| May 25, 2005 |
| The clouds
have lifted and the sun is breaking out and we're going at least 10
miles today to Jenkins Shelter and maybe move on, we'll see when we
get there. |
| We really
going down hill, so the fog has lifted enough in the valleys that we
able to go over and see a big huge rolling farm. Hopefully
today we'll get some good views. |
| The area is
wooded, undulating, with some steep sections, but the trail is
really smooth and easy hiking. |
| The area we
are now hiking has a lot of wind damage, with a lot downed trees,
both old and new. The wind is blowing very strong, but it is a
whole lot warmer than it was on top of the bald. Last night is
was showing 45 degrees inside the shelter and I know it was a lot
colder than that. |
| Getting into
large out cropping of rocks, some in the trail. The lilies of
the valley in the last couple of day are really starting to bloom
and we've seen a lot of lady slippers. We just came across a
black snake skin about 5 or 6 feet long. This ridge run hiking
is like hiking through a rock maze, in and out, twisted around, big
rocks, little rocks all the time. It is a pretty area though! |
| I just heard
EJ (Son-in-law) go over in his plane, and he can come and get me in
this big rock pile, there no place to land! Right on top of
this rock cliff reminds me a lot of the Blood Mountain area.
We have seen several bushed of pink honey suckle today. |
| We just came
out to 623, and going up Garden Mountain, elevation is 3900'and
we'll go on past that to Jenkins Shelter. I don't think we'll
have any more mountains any higher than the last 2 that we've come
over. That is in the VA area. We just started into this
mountain trail and right now we're going through huge large
boulders. In this area the ridge is a lot wider and stand out
to an open forest and a whole lot easier hiking that the other
mountain was on the other side. |
| Funny what
your mind will think about when it's idle. I was thinking
about the last time I went to AYCE restaurant and that was at Goose
creek down in Franklin. I sure hope that Bland has an AYCE.
We going to try to stay in the Big Walker Motel if we can, pretty
sure they have a restaurant on the side. However from the
motel is a couple of miles into to town for supplies. |
| Going through
a large boulder area on of the mountain top, a lot of the rocks are
diagonal, some are almost vertical covered with lots of liken and
mosses. We in all hard wood right now. I haven't noticed
any hemlocks or white pines for a good little while. Seeing a
lot of orange and yellow honey suckles along the trail. |
| We're now into
the hemlocks, a lot smother trail and I can pretty well walk without
my sticks. The pines smell good! |
| Leaving
Jenkins Shelter after a late lunch/super. Hiking on towards
Bland 3 or 4 miles and then just going to get a campsite
tonight and go into Bland tomorrow. |
| It's after
5pm, the sun is shinning and the sky is a little hazy looking, but I
don't think there's going to be any rain. At least I hope not!
Following a small stream down off the mountain, all level except its
very muddy. Its lined with rhododendrons, laurels, ferns, and
mosses. A pretty little area! Coming this way we've had
numerous stream crossings, but none have been so swollen that we've
not been able to get across. |
| At VA 16 and
ready to go across to the camp ground. Trail Angles had left
us orange juice in a cooler. One of the area churches was
going to offer free breakfast this morning, but we decided to go on
into Bland. |
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