I think the 1997 Outpost 189 trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains was very fun. We hiked
about forty to 42 miles this time. I also saw some animals while I went on this trip. I saw a
deer that was hopping by on top of a mountain. Then I saw a big turkey that would make a
great Thanksgiving feast. Nevertheless, I saw a small orange salamander on the trail. Also,
there were big and little fish. The thing that caught my eye was a big rattlesnake on the side
of the trail on which Ben almost stepped. There was a water snake at one shelter too. This
trip had a lot of animals.
On the first day we walked about 10 miles. We did this because we were ready and felt
good to go to the next shelter, it was about 5 miles away. The next day we walked to the
truck we left on the road. Then we went to Natural Bridge that is a bridge higher than
Niagara Falls by 55 feet. Then we went back to the trail and hiked an easy 4 miles to a
different shelter. The next day we hiked 14 miles to the next shelter. It was called Thunder
Hill shelter. We did not feel like hiking Thunder Hill Mountain because that day it started to
rain and thunder, so we hiked 6 miles up the road to the shelter. We got in by 11:30 that
night. The next day we hiked 10 miles to the best shelter in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It
could fit thirty-six people inside, had two streams on both sides, and it was three stores tall.
On the last day we hiked 3 miles to the truck and swam in the big stream right next to the
truck. After that we went in the caverns at Natural Bridge. It went thirty-four stories down
and was very, very cold inside. After that we went home. On this trip I got to see things
before which I never saw. It is much fun to go on these trips.
Mike M.
(Commander's note: Mike was a Trailblazer on this hike)
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Royal Ranger Outpost 189
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