The Hiker Community

The day dawned overcast, but at least there was no rain falling.  We got our packs ready, had our breakfast, and headed out.  When we got up the mountain almost within sight of the Blue Ridge Parkway, we drove right into the cloud--visibility about 20 feet.  Incredible.

We continued on down the Parkway to the parking lot where Gene was to start his hike.  He got out of the truck and headed north.  I drove back to Rockfish Gap where he would come out of the woods with the thought that when the fog lifted, I’d head south.  The fog never lifted and it’s probably still there, shrouding the mountain top.

I parked the truck and got out my sudoku book.  I gave some thought to going home to wait the 3-4 hours it would take Gene to do the hike.  In the end I decided just to wait and I am so glad I did.

It wasn’t long before a plain gray van pulled up.  It was one of those that can seat 8, 10, 12 people--a big van.  As the driver was backing into his parking space, I noticed his license plate said something about PCT.  To me, that could only mean Pacific Crest Trail.  He parked, but never got out of the van.  Convinced he was a hiker shuttle, I got out of the truck and went over to speak with him.  Sure enough, Walter, who was in his late 60s or early 70s, didn’t have anything better to do this morning, so he drove up to Rockfish Gap where the trail crosses the road to Waynesboro for the express purpose of shuttling hikers into town.  What an angel.

We talked for several minutes.  He had thru-hiked the PCT several years ago and his wife had used the van to shuttle him (and anyone else needing a ride) back and forth to the trail all along its route from Mexico to Canada.  She’s an angel, too.

While I waited for Gene, Walter made three trips into town and back.

Gene finally appeared out of the fog just after noon.  He and 5 other hikers.  We loaded them all into the truck and dropped them off downtown.

The hiking community is just like all other communities within our society.  Everybody looks out for everybody else.  The hikers share common experiences and make friends.  As the hikers came out of the fog, Walter and I greeted each one and asked if they needed a ride.  We also asked if there were other hikers coming into town.  Without exception, every hiker knew if there were more hikers on the way.  Although we had never seen any of these people before, they were not strangers; we were all part of the same community.

In the RV community, we experienced a similar situation while driving along the Alaska Highway.  Anyone on that highway in an RV was a member of our community.  Often we saw the same travelers over and over, creating bonds that have enriched our lives.

With today’s hike, we have completed the Blue Ridge section--a distance of 105 miles.  Next week we will start on the 105 miles of trail through Shenandoah National Park.

That’s all for today.

Preparing for Wet Weather

Well, it looks like rain is in our forecast for the next several days.  Today was one of those non-hike days which was just as well since there were thunderstorms in the forecast.  However, it didn’t start raining until about 3 PM; we had a beautiful morning to hike if we hadn’t planned our day around the forecast.

We finally got all our rain gear dried out.  While I washed our filthy clothes this morning, Gene cleaned boots and applied a fresh coat of water repellant.  He also sprayed my poncho and cap with some silicone stuff to help repel the water.

Since we are going to sweat when we hike and the condensation will make us wet anyway, why bother?  That’s a valid question which has no answer.  I think it’s a game we hikers play to see if we can actually stay dry.  It gives us something to think about as we hike down the trail.

Another good question is why do we spend tons of money on Gore-Tex lined boots to keep our feet dry when rain runs down your leg right into the boot.  I came up with this combination of clothing to keep my feet dry during wet weather.  The goal is to keep the water off your legs otherwise what doesn’t just roll on into your boot will be wicked down by your sock.  In a downpour, I put on my Gore-Tex gators.  These legging type things have a strap that fits under your boot and a clip which hooks to the boot lace to holds them in place.  Hikers use gators for a number of purposes--they are great to keep dirt, leaf, and other debris off your socks and out of your boots, they keep your legs warm, they protect your legs from stinging nettle, poison ivy and plants with thorns, and if they’re Gore-Tex, they’re waterproof.  Although the gators come up to me knee, they won’t keep the rain from running down my leg and on into my boot.  On top of the gators, I wear my rain pants.  This combination works pretty good for me and if it isn’t too hot, I can keep from having a heat stroke.  Gene and I always challenge each other to see who has dry feet the longest.  Are we starved for entertainment, or what?

Of course, the day hiker just stays home on rainy days. That’s what we’re doing this afternoon.  However, our thoughts are with all those thru-hikers who are out in this storm.  Their cloths are wet, their boots are wet, and their rain gear is wet, if they had it on.  They’ll come into a shelter for the night and take all that wet stuff and throw it in a corner or hang it from a string and pretend it will be dry by morning.  It won’t, so in the morning they’ll put on those same wet clothes they’ve been hiking in for 3 days, stuff their feet into cold, wet boots, and head on out, probably in the rain.  As they hike, they’ll be trying to figure out a way to stay dry in wet weather.

Tomorrow, we’re going to try to get the last 7 miles into Rockfish Gap hiked.  That will be the end of the Blue Ridge section and we’ll be ready to start through Shenandoah National Park.  The weather forecast is better--only a 20% chance of rain.  Gene will hike no matter what.  I will decide when I look at the sky.

That’s it for today.

Reed's Gap to Humpback Rocks

This turned out not to be one of our most pleasant hikes.  The rain forecast was for 30-40% chance of scattered showers and temperatures about 50.  Since the rain chance was relatively low, we decided to go on.  We only had this hike and one more to have completed the Blue Ridge Parkway section and we were eager to get that done this week.

The plan was to drive Gene to Reed’s Gap where he would start walking north and I would go back to Humpback Rock parking area and hike south.  There are two trails, neither of which are the AT, but both connect to the AT, at this parking area.  In order to get me on the correct trail, we stopped there on our way to Reed’s Gap so Gene could point me in the right direction.  There were no cars in the parking lot, but there was a man cooking breakfast at the picnic table.  He had a backpack, but he just didn’t have the look of a long distance hiker.  I was nervous about him and so was Gene.  We did the cautious thing and both of us went to Reed’s Gap.  Since I have already hiked this section, I was only going about halfway anyway.  Might as well do it from the other end and avoid this person.

We were only about a mile into the hike when the sprinkles started and within a few minutes it was raining hard enough to warrant rain gear.  After putting on our ponchos, we continued on.  The farther we went the rockier it got and the wetter the rocks got.  After about 4 miles, I decided it was time for me to turn around and head back to the car.  Gene, of course, had to go on over Humpback Rocks and down to the parking lot--another 6 miles.  It was a hard, wet day for both of us.  Mine, thankfully, was shorter than his.  Needless to say, there were no views.

By the time I got back to the truck, I was pretty much soaked.  When Gene got to the truck 3 hours after I did, he could only find one dry spot on himself.

Rain gear is always a point of conversation among hikers.  There is nothing that will keep you dry.  Hikers use rain gear to stay warm.  If you put on something that is supposed to be waterproof (even the new waterproof/breathable fabrics) and then take off down the trail, condensation builds up on the inside and you get wet.  I’ve used a poncho for years.  I think it is better ventilated than most rain jackets which helps reduce condensation.  Most people I’ve talked to don’t like a poncho because it is cumbersome to hike in, especially if using trekking poles.  Today was a bad day for a poncho, because the trail was so rocky.  I had trouble seeing my feet and any time I had to step up onto a rock I had to be careful not to step on the end of the poncho.

Still, even with the rain and wind, there was a highlight of our hike.  I got to meet Hobbit.  He started at Springer in Georgia and is planning to finish the trail on his 59th birthday.  I didn’t ask him when that would be, but I’m sure it’s sometime this summer.  This is his anniversary hike.  He thru-hiked the AT 25 years ago and is doing it again to celebrate that anniversary.  Personally, I think I would have just opened a bottle of champagne and looked at the old photos.  But, he was having a good time and that’s what matters.  He, by the way, was not wearing any rain gear.  He only had a cover over his pack.

That’s all I know today.

Tye River to Reeds Gap

We enjoyed a quiet and restful Sunday.  A load of hiker clothes in the laundry and a quick run to the grocery were the only things that got us out of our chairs.

Chimney Rocks

Today was like a repeat of our last hike--big climb up from the river, over the mountain (in this case Three Ridges) and down the other side.  This time, Gene got to do the big up hill while I got the easier side of the mountain and the big descent to the Tye River.

There were some great views today.  The rock outcroppings provide fantastic vistas.  The weather was great again today, as well.  We started out a little cool with temps in the high 30s, but I soon shed my jacket and we ended up the day with temps in the low 60s and a light wind--just about perfect for hiking.  Above 3500 feet the leaves are small still and don’t provide much protection from the sun.  Have to be careful of sunburn.

We passed two shelters today; one at either end of the hike.  They weren’t located well for a good meeting place for lunch so we just stopped where we met along the trail.

The Three Ridges

The Priest

With this hike, I have closed the gap on this section of the trail.  I have now hiked all the Trail from Springer Mountain in north Georgia to Lewis Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park--900 miles of the AT.  I’ll be doing some of that over again as I hike with Gene the next couple of weeks.

Hanging Rocks Overlook

On today’s hike, we crossed the Three Ridges--a series of three ridges we climbed as we made our way to the summit of the mountain.  I don’t know if the mountain has another name.  Rock ledges along the way offered outstanding views.  A half mile below the summit on the south side is Hanging Rock Overlook.  There were great views from here, also.  The 100-foot suspension bridge over Tye River (named for an early explorer) was built by the US Forest Service.

We have an event coming up this weekend which I feel most of my readership may need some preparation.  As a means of preparation, let me introduce the term “hiker trash”.  Gene and I throw this term around at each other often when we do something that would seem a bit bohemian in a more civilized society.  I had to use that term last night at dinner when Gene, Mr Hiker Trash, proceeded to butter and eat hotdog buns with his herb crusted fish, creamed spinach and wine.  He informed me that true hiker trash would drink his wine out of the bottle (or box) not a glass.

That’s it for today.  Enjoy the photos, but remember they can’t convey the wind whistling through the trees, the birds singing, the sweat in your eyes, or your throbbing feet.

Fish Hatchery Road to Tye River

We had another beautiful day for hiking.  The temperatures were in the mid 60s with the humidity much lower than earlier in the week.  We also had a brisk breeze.  The breeze was strong enough to keep the gnats and flies at bay and to also keep us cool.  I was so cool at lunch that I moved into the sun to keep warm.  Gene put on his jacket at one point in his hike.

We covered the 9.5 miles from Fish Hatchery Road to highway 56 at the Tye River today.  Gene walked north and I walked south again.  This time, I had the pleasure of the uphill climb.  The 4 miles from Tye River south to the summit of Priest Mountain gains about 3,000 feet.  The trail profile looked steep and the guidebook used the word steep several times in its description.  I decided my knees would thank me if I did that portion up instead of down.

Just below the summit of Priest Mountain

After a 3-hour struggle to the top, I met Gene at The Priest Shelter for lunch. Slow-mosey was there.  Gene and I had both seen him on the trail yesterday at different times.  It was fun to have lunch and talk with him.  He is heading north, of course, and Gene accompanied him down the mountain then gave him a ride into Montebello.

Lunch break at Priest Shelter

After lunch, we each headed in our separate directions.  One of the “big view” places on the hike today was Spy Rock.  Rumor has it that Spy Rock, with its 360 degree view, was used as a Confederate lookout during the Civil War.  Gene came to it first since it is located near his starting point at Fish Hatchery Road.  Since Spy Rock is a feature off the trail, it was not blazed with an appropriate route to the top.  The route he chose turned out to be more dangerous than he wanted to subject himself to.  Much later in the day, at the end of my hike, I came to the trail leading to Spy Rock.  By that time of the day, and with another 1.5 miles left to hike, I was far too tired to include any extra distance.  Besides, it was Saturday afternoon and the place was crawling with people.  I wasn’t much in the mood for crowds, so I went on by.

I did have a couple of nice view points today.  Perhaps my favorite was the view of Silver Creek Valley from a rocky outcrop nearly 3000 feet up the mountain.  I had another great view of the surrounding mountains from Cash Hollow Rocks.

It was a beautiful day and a nice hike, but we are both very tired this evening.  I think I’ll sit in the recliner tomorrow.

Salt Log Gap to Fish Hatchery Road

Yesterday was pretty much a day of chores interspersed with periods of rest.  Nothing special to report there.

Today we were back on the trail.  Gene dropped me off at Fish Hatchery Road this morning, then he drove around to Salt Log Gap.  He hiked north while I hiked south.

With today’s hike, Gene is at his northern-most point from his last hike along the AT.  He has spent the past several years “re-hiking” the first 800 miles of this trail with me.  Today, he walked through between Salt Log and Fish Hatchery instead of turning around and hiking back to the car with me.

Salt Log Gap, by the way, gets its name from the practice of cutting a notch in a fallen log and filling it with salt for the cattle--a forerunner of the salt lick.  Fish Hatchery Road, as you might guess, is the road where the state fish hatchery is located.

Fish Hatchery Road, now renamed Spy Rock Road, is a dirt road closed to motorized vehicles except for the homeowners living along the road.  The trail, unfortunately is a mile up the road.  Foot travel is permitted, so I walked around the gate and headed uphill.  Once I reached the trail, I had a pretty easy go of it today.  The trail was mostly level or downhill for my hike.  Of course, Gene felt like he had hiked uphill all day.

Easy hiking was the highlight for today.  There were still some trillium blooming and a few azaleas, but otherwise it was just an ordinary woods walk.  There were no great views and even the forest didn’t seem very exciting.

Even though our hike was relatively short, it was still 5 o’clock when we got home.  Both ends of the section were several miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Salt Log is several miles from the parkway and then 4 miles down a gravel road.  After I picked up Gene at Fish Hatchery, we then drove another 9 miles down route 56 to where the trail crosses the Tye River.  This will be where I park the car tomorrow and I wanted to know where the parking lot was located.  All that driving around made a very long day.

That’s it for today. Time to get the kitchen cleaned up and get my pack ready for tomorrow.

Salt Log Gap to Long Mountain Wayside

Today, I walked south and Gene walked north.  I got the better deal there.  Not only did I   have less total uphill, my climbs were broken up into 500 foot segments. Gene had his 2000 foot climb right at the beginning.  Additionally, I had outstanding views and he had almost none.  We met for lunch before he had hiked far enough to get my splendid views.

Stone Walls on Tar Jacket Ridge

There were great place names today.  I started out from Salt Log Gap with the climb up Tar Jacket Ridge.  Tar Jacket was sparsely wooded--there were more boulders than trees.  Descending down the other side brought me to an open meadow at Hog Camp Gap.  Because there is a spring nearby, this large open area is a popular camping spot.

The hike up Cole Mountain was along an old road

Next came Cole Mountain.  This mountain actually goes by two names--Cole and Cold.  I found the geo-marker on the summit, but it didn’t give a name at all.  Cole Mountain is a bald which apparently got that way from cattle grazing.  The guidebook also indicates that a resort was planned for this expansive open mountain top, but the project was never started.  Much of the climb was along an old road that is now covered in grass.  The views were fantastic.

Down the other side of Cole Mountain brought me to Cow Camp Gap.  Cow Camp Gap Shelter was six-tenths of a mile down a blue-blazed trail.  I didn’t want to add that much distance to my day, so I pressed on up the side of Bald Knob.

About half way up Bald Knob was when I ran into Gene.  He had spent his entire morning trudging up the other side.  We stopped for a lunch break.  Bald Knob is not a bald at all.  Seems like they got the names mixed up.  It had enough trees to prevent much of a view.  We noticed at this elevation (about 4000 feet) the trees were just starting to leaf.

We finished our hike with that looong descent to Long Mountain Wayside.

Tomorrow, we’ll stay home with the Peanut and do a few chores.