Daily Diaries (9/5/10 - 9/6/10)

Date:  9/5/10
Trail Section:  Tenn 91 - Wilbur Dam Rd.
Distance:  16.1 miles

Today will be one of the longest, if not the longest, hikes we have had since we started at Springer Mtn. in Georgia.  Weather is perfect.  At the start, it is in the high 40s to low 50s, and a breeze is blowing just about all day.  With these temperatures, it is feeling more and more like fall.  We start with a decent climb the first two miles.  It is relatively level for the next six, then a long downhill until Wilbur Dam Rd.

No critter sightings today but there are a lot of trees.  Of interest today: we passed a monument to Nick (Uncle Nick) Grindstaff.  Nick had traveled west in the early 1880s to win his fortune but was robbed.  He returned to Iron Mountain where he lived as a hermit until he died 40 years later.  His memorial is a plaque placed on the chimney.  It was placed there in 1925, two years after his death.

Also on this hike, we had Watauga Lake in view for a lot of the time.  When TVA built the lake they displaced about 700 people.  With all the dams they built in the south, TVA displaced nearly 75,000 people.

In summary, even though the hike was a long hike it was an interesting one.

Nick Grindstaff memorial

Watauga Lake

Date:  9/6/10
Trail Section:  Low Gap (Shady Valley) - Damascus, VA
Distance:  15 miles

Today is the last day for this year’s Appalachian Trail hike.  It will be a fairly level hike for ten miles, then a slow descent into Damascus.  Should be an easy hike.  Weather is perfect for hiking again today.  We have been blessed with good weather for most of the last 200 miles.

With the knowledge that this will be the last hike on the AT this year and the anticipation of a juicy hamburger in Damascus make this day feel like the longest day we have hiked.  It wasn’t; we did it in 6.5 hours which includes stops for breaks.

We passed a shelter today (McQueens Knob Shelter) which was built in 1934; it looks it.  Near the shelter on McQueens Knob, there were concrete bases for towers that were constructed in 1932.  There was no indication as to what the towers were for.  However, being engineers, we made the assumption that they were for a radio repeater.

In addition, we crossed into another state (Virginia), three down eleven to go.  And at the end of today’s hike we only have 1,715.6 miles left to hike on the AT to complete it.

The hamburger was delicious (sorry no picture of the burger).  Now the wait until Ellen and Margie arrive.  Until then, it is laundry, cleaning up the hiking gear and several good naps.

Thank you all for your comments, I enjoyed them.

McQueens Knob Shelter

Richard

Jerry

Daily Diaries (9/1/10 - 9/3/10)

Date:  9/1/10
Trail Section:  Walnut Mtn. Rd. - Dennis Cove
Distance:  14.0 miles

The day starts out cool, it is feeling a lot like fall.  Even some of the leaves are calling it fall and changing colors, then falling.  This was a good day for a hike.  It was a long hike with the only drawback being the long descent from the top.  This was hard on the feet and legs.

There were few good views however, as most of the walk was tree covered.  We did have a critter encounter today.  The critter was a little brown snake.  It thought its camouflage was good enough that it could not be seen.  It just lay in the trail very still, and did not move while we were there.

In addition, the cold soda that we got at end of the day from a gas station was pretty fantastic.

Fall leaves

Small snake (he thinks we don't see it!)

Date:  9/2/10
Trail Section:  Dennis Cove - Wilbur Dam Rd.
Distance:  13.1 miles
 
The drive out to where we park the return vehicle at Watauga Lake was beautiful.  Lots of red barns, cows, pasture land and the river.  The trail on the other hand offered some wicked climbing into the river’s gorge, followed with an 1800 foot climb out, followed by another long descent.


The critter encounter today was a large spider that decided it did not want its picture taken so it hid in a hole before I could get the camera out.


We had snacks by a pretty Watauga Lake.  We then crossed our second dam on the AT.  The downside to being near the lake was that there was no breeze.  This coupled with reflections off the lake made it warm.


All in all it was another great day of hiking.

Rural scene

Camera-shy spider's web

Watauga Lake

 

Date:  9/3/10
Trail Section:  Low Gap (Shady Valley) - Tenn. 91
Distance:  6.5 miles

Today we opted for a short day and easy day.  The critter encounter today was a fast-moving tortoise on its through-hike from Low Gap to Tenn. 91; hopes to make it before the first snow (all 6.5 miles).  Near the end of this hike we came across a section of the trail that has been set up to accept wheelchairs so that everyone can enjoy the AT.


Along the way we met another hiker who informed us of an ice chest left by trail angels that had soda and candy in it.  The ice chest was just out of view from the public on the trail just beyond where we parked.  We did not partake because we had our own; but it still makes me feel good knowing that these people (Trail Angels) are still out there. A great way to end the day.
 
 

View at the start of today's hike

Tortoise

Wheelchair accessible portion of the trail