First day on the Blog

I just helped Denna set up a blog for her new HTML site and it was so easy I thought what the heck I'll just set one up for me and have a place to post some thoughts and photos and etc about what I'm doing, have done and want to do. Sort of a public journal.

So bear with me as I get the hang of this and try different ideas and stuff. Hopefully I can make it interesting to you as you rummage through here. But then again it's really for me and a place for me to put down what I'm interested in, so I guess in the big scheme of things it doesn't have to be interesting to you. That'd just be an added bonus.

SO...... here's my first story....

A few weeks ago I came across a site where hikers, mainly thru-hikers, keep journals about their trips. One caught my eye and I started following his adventures. His trail name is Stumpknocker and this journal is about his current thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He started on Jan 1, 2008, got near Roan Mountain, then took off a couple of months to go on a cross-country bike ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Now, he's back on the trail somewhere in southern Virginia and posts tales and photos about his hikes, people he meets, adventures he has and the food he eats. It really makes for great vicarious reading. And it REALLY makes me want to be on the AT!


Saturday nite Denna went to a girlfriends all-girl slumber party so that left me and the boys batching here at the house. As I contemplated what to do that wouldn't take a lot of money or get me in trouble I decided to act on my itch to hit the trail.

So bright and early Sunday morning, about 5 am I left the house and the boys, (couldn't take them on the trail by myself as much as they'd like it. That'll come later) and headed for Blood Mtn. My plan was to hit the trail just after daybreak, hike up the AT to the top of Blood, over to the other side, then back around the base on a side trail. I've done it many times and it usually takes about 4-5 hours. So that'd put me back at home early PM, which given Denna's probable condition after her all-nighter, would be about the time she'd show up.








The plan worked great. It was a beautiful day in the mountains. A little cool, even for May. About 45 degrees. But with the pretty strenous hike up Blood, I heated up fast. It wasn't too bad except my glasses kept fogging! The forest was still the bright light green of spring and the flowers were spectacular. Here's a few shots of the native azalea's, some form of a trillium and a flower in a fascinating pinwheel form. The hike was kind of nice too in that I could take my time and get the shots I wanted without having to worry about someone getting antsy.





I started seeing my first hikers coming down off Blood about 8:30. They were some young folks with small packs, blankets wrapped around them and they looked pretty miserable. The cold hard reality of a night on the mountain can quickly douse any romance you may have felt. The rest of the hikers I saw were in better shape and were better prepared. Saw one group with a dog that had a pack on it's back, carrying it's own food. That's definitely something we'll do with Bogey if we ever take them on any extended overnight hike.



On the trail across the base of Blood Mtn I stopped to take a shot of a flower when I noticed a snail. Stooping to take a closeup I had taken a couple of shots when I heard someone coming down the trail. I looked up and started to stand, but when I moved my foot back it caught a boulder and I stumbled backwards! Next thing I know I'm on my back sliding down a boulder off the trail, my long legs and feet

sticking straight up in the air! It had to have been a hilarious sight, but the hiker was cool about it. Didn't even laugh out loud!. Boy if Denna and Angela

had been there to see my fall they'd still be laughing!. Anyway, it wasn't a bad fall, just a couple of scratches and a really bruised ego. God I hope I'll never see that hiker again! Here's the damned snail that caused it all..


Well, other then the small tumble it was a great outing that somewhat quenched my urge to hit the trail like Stumpknocker. I'm starting to check out a possible 2-3 day hike from Springer to Neels Gap sometime this summer. We'll see how the work situation turns out and if I can make the time. Will keep you informed.