Blue Ridge Hikes

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Continuing our journey up the Blue Ridge Parkway - we've been driving North about 40 miles a day and hiking/camping along the way. We're in Lynchburg VA at the moment...not sure how the town got its name but im watching my neck. Rainy morning and it looks like it will continue to be a rainy day. Our hope was to explore and hike another section today but its 11am and we're hanging out in the screen house (*with rain proof walls). No immediate rush to move on, i think this will turn into a driving day which means we're getting even closer to home which means the trip is even closer to coming to an end, boohoo.



the last few days we did some good hikes with great weather. One was a 11 mile trek that we both agree seemed longer than 11 miles, it traveled along the ridge line for a bit then into an active cattle range where Kona went nose to nose with her first cows; the trail descended into heavily wooded forests of trees unique to the area including stands of fully grown tulip trees, black maples, magnolias and more giant rhododendrons.



The PM forecast was rainy the other night so we went into some town for a mahi-mahi dinner and opted to sleep in the van. Despite darkness and the rain the air remained 85 decrees and was sticky wet. Sleeping the van as a test of patience and tolerance. We couldnt open the windows because it was raining heavy, i couldnt rationally run the van and A/C all night, so i settled on turning the key to accessory mode and running the blowers just to move the air for a few hours till the rain stopped. Needless to say it was a sleepless night.

however the night before was a good night of camping. we set up shop at a campground along the parkway and i immediately noted all the downed wood everywhere. my first question to Ranger Joe was "can we collect the wood for fires" his response was "collect to your hearts content" and so i did damit. we've been staying in dry desert areas for so much of the trip and they often do not allow campfires and the ones that did had no where to collect firewood. we've even been to some forested areas that do not allow campfires, so all and all we really havent had more than a handful of fires. so i took advantage and broke out the machete, whipped off the cobwebs and went to town. i cut so much wood i couldnt burn it all and we took the remains with us somehow stuffing it in the already full trailer. shannon topped off the evening with homemade apple crisp over the fire, yum.

went out to a Buffalo Wild Wings the other night to catch the B's game, good game, im thinking theyre bringing home cup #2 in my lifetime...lets go boys!!

well it has now broken out into an all out downpour here and the screen house has rivers of water running by our feet. we're going to pack up our soaked camp and move out, north we come, with the extra day not spent on the parkway we'll stop by my old college, Marist College, in Poughkeepsie NY to check out the changes since ive been there and to show Shannon the old stomping grounds.

We're doing one night of camping in nearby the Catskill Mtns of NY then on to New Hampsha' to Bear Brooke State Park in Deerfield.



pics to come



JP



PS: Please let it be duly noted that i was purely sober upon my last entry. i was forced to take english at my liberal arts school, its just a piece of creative writing, or maybe its non-fiction...

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Photos

Getting in the mood
This is our new friend Bruin, we picked him up in Jackson Hole, he really comes in handy.

Happy Chopping
Think i need more...

Comments

[Marty]

Almost Home
looking forward to seeing you guys when you return but do wish that you had more time to enjoy this trip of a lifetime. Have loved the blogs and all of the photo's that you were able to share with all of your readers. Have a safe remainder of your trip and see you soon. Marty