mileage possibilities.

Wrap-up of the ORMS Spring Season

(June 26 and July 4, 2010) I managed to complete two additional days patrolling with the ORMS on back-to-back weekends. June 26 was hot and muggy while July 4 was hot, but the humidity was low and the sky crystal clear so the views were about as good as they get both toward the east and west; extraordinary! Both days were quiet with no medical emergencies. As always, the training and camaraderie were excellent. Both the Silver Spring Wanderer and Old Rag Patrols by RSL give detailed ORMS weekend reports so I'll leave it to them for the details.

Into The Mist With The ORMS

Yesterday (Saturday) was my first weekend duty with the Old Rag Mountain Stewards (ORMS) and it was a blast to say the least !! Thanks go out to our Top Steward for the day; Ben, as well as Bob L., Valerie, and Karen T., for a great opportunity and exceptional camaraderie. To me, any day in the Virginia woods soaking in that "Sweet Virginia Breeze" is a day to be savored and this past Saturday was no exception. Old Rag was my first major hiking destination as a kid in the 1977-78 time frame, and the opportunity to volunteer for the ORMS and give back a little to the NPS is a real treat indeed. As part of our on-the-job-training, Ben gave us a top notch tutorial on the use of cervical collars and the Oregon Spine Splint System for suspected spinal injuries. It's a cool system, but after climbing over the rocks of the Ridge Trail more times than I can remember, I hope we never have to use it. I also had the opportunity to carry an NPS radio and hear about the concept of a "Bear Jam" along the Skyland Drive; something I never contemplated before.

Having to deal with the Old Rag Lower Parking Lot was new to me since all of my previous trips up the mountain have been from the Upper Lot (now closed to the general public), usually at day break to beat the escalator crowds. This time around, waiting to begin our tour of duty at the NPS Fee Station, we were able to check out the hikers before they hit the trail; definitely an interesting lot and cross-section of society. I've noticed a definite change in the type and quality of day hiker from the late 70s, but since that was over thirty years ago, I guess one cannot be too surprised with the change in demographics.



Weather wise, it was a complete wash-out since nearly the whole day was spent in the fog and clouds with no view over to the drive or east-ward toward the Piedmont. But I was completely in my element; late spring in the Virginia mountains, the smell of honeysuckle in the air driving in to Nethers; I only wish I could have spent the entire weekend there. Up on the ridge, the mountain laurel was in full bloom, and if I closed my eyes and forgot the calendar for a brief moment, it was the Spring of 1978 all over again, if only for a short time.................and then back onto I-81 for the trek north home to reality.

Spring Floods

(March 14, 2010) Not much of a chance to hit the C&O Canal for a bike trip a few weeks back since the Potomac was well above flood stage and covering the Taylor's Landing boat ramp, parking lot, canal, and even closed the access road. Western Maryland received over 200 inches of snow this past winter so it was no big surprise.

Visiting the Flight 349 Crash Site

(6.1 miles; November 29, 2009) This year's post-Thanksgiving Day hike was a bit different from years past since it was well outside of our normal wanderings in SNP. The boys and I visited the crash site for Piedmont flight 349 on Bucks Elbow Mtn. near Crozet, VA. I was looking for something different and close to Grandma's house and I also have to admit a bit of morbid curiosity. How often do you get to visit a commercial airline crash scene where large parts of the plane are still on site, and so close to the 50th anniversary? I first came across this hike on the Hiking Upward page (Bucks Elbow Mtn. Hike), and I will leave it to them to guide you in with directions and specs. Be warned though that two thirds of this hike is a bushwhack on very steep terrain and I would attempt only with strong knees, ankles, and be sure to carry extra water. Like Hiking Upward mentions, this would be an extra difficult hike in the rain, and due to the way the trail is blazed with surveyor's tape, it might be tough finding your way with full leaf cover.

The weather was beautiful and warm with barely a cloud in the sky. We made it to the crash site without incident but the boys definitely have a new appreciation for developed trails after bushwhacking across two hollows and over 2000 ft of elevation change; straight up in some instances. The crash site was well worth the effort although I have to admit it was a bit creepy. Besides a large section of wing, the place was full of small parts, and I was amazed at how undisturbed it was. The leaf litter was deep and small metal parts were everywhere. I even came across sections of plastic paneling and vinyl seat cover material that had held up extremely well over the years. How this stuff managed to survive fifty years of mountain weather is beyond me. I guess they made things a lot better back then. Even tubing and chunks of rubber seemed like new when in fact this DC3 went down on October 30, 1959.

26 people lost their lives on the mountain that day and the sole survivor, Phil Bradley had a memorial placed down in the parking lot of Mint Springs Valley Park. His story is particularly amazing having been thrown from the plane on impact and surviving strapped in his seat amid the wreckage and slaughter for two days before being rescued. Definitely the stuff of legend and wonder. Click on pictures for larger images.

Maryland Heights

(3.5 miles; November 22, 2009). The kids and I needed to get out of the house for a few hours so we decided to hit the Maryland Heights trail. This is an ~3.5 mile out and back to the rocks that overlook Harper's Ferry on the Maryland side (and which are directly above the railroad tunnel and C&O Canal). Getting a late start, we didn't have time to do the entire 5.3 mile loop trail, but the climb up to the rocks was fairly uneventful since most of it was along a wagon road built by the Yankees during the Civil War. We passed the Naval Battery on the way up and the loop trail has lots of other Civil War structures that we will be sure to discover on a future hike. You get great views of the town and the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers.

An Encounter with The Phoenix

(AT; 8 mile out-and-back) We had a beautiful fall morning yesterday here in western Maryland so I thought I would get out for a few hours on the trail to take advantage of the weather before the predicted afternoon rains. I parked at the US-40 trail head and headed north on the AT to the Pogo campground and then doubled back with a short stop at Annapolis Rock for a snack and a view.

It was a routine hike that I have done many times before except for the last half mile. On the way back down, I found myself following a lone hiker. We kept a fifty yard interval for about a mile but just before the big down hill leading to the Pine Knob shelter spur trail I caught up to him. "How's it going he said". "Fine, how are you doing?", I said. "Oh just finishing up the last mile or so of my 2009 thru hike" he said. YOU ARE WHAT? NO SHIT! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

This guy definitely had the look of a long distance hiker about him but this late in the year to be finishing a thru? He asked if I would follow him down to the Pine Knob shelter and take some pictures to document his finish. He then proceeded to tell me his story. He had started his north-bound thru hike in GA in the spring and was doing well making good time until he hit the Pine Knob shelter back in June. The night he was there a rabid raccoon attacked him and he had to drop out for four weeks to undergo rabies vaccination. I told him I seem to remember reading about such an encounter at Pine Knob on White Blaze or in the local paper. "That was me", he said. The Phoenix was his trail name and he was from CT. He decided to resume his trek in Maine and head south to the Pine Knob shelter.

We hit the shelter and I got some shots of him. His mother would be waiting at the US-40 parking lot. He called down to the lot and got her on the phone. She wasn't sure whether she was supposed to cross the foot bridge over I-70 or not so I gave her some directions. I didn't want to encroach on their reunion so I told him I would head on down and make sure she was coming up the right way. Sure enough we passed each other about half way down. I didn't know what to say other than to thank them for making my day. This was definitely one of my better days on the trail.

Wild Blueberry Jam !!!!!

During the day trip to Grayson Highlands State Park after the Roger's trek back in August, the family helped me pick a gallon of wild blueberries up in the crest zone. Luckily we had a cooler along so after cleaning and destemming back in Damascus, we got them home and in the freezer.



This past week they were converted into blueberry jam. I can't wait to crack open these babies in the dead of winter and think back to those lazy summer days on the trail.....

AT in Northern Virginia

(September 5 - 7, 2009; 34 miles) I was still missing the trail after the Mt. Roger's trip a few weeks back and with excellent weather predicted for the Labor Day weekend I decided to pack up the gear and make a start on the AT in northern Virginia. My ultimate goal is to do the entire AT in VA (about 533 miles), and since I covered the southern portion on the Mt. Roger's trip to the TN line, this seemed like a good thing to do. Harper's Ferry is close to my house so the drop-off and pick-up logistics were simple enough thanks to my wife and having cell phone coverage for most of the trip.

I started off from the Harper's Ferry side of the US340 bridge and followed the PATC map #7(Harper's Ferry to VA-7). Once I climbed Loudoun Heights I was on familiar ground since this ridge is essentially a continuation of the South Mtn. in MD, same geology and same type of ridge running that I was used to on my training hikes. One change though was the gradual introduction of white marble into the gray metamorphosed sandstone. This was particular prominent at the overlook just above the PATC Blackburn Trail Center. I decided to stop here for the night making use of the tent pad campground they have just below the ridge. The Trail Center is really nice too, and I can imagine that for thru hikers it is a welcome treat from the harsh realities of the trail. They have a hostel, solar shower, well water, and a neat old cottage with a screened-in wrap-around porch. This place probably really hums during thru-hiker season.

I hiked down to the center in search of water and decided to hang out on the lawn for a bit. The gnats just about ate me alive, and I quickly renamed the place the "Gnat Center". Getting back to the campground I was followed-in by a couple of weekenders and everyone seemed to be interested in dinner and a quiet evening. Then, just as I started to fix dinner, five kids started rolling in with lawn chairs, pillows, coolers, a large Coleman stove, and guitar cases; definitely not backpackers or hikers. I was having flash-backs to the Lost Mtn. shelter at Rogers. You would think that of all places on the AT, one would be able stay at the premier PATC backpacking center without having to put up with car campers. They had to make multiple trips up the hill past the care-takers cottage; apparently un-noticed. It took them a while but I think they started to get the message and they eventually moved to an area well away from the tent pads. In the end we had a quiet night.

Day two was to be my longest day (17 miles) as I wanted to make the Rod Hollow shelter before dark. My original goal was to finish up at Manassas Gap on the 7th but that vaporized by 3pm. Little did I know but I was on the infamous "Roller Coaster". The elevation profile on the trail map definitely had a saw-tooth appearance (PATC map #8), but the changes were only about +/-500ft. What I didn't know (not having a guide book) was the quantity of rock along this stretch. It was brutal, and this portion definitely ranks as the only section so far I would never want to repeat even if I were a paid guide. Well, maybe if the price was right. I finally made it in to Rod Hollow but I was thoroughly spent and had no trouble hitting the sack by 8pm. I was too exhausted for dinner and I suspected a bit of dehydration.

Rod Hollow was an excellent shelter with a good piped spring. There were three thru hikers there (Bruce from Maine, a second from GA, and a third from Ohio; all south-bounders). Peter was a section hiker from Switzerland, and he was on a month long vacation to see how far he could get from Harper's Ferry into VA. These were really nice folks to spend the evening with and this was the first time I had the chance to spend any length of time with thru hikers. I was very envious.

The next day I arranged for a pick-up at Ashby Gap (US 50), and it was a nearly effortless three miles down to the parking area. Although I didn't make it to Manassas Gap, it was a good start to the northern section in Virginia.

Mt. Rogers Re-visited

(August 9-13, 2009; 50 miles) This year's Mt. Rogers expedition was a repeat of my 50 miler solo trek from last year. Both of my boys (Alpha Son and Trooper) were supposed to accompany me this year, but in the end, it was only Alpha Son and myself making the trip. The rest of the family spent the week at grandma's house and were to meet up with us later in the week in Damascus.

We began at Dickey Gap around noon on the 9th and proceeded to the Old Orchard Shelter arriving there by dinner time. The shelter was empty but several groups were camped out in the clearings around the shelter. Surprisingly, the meadow just below the shelter was still empty and with the mouse population that shelter is known for, we decided to use the tent in order to get a good night's sleep. Things went well and we had a good night. We hit the trail by nine the next day and within a couple of hours we were in the first clearings of the Crest Zone. Aside from many stops along the way to feast on a bumper crop of blue berries, we made the tent sites near the Thomas Knob shelter by about 4pm. Unlike last year, that second night was stormy. We had a good rain and the following morning we were in the clouds; exactly the type of weather this area is known for. During breakfast, the clouds would break intermittently but it was really wild watching them blow through the camp site.

By mid morning we were at the Elk Garden parking lot and with some brief sunshine we took an extended break there to start drying out gear. Here we first met up with Apples and Wee Man, a father and son team from Ohio. This was Wee Man's first pack trip and it was very impressive to see a kid that age humping a pack and making some serious distance. We planned on having lunch at Buzzard Rock on the southwest side of Whitetop Mtn. but by lunch time a major storm was brewing. We had a quick lunch and waited in the tree line but decided to move on once we realized that this was to be no brief thunder storm. Just as we began the decent of Whitetop the monsoon hit and it rained all the way down the mountain and all the way to the Lost Mtn. shelter. By late afternoon we were soaked and tired and that shelter was a welcome sight. Shortly after moving in there a large youth group arrived followed later by Apples and Wee Man. We had quite a crowd there that night and it was the most crowded I have seen for a shelter in this area in August. It was humid and drizzling and nearly impossible to dry out any of our gear.

The following day was to be our recovery day. We planned to head out early and take a long lunch at the Bear Tree Day Use Area so we could use the showers. It was a bit off of the trail but in the end well worth the extra distance. We got there just before lunch. This was a large park with a lake, bathhouse, and picnic area. Oddly it was completely deserted. The access road and parking lots went on forever but there was no sign of anyone. I was having flash-backs to old Twilight Zone episodes. Worse yet, the bathrooms and showers were closed due to a water main break. After lunch however, a maintenance crew arrived and they opened everything up for us. By that time the showers were working and worth the wait. We made the Saunders shelter by early afternoon and the meadow there had plenty of sunshine to begin drying things out. By dinner time the weather was perfect, our gear was dry, and we started working on dinner. Apples and Wee Man arrived and it was nice to have the company since Alpha Son was asleep for most of the afternoon. Next came the Amazing Weltens, four brothers on a reunion hike doing the same Dickey Gap to Damascus trek that we were. Later that evening, Wee Man got a fire started for us and we had a wonderful evening talking and star gazing. Thanks for the Jack Black Ed! We were blessed to have once again met up with some really good folks on the trail this year.

Thursday was to be our final day on the trail so we took our time moving out of Saunder's. Only nine miles separated us from Damascus and a reunion with our family. We had a leisurely breakfast and hit the trail with near perfect weather. By lunch time we were crossing US58 and following the Virginia Creeper Trail into town. I was anxious to get to our rental house and check in with the rest of the family. But Alpha Son was starving so we hit the first burger joint we came to on the trail (Fattie's Diner). The food was excellent and the beer specials even better. We had barely settled in when who walks in the door but the Amazing Weltens. It was an excellent end to a fifty miler; good food, good company, and good beer. What's not to like?

Damascus is a great little town and this year we decided to stay a while and enjoy the sights. The wife and kids were to meet us at a local rental cottage (The Appalachian Trail Town Inn). It was a real treat to leave Fattie's and follow the AT just a short distance down main street to our cottage. Definitely a little out of the ordinary for a routine section hike but an excellent way to end four days of roughing it on the trail.

Friday was another perfect day weather-wise and right after breakfast we hit JC's Outdoors for a bike rental and shuttle trip to Whitetop Station to do a half-day on the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail. This was an easy ride down hill for 17 miles back to Damascus. The scenery was spectacular.

Since my ultimate goal is to do the entire AT in Virginia (and maybe the whole thing if I last that long), that afternoon I set off out of town to complete the last 3.5 miles to the Tennessee State line. While passing the Damascus town park, I visited the old Deep Gap shelter. I remember using it many years ago during one of my first pack trips to Mt. Rogers. It certainly was small and drafty but I am glad they were able to preserve it. It was a lot smaller than I remembered it.

That evening we hit Fattie's again for dinner and ran into Apples and Wee Man. It was their last night in town. On Saturday we went up to Grayson Highlands State Park for a picnic and some berry picking. Sunday we hit the road and the drive back to reality.

A few points about Damascus; its a wonderful little trail town and definitely worth several days stay. JC's, Fattie's and the Appalachian Trail Town Inn are worth checking out. Also be sure to visit Mt. Rogers Outfitters. They are a first class operation and will handle all of your backpacking needs. Be sure to ask for Jeff.

A New Outdoor Season Approaches

It's been a long, cold spring here in the mid-Atlantic and with the first hints of the warm season approaching one's thoughts naturally turn to hitting the trail. I managed to maintain a minimal level of fitness over the winter by hitting the gym three days a week. I really hate running on tread mills but with my work schedule and the short days; that was all I had to work with. Now with increased day light, I can run outside and between that and the bike, I hope to ramp things up over the next month to prepare for this year's treks. Needless to say I have a few extra pounds to shed from a suboptimal training schedule. Time also didn't allow a winter trek this year, and on top of everything else, yard chores are beginning too so that will take a bite out of weekend time.

So what's on tap for this season? The alpha son will be working at scout camp for six weeks, so Trooper and I will begin some trail training for our Mt. Rogers expedition in August. The plan right now is for me and the boys to duplicate my solo 50-miler from last August. Part of my reasoning for that trip was to scope things out for a return trip with the boys. I only hope that we are lucky enough to get the same weather as last year. It truly was a spectacular trip.

We also will have various weekenders with the scout troop. Another mid-week day trip up Old Rag is in order since the scouts really enjoyed that outing. I also hope to work in a few overnight pack trips to try and get some of the older boys in shape and introduced to backpacking. There is a possibility for a trek to Philmont Scout Ranch next summer and I don't intend to miss it next time around. Assuming no major malfunctions, we don't expect to have to make any major equipment purchases this season which is a good thing considering the current economic situation. Luckily the alpha son got pretty well geared-up due to his Philmont trip last summer.

Happy trails and be on the lookout for Horizontal Tread........................................

White Oak Canyon-Cedar Run Canyon SNP; Virginia

(November 28, 2008; 8 miles) This year's post-Thanksgiving Day hike was a bit different from previous years. We decided to skip Old Rag (and the escalator crowds) for an 8.3 mile circuit in White Oak and Cedar Run Canyons. If you follow the PATC guide book, Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, this was Hike #15 (short circuit version), found on page 49 of the 2005 edition. They indicate an elevation change of 2800 ft., and the hike is classed as strenuous. For anyone in relatively good physical shape, I would classify it as moderate, particularly if you go up the White Oak trail side and come down the Cedar Run trail side. The Cedar Run trail was definitely steep in places with washed-out areas, tree blow-downs, and unstable tread.



We began at the parking lot on VA-600 just outside of Syria, Virginia. You also can access this loop from the ridge on the Skyline Drive (Hawksbill Gap parking area; MP-45). However, unless you already are on the Skyland Drive, I would recommend entry from the valley since this is a bit out of the way and much less crowded. We began at 9am and we were only the second car in the lot for the day. Expect larger and earlier crowds on the weekends. When we came off the trail at 3pm, the lot was about half-full. This is a fee area, but being a week day, I guess the USPS doesn't bother staffing the booth at the parking lot.

I haven't been on these trails since high school and I seem to remember a summer day of constant showers the last time I visited. This day, however, was a beautiful and crisp fall day. I would recommend late fall as a first-time for this hike because without leaf cover you get full views of the rock walls and surrounding ridges (including a rare south-west view of Old Rag). The falls are spectacular for this area, particularly on the White Oak side (the highest upper cascade is 86 ft. in height) . We plan to return to this loop in the summer (most likely in mid-August) for a chance to take advantage of the numerous wading pools. You can easily access the lower falls from the parking lot without much work so I can imagine that this area is very crowded and popular in the heat of Virginia summers.

Looking over this rough map of the area, one can envision a multitude of circuit hiking scenarios in the White Oak and Old Rag sectors to include overnight (or longer) backpacking treks. And as always, the key to SNP outings is proper planning to avoid the casual hiker crowds coming in from Skyland Drive.

Freezer Bag Cooking

Nothing beats Mountain House freeze-dried instant meals on the trail for convenience and taste. Being able to just dump in some boiling water and cook right in the pouch really makes it easy and helps conserve water, effort, and spares a lot of clean-up. Besides being a bit high in sodium, the big complaint I have with these meals is the price tag and limited selection. An entree for two (really enough for one hungry hiker if this is the total meal) of any particular selection can run from $6-8. However, this is not all that bad compared to the price of a burger, fries, and drink these days.


Earlier this year I came across the Freezer Bag Cooking site and I have to admit that at first I was a bit skeptical. This is a total cooking system based on the ability to add a cup of boiling water to a standard zip-lock freezer bag containing meals made with various dried ingredients mixed up at home ahead of time. The meal cooks in the bag for about ten minutes. The key is to use a "cozy" that helps hold in the heat and supports the bag during the cooking process. You then eat right out of the bag.


I did a few test runs at home using standard Zip Lock brand freezer bags (not storage bags) and instant oat meal just to get a feel for how the bags would hold up. For a cozy, I went with a rigid outdoor faucet cover (for winter protection). I really like these because they are insulted with styrofoam and the outer rigid shell gives you a good safe holder to support the bag while it cooks and to hold onto while you eat out of it.

So far I've tried two recipes on the trail; the Super Charged Oatmeal and the Creamy Potato Soup. Both were great. Now I intend to try some of the more complex recipes and I've recently invested in a food dehydrator so I can use some of my own home grown vegetables as well as experiment with some of the pasta dishes. Pasta needs to be precooked and dried in order to rehydrate in the bag during a standard ten minute cook cycle.

If all goes well I hope to convert the majority of my trail meals to this system.

AT 12-Miler Overnight; Maryland

(August 31--September 1, 2008; 12 miles) Labor Day weekend was to be the beta son's first backpacking trip with Dad. He is scheduled to have his first pack trip with his Scout Troop in October, but I wanted to be able to give him my own shake-down and expose him to the proper way of doing a sectional AT hike. Don't get me wrong; the BSA program is safe and wholesome, but there are distinct differences/priorities between small unit treks (1-4 hikers) and Boy Scout Troop hikes.

I chose a 12 miler (MD-491 to US-40) with a total climb of about 800 ft. including some rock hopping and ridge running. We began at mid-day from MD-491 just below Raven Rocks continuing south to the Pogo Campground for our campsite. The weather was perfect and all of the springs along the way were running well. The only difficulty was finding a level tent site in Pogo. Pogo is a fairly large area with several dispersed sites, a privy, and a near-by dipping spring with very good flow. Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible to find a level tent pad that was either not right on the trail or on rock. For seasoned hikers this is not fatal but for a kid on his first overnight pack trip we had to take some time to look around a bit. Success finally was found well off the trail. It was an uneventful night and we even managed to hear a screech owl pass through the area. The beta-son was a real "trooper" on this hike with no whining or complaining. For this he now has the trail name "Trooper". Be on the lookout for Trooper and Wildtype when you peruse trail logs in the mid-Atlantic. The alpha-son still has to choose a handle.

The next day we hit the trail at 8:30am and made it to Annapolis Rock by 10:30am. After an extended break and snack, it was on to the US-40 parking lot for a pickup. The day hiker crowds didn't start appearing on the trail until we were almost to the parking lot so most of the way we had the whole place to ourselves. This was a very relaxing and enjoyable overnighter!

AT 50-miler solo---Mt. Rogers NRA; Virginia

(August 13-16, 2008; 50 miles) Time had finally come for an extended (50 mile) solo hike into the wilderness. I was feeling the need to "get away from it all" and I could think of no better place within a day's drive than the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. I was fairly familiar with the AT down there and using Damascus, VA as a staging point, I would have the opportunity to see some new sections of the trail. The weather was excellent with day time highs in the mid-70s to low 80s and night time lows in the upper 50s. All of the springs along the way had excellent flow and doing this hike mid-week in August meant not seeing many other hikers on the trail. Click on the following images for larger views.


Wanting to park my truck in a secure lot, I used the shuttle service provided by Mt. Rogers Outfitters (MRO) in down-town Damascus. The AT goes right down the middle of town past their front door. They also provide a hostel (Dave's Place), and the parking fee includes a shower for the return drive. Jeff, one of the owners, was very accommodating especially since I arrived two hours before my shuttle appointment and they were able to get me out on the trail almost immediately. This was much appreciated and they run a first-class operation; their services are highly recommended.


The trek began north of Damascus at Dickey Gap (just off of VA-16), and going south almost immediately I was in a dense thicket of rhododendron. Vegetation was very lush along all forested sections of the trail and when the sun went behind a cloud you almost needed a headlamp to see the trail! This leg was fairly uneventful with a maximum climb to 4320 ft at Hurricane Mountain. The decent was to Fairwood Valley at VA-603 (3480 ft.) crossing Fox Creek along a beautiful foot-bridge:

By late afternoon, a major storm was brewing and it was getting dark. At this late point in the day, I hiked hard to make it to the Old Orchard Shelter just as the rain hit. Weathering a storm here again was really ironic for me because this is the exact same shelter that our group spent a frightful night in the summer of 1979. It was the most intense lightening storm of my life and we laid there hunkered-down in our bags wondering when we were going to get zapped. This time around was much less intense but the shelter looked like it hadn't changed much. The roof was of the old two layer style with a metal roof over a plywood ceiling. The problem being a two inch gap between the two that was a race-way for mice that kept me awake all through the night. To top it off at 4am a set of owls hooted back and forth to each other around the campsite until day break. Needless to say I had a fairly bad night's sleep but it was cool listening to the owls. I would recommend taking advantage of the tent sites in the orchard clearing if you are a lite sleeper:




The next day (August 14) was an accent to Pine Mountain (5526 ft.) and my first glimpse of the "crest zone". By then the clouds were clearing and it was beginning to look like it might turn out to be a decent day. Rogers though still had a wisp of cloud cover on its peak:




The crest zone is a unique upland meadow ecosystem. This region was completely forested originally, but in the early 1900s, logging had reduced it to cleared balds. Certain sections of this have since been maintained by cattle grazing and proscribed burning. All traces of the original logging operation have disappeared and at times you have to wonder whether or not if you are in one of the western states:




Collectively Mt. Rogers and Whitetop Mountain next door (the bald on that peak may actually be natural in origin) are called Balsam Mountain due to the abundance of Balsam or Fraser fir trees as well as red spruce. Rogers at 5729 ft. is the highest spot in the state. This boreal forest is a remnant of the northern forests that were pushed down by the last ice age. It is the combination of the balds and this boreal forest that makes this area unique to Virginia and the mid-Atlantic:




The balds are home to a wild pony population. This was the first time I had a chance to get close to one of them:




They may be wild in name only because I suspect that day hikers from the near-by Grayson Highlands SP have spoiled them with food and affection. This particular one got real excited when I pulled out my camera (the zip lock bag probably sounded like food), and she actually butted me with her head as I walked by when she realized that I wasn't going to feed her.


The remainder of this day was uneventful with a short section through the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness and Grayson Highlands SP followed by some rest time on the rocks of Wilburn Ridge including Rhododendron Gap. The sky was clear with spectacular views and near perfect temperatures for mid-August:




Approaching Cabin Ridge and the Thomas Knob shelter, there are several first class tent sites to choose from. Technically, this section is national forest so camping is permitted anywhere but leave-no-trace is highly recommended. I picked a spot well out of sight of the trail with lush grass and a straight western view from which to watch the sun set behind Brier Ridge and Whitetop Mountain. It was a wonderful spot for a much needed good-night's sleep to make up for the previous night's interruptions:




I was amazed at the level of silence on this ridge. There was only the occasional horse neigh and high altitude commercial aircraft. The silence was only broken once by a pair of military jets doing a low pass over Elk Garden just as I was about to doze-off but this was a welcome treat. We can sleep well at night knowing these fine folks are pulling watch.


August 15 was my longest day because I wanted to make the Saunder's Shelter by night fall. This would put me nine miles outside of Damascus and a reasonable drive out on the 16th. But it also meant having to do 18 miles. I rose early to prepare breakfast by head lamp finishing up just as it started to turn light. I was able to hit the trail at 7am. It was hard to leave this area of the crest zone because it is so beautiful and deserving of several day's stay to check out all of the sights. It also meant having to leave the best of the high bush blue berries. These were excellent, packed with flavor (compared to the market variety), and perfectly balanced between tartness and sweetness. I must have had a gallon over the course of the previous day and I was worried I would make myself sick.


Descending to Elk Garden at VA-600, it was a rigorous climb to the summit of Whitetop Mountain. Here the distant views to peaks in North Carolina and Tennessee are spectacular as is the piped spring. It had incredible flow. I took an extended break here and then proceeded to Buzzard Rock (another good place to camp in the future and the site of our first camp on the north-bound trip of 1979) and the very long decent of Whitetop. This leg of the journey took its toll on my left foot due to the general outward slope of the trail. I suffered some toe damage and blistering on that side. On extended descents, be sure to keep your feet dry and adjust your laces often.


After reaching Summit Cut and US-58, I was in unfamiliar territory. The rest of the day was a combination of cow pasture, classic eastern hardwood forest and rhododendron thickets along streams. After a quick lunch at Lost Mountain Shelter, I soon was paralleling Whitetop Laurel Creek, incredibly lush and cool. At this point the AT intersects with the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail just before the gorge at Whitetop Laurel Creek Junction. The 500 ft Hassinger memorial rail bridge spans the gorge. This was a welcome place to rest and catch some much needed sun light. From then on it was a slog up Straight Mountain and a bit of easy ridge running along its spine. By then it was time for the usual afternoon mountain thunder storm. Luckily it was more wind than rain or lightening but I still hiked hard to make Saunders Shelter by dinner time. I was thoroughly spent, and a bit afraid to look at the damage to the left foot.




Arriving at the shelter before me was Highrider. He is a Baltimore native from CT who is section-hiking the entire AT. Completing his last few legs in Virginia, this was his last night of a 90-miler in the area before driving home. Being of similar age and mentality we hit it off almost immediately and it was a welcome change to have an opportunity to chat about hiking the AT and the specifics of solo hiking sections in the context of jobs and families (best of luck Highrider and be sure to email when you are finished).


We made a plan to rise early the next day and get to our vehicles in Damascus to hit the road by lunch time. The next morning we ate breakfast by head lamp and hit the trail at 6:30 am making it to Damascus by 11 am. I was hurting, and it was a good thing that it was time to go home or else I would have needed a recovery day or two with lots of vitamin-I (ibuprofen). The shower at Dave's Place revived me though and it was time to hit the road. It was another glorious day of beautiful weather and the perfect conditions for a drive along the Great Valley of Virginia. It really doesn't get any better than this. I stopped at a Wendy's in Wytheville for the traditional double burger with everything. This tradition started with my hiking buddy from high school in the late 70s. We would hit a Wendy's in Lexington (at that time the only Wendy's that we knew of between Mt. Rogers and home).

Highrider and Wildtype at trek's end. So when's the next hike????