Hiker Picnic!

For the first time this year, hubby Skipper and I decided to host a "Hiker Picnic" to welcome thru hikers to Shenandoah National Park at Smith Roach Gap (near Hightop Hut), not far from the park entrance at Swift Run Gap. We cooked up hot dogs, beans, had chips, brownies and cookies and got to meet 18 hikers out doing the trail or sectioning. Heard plenty of stories and shared some stories of my own of what happens farther north of their location. Even met some guys from New Brunswick and a hiker from New Zealand as well a couple who had lost everything in a devastating fire and decided to come hike the trail.
Some names I recall are the divas Egg and Storm, Ironman, Tin Man, Red Leg, Tord, Old Goat and Check Six among others.

A great day for us and one we will remember.

Blissful with new hiker friends on the trail. We were glad to meet them.

AT Section Hike - James River to Catawba Part II

April 14, 2009
Cove Mt Shelter to Wilson Creek Shelter
13.7 miles
Overcast, mist

Had a pretty good night with only Signage and me in the shelter. Rained most of the night, so glad we were safe inside. Woke to overcast, foggy conditions with a light mist, but all part of the AT adventure as are the sunny and bright days too. Donned rain jackets and pack covers and trekked onward. Only had a few short bouts of real rain, but did miss some of the lovely views from the overlooks. Met a few NOBOs at Bobblett Gap shelter and a few more after that when we arrived in mid afternoon at Wilson Creek Shelter. They had all started in mid to late Feb and were enjoying their time, if coping with a lot of rain this season. It is interesting to hear of their adventures and encouraging them to make it all the way to Maine. Now I am looking forward to going to Signage's house tomorrow night for a shower and laundry. And Thurs. and Friday look good for our next section with my friend I met on Facebook, Beth.

April 15th
From Wison Creek Shelter to Daleville
11.2 miles
Cloudy to clearing

Rained during the night, so once again we were glad to be under cover in a shelter. Packed up and headed out in foggy conditions to find it soon clearing with views looking out to Daleville and the surrounding ridge. Ate lunch at Fullhardt Knob shelter then proceeded down the trail and through farmer's fields to reach Signage's SUV parked at the Kroger. She then took me to Salem and showed me her town and her little house. A shower never felt so good and it was good to have clean clothes. We then went to Mac and Bobs for a nice chicken parmesan dinner that proved too much on our fragile stomachs used to eating trail food. Had a good night's sleep.

April 16
From Daleville to Lambert Meadow Campsite
10 miles
Sunny

Went to a nearby coffee house for bagels where I had decaf blueberry brandy coffee - a first for me, I must say. We drove to Catawba where we met Beth for the first time and left one of the cars, then piled into Signage's car to drive to Daleville and our starting point for this leg of the trip. I had hiked one mile of the AT when I realized I had inadvertently left my insole in Signage's car. Jogged it back to the car through thick mud to retrieve it, then met up with the others to continue on. Thankfully we are not doing high stressed mileage! Beautiful views from the ridgeline, much different then when I had done this section twice before. I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this. Nice, relaxed pace where we stopped to admire the views. Found a place to camp by a stream near the Lambert Meadow shelter. That night, Beth got her trail name Lucky as it wasn't too cold and she had not packed exactly the right clothing for a night out in mid April (no jacket, etc). So we decided to call her Lucky.

April 17
From Lambert Meadow Campsite to Catawba
10.2 miles
Sunny

Awoke to another bright and beautiful sunny day on the AT. Hiked the Tinker Cliff area for outstanding views. Lucky bothered by allergies and had taken Benadryl so she stopped often to snooze along the way. Again glad for a relaxed schedule. Ate lunch midway between Tinker and McAfee Knob, then went up the knob for the customary picture. Found a nice campsite down by Catawba Mtn shelter to set up, but were soon infiltrated by Boy Scouts and decided to hike out as our car was only two miles away. Unfortunately I hiked a bit too fast in the dark and ended up spraining my ankle, but managed to hike it out and back to Signage's house for ice and a night's rest.

Had a great hike on this section and great companions.

AT Section Hike - James River to Catawba Part 1

Signage and Blissful ready to embark on our week long section hike of the AT.

April 11, 2009

James River to Marble Spring Campsite

7.9 miles

Cloudy, wind

We picked up Signage from her car at the Daleville Kroger and drive to our starting point at the James River footbridge, a unique structure built solely for AT hikers to cross the wide James River instead of sharing a bridge with busy traffic. The day started out warm but rapidly turned cold and windy with a new front moving in. had some decent uphill climbs but with nice winter views of the James River along the way. We met up with my husband, Skipper, just shy of the Marble Springs camping area and found a spot, just as a large hiking group came in. The place was packed with over 20 hikers there, but they all ended up fairly quiet, mainly because everyone was so cold. Met section hiker Steps from Michigan. Skipper and I watched the sun set. A cold wind blew through my tent all night.

April 12, Easter Sunday

Marble Springs Campsite to Cornelius Creek Shelter

12.2 miles

Cold, Sunny

A cold and blustery night made for a tough morning trying to pack up with iced cold fingers. Did quite a bit of climbing, but thankfully Skipper slacked us for a 3 mile portion of it from Petites Gap to the BRP which made it a bit easier. Still, we did a lot of climbing and very little downhill. When we finally met up with Skipper on the Blue Ridge Parkway, he had a surprise waiting - an Easter feast of genuine crabcakes with asparagus! Doesn't get any better than that! We walked with him to the guillotine rock formation for pictures, then shouldered our packs and headed up and over Apple Orchard Mtn, the highest peak between Clingman's Dome and Mt Moosilauke. Arrived at the shelter and had it to ourselves, though we elected to tent.

April 13

Cornelius Creek Shelter to Cove Mtn. Shelter

11.9 miles

Overcast, sprinkles

Left under overcast skies headed for Bryant Ridge shelter and our lunch spot. This is a beautiful tri level shelter with plenty of room for 20 hikers. On and off again sprinkles that didn't amount to much, thank goodness, as trying to hike uphill in raingear is the pits. Arrived at Jennings Creek to fill up at water as the shelter we planned to stay at had none. This made for a tough hike with lots of extra weight and sore leg muscles. Had some groin pain as well, which was new for me. Made good time where we met a NOBO hiker, Jolly Rancher, and his dog. He left though, and we had the place to ourselves. With the pending rain, we elected to stay in the shelter. Signage got a nice fire going, and we had a relaxing evening. Rain held off until later that night and rained all night. Glad to be safe inside.

Signage's fire

Two Years Ago....

I was getting ready to head out on my own "adventure of a lifetime" (to quote the title of one of my favorite hiking books - Ed Garvey's original). March 5th is the actual date, but since tomorrow I will be gone most of the day, I thought I would pause and reflect on that monumental time when I forsook all to venture along some wilderness path marked by white blazes. If you ever have the chance to do something like this, do it. It's tough, make no mistake, but it is life changing and it is a time you will never forget.

I saw wonderful things, met wonderful people, experienced wonderful miracles and returned with a better appreciation of life and God. I still have plans to finish the book I have started (it's about 3/4th done) which will be the written account of this fascinating journey.

Here is an excerpt I wrote in my book for this day -

"On March 4th, I look around my home, taking it all in. I won’t be back in this place until at least May when I would have walked 900 miles to get here. Now I am abandoning my castle, my call as keeper of the abode for a new abode in the woods. It’s strange to leave a place of security for some vast unknown. I could understand a bit what missionaries felt like. All security and comfort is thrown to the wind for some unknown situation. It really is stepping off some cliff and allowing oneself to be caught up in God’s wind of grace and mercy. When I finally close and lock the front door, I say good-bye for six months and hello to a new life I know so little about. God, help me!"

And God surely did as I reflect on that six month journey.

And one of many journeys yet to come.

Shenandoah National Park - Southern Section

Oct 25, 2008

From Smith Roach Gap to Loft Mtn campground; 14 miles

With my hubby serving as the gear guy, Mercy and I decided to slack today in the rain. Used a day pack with a rain cover, but it got soaked anyway (forcing me to realize I need a new pack cover for it). Skipper hiked with us for the first few miles then turned around to fetch the car and secure a campsite at Loft Mountain. I met up with Mercy at Pinefield Hut for lunch where she made the discovery she had left her lunch bag inside the car. Gave her a Snickers bar to help, but she was having second thoughts about the whole deal. She said this was like the third or fourth time she has wanted to quit on this trip. I tried to encourage her to keep things going, esp with how well she had done the previous day. We hiked on through the rain. Near Loft Mtn I was hailed by Skipper who was waiting for us. We were soon at the wayside for chili, fires, and grilled cheese. We then took the car and drove down to Turk Gap to scout out possible campsites for the next night. The mountains were arrayed in fiery splendor as the storm began to dissipate. Arrived back the campground, set up, then Skipper and I took the wet clothes to dry at the laundromat. I was also able to dry out some my shoes and seat cushion inside the nice warm restroom using the hand dryer. To bed in very damp conditions.

Oct. 26

From Loft Mtn Campsite to Turk Gap; 15 miles

Awoke to find that frost had developed inside my tent, and when I jarred it, it literally snowed inside! Never had that happen that I could recall. Skipper cooked us breakfast of pan bread and chicken fingers. Again he would shuttle our packs to Turk Gap, so Mercy and I had another slack day. Enjoyed the beautiful view from Black Rock.

Leisurely hike on good terrain. Skipper had left the car at Turk Gap while he took his Boy Scout troop up Turk Mtn. So we arrived to fetch our packs and set up camp for the evening and our last night in SNP.

Oct 27

From Turk Gap to Rockfish Gap; 11.4 miles

Another pleasant day for hiking to our rendezvous with Paul Bunyan at Rockfish Gap. Saw some nice old growth forests along the way as well as views. Arrived in good time to make our pick up, having completed the entire park. How I wanted to keep going as I had begun to adapt once more to the rigors of the trail. But alas, home is calling and other duties. I hope to continue a section hike from Rockfish Gap to Pearisburg next April if it works out.

Shenandoah Natonal Park - Central Section

Thorton Gap and Mary's Rock

Oct. 22
From Pass Mtn Hut to Hawksbill Gap; 14.3 miles
Very windy night last night - hard to sleep. Awoke at one time to find the back of my tent had blown down. Had to crawl out of the tent and pound the stake back into the hard ground. Still, was able to get an early morning start. On the way to Thorton Gap, a determined doe blocked my path. She would not be dissuaded until I clicked my poles together and then scampered off into the woods, the white tail waving in defeat. At the base of Mary's Rock, Mercy was apprehensive about the stiff climb awaiting us. I went ahead to tackle it and arrived about 45 minutes later to a cold and windy summit, so much so that it was difficult to enjoy the view. Mercy arrived another 45 minutes later. At the recently opened Byrds Nest shelter, Mercy made the decision to only go as far as Skyland while I would head for the intended destination - Rock Spring Hut. She decided the distance that day of 15 miles was too far for her. She would hitch a ride to Big Meadows from Skyland and stay at the campground there. So we parted company and I made tracks for a 15 mile day. The day was clear but cold and I made good time, enjoying the magnificent views along the way. But as the day progressed, I realized I'd be in for a cold night at Rock Spring, and with a 25 degree bag, I would likely not be warm enough. After talking with Skipper on the cell, I decided to have him pick me up at Hawksbill Gap, just short of my intended goal, and take me home for the night. Paul Bunyan was planning to return anyway the next morning to resupply Mercy, so he could drop me off. Skipper and I tried looking for Mercy to take her home as well but failed to find her. So I traveled home for an unexpected "hostel" stay and glad I did. Resupplied and took a shower.

A trail in autumn

Oct. 23
From Hawksbill Gap to Bearfence Mtn Hut; 12.1 miles
Good to be home sweet home, I must say, in a nice bed. Had a big breakfast, then PB drove me to my starting point at Hawksbill Gap. It was there I discovered I had left my hiking poles in Skipper's car the night before. What a sad discovery. So I made do with two sticks other hikers had left at the trailhead and used them to make my way along the trail. Finally caught up with Mercy on a flat section of trail south of Big Meadows where she talked of the very cold night endured at Big Meadows. She was not happy to hear I had been at home - though we had tried our best to find her. We made good time to Bearfence Hut where Skipper met us with warm chocolate chip cookies and my beloved hiking poles. Spent time together at the site until he had to leave. I moved my tent to another camping area as the place became inundated with hikers arriving, and I had a peaceful night alone in a spot overlooking the hut area.

Oct 24

From Bearfence Mtn Hut to Smith Roach Gap; 13.5 miles

Hiked out in an overcast, slightly misting day with a cold wind. Hard to hike while trying to stay warm. At South River picnic grounds, I ran into a nice couple who gave me a bottle of water since the water supply had been turned off. They also gave me the weather report - rain coming in that night. I gave Skipper a call to see if he would pick us up at Smith Roach Gap for a night at home instead of spending a wet cold night at Hightop shelter - our destination that evening. The shelter itself is only a mere fifteen or so miles from our home, so it made sense to be in a warm place for the night. The only problem was, I had left Mercy by South River and was uncertain where she was on the trail to give her the news. I hiked on in the hopes of running into her. Never saw her, even as I crossed over Swift Run Gap and Rt 211 to enter the southern section of the park.

A climb over Hightop mountain yielded an interesting view of the valley with rolling clouds.

I met Skipper at Smith Roach Gap, and after a search of the trail, we finally hiked back to Hightop Hut where we found Mercy. She had gotten there shortly before I passed through. She was delighted to hear we would be spending the night back at our house. We enjoyed pizza and conversation, thankful not to be out in the rain that night, though tomorrow was certain to yield a wet and soggy day on the trail. But that is another day.

Part Three in the next blog

Shenandoah National Park - North Section

I had the great opportunity to hike with fellow White Blazer Mercy from the Florida Keys in what began an eight day adventure section hiking Shenandoah National Park. I must admit I was a bit apprehensive as this would be the first time I would carry all my own gear. What follows is a day by day journal of the events, divided into north, central, and south districts.

October 19, 2008

From Rt 522 to Tom Floyd Wayside; 3.1 miles

Mercy and her yellow lab (I call her Mercy Dog) arrived around 1 PM where we visited and had lunch before our journey to the start of our week-long hike into SNP. Began at Rt 522 near Front Royal where the trail crosses. Began the steady climb up the ridge and I got my first taste of hiking alongside a dog - new for me! Arrived at the shelter area by 4:30 PM where we each found a tentsite, though mine ended up in a pile of rocks. Mercy offered up some hot chocolate in her heavy duty Nalgene container which was good as the temp began to fall and all I had for supper was a PB and J sandwich. We had a small fire and talked until hiker bedtime at 8 PM. I had a cold night that night and was wishing for my 15 degree Marmot bag.

October 20th

From Tom Floyd Wayside to Gravel Springs Hut; 10.5 miles

Day began early before the sun rose with the change of season. Hiked up to a view at Possum Rest then went to obtain our backcountry camping permits. Interesting walking with a dog seeing to her needs. Saw beautiful views from Compton Peak and the Marshalls. Mercy takes it real easy on the uphills so I went ahead and met up with her at look-outs or other points along the way. We arrived at Gravel Springs at 4 PM to set up our tents. Met one flip flopper who was about ready to finish his hike of the entire AT at Waynesboro. His name was Yogi.

Tent site at Gravel Springs

October 21

From Gravel Springs to Pass Mtn Shelter; 13.5 miles

Mercy elected not to go over Hogback Mtn and walked the Skyline Drive for the first few miles while I headed over the modest mtn. Met up with two elderly ladies section hiking the AT and enjoyed chatting with them. Met up with Mercy at Rattlesnake Pt overlook where she exclaimed her delight at seeing not one but two bears on her journey. Continued on toward Elkwallow when Mercy spotted her third bear of the day and my first - and young adult foraging. Arrived at Elkwallow Wayside for hamburgers. Then a tough climb out of the gap with my hamstring bothering me after a slight pull the previous night while trying to get out of my tent (!). Had a tough time mentally for a while until I saw the central section of the park displayed before me and found courage in such splendid scenery. I continued on to Pass Mtn shelter while Mercy nursed growing blisters. There I set up my tent. Some section hikers were in residence at the shelter. Made up my turkey dinner courtesy of the ATC cookbook and really liked how it turned out. Quite tasty. Cold windy night and my tent blew down once.

Part II in next blog.