3-30-16 ~ Hikers Heading out on the Appalachian Trail

"In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks."

~John Muir

Monday morning I left the house at 6:30 to drive back to Crabtree Falls to pick up two hikers and drive them 50 miles south to the James River. It was a gorgeous day with lots of very wining roads and a bit windy. Spring was popping all over. 

The redbuds were in bloom.

This redbud was across the road from where I was parked. In order not to have the asphalt in the picture, I aimed my camera up a bit. Unfortunately I cut off a little of the trees, but I was able to get the top of that hill and some awfully pretty little clouds. 

This is the long railroad bridge at the James River. The background is the AT going South.

 My hikers were heading North.They had driven from Michigan to hike this section.

 This is the trail going North with a footbridge connecting it to the south side.
The hikers do have to cross the highway.

 Here they are heading off with heavy packs on their backs.

I will pick them up atop Afton Mountain on Monday or Tuesday

and drive them back to their car at Crabtree Falls.

I just couldn't resist taking a picture of this tire propped at the side of the river. 

Maybe someone left it for another to take it for some tubing on the James.

That is REALLY fun!

Turk Mt. ~ Shenandoah National Park ~VA ~ Skywatch Friday

The Turk Mountain trail is located in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. It's only 2.2 miles long, but the hike seems lots longer due to the 2,400 feet you have to climb to reach the top. Part of it is on the Appalachian Trail and then you split off onto what is the Turk Mountain Trail. The views are spectacular.
This picture was taken 2 weeks ago back when my computer was on the blink, so the trees look totally different now. Still, this was an especially gorgeous view.

"No matter where you are you are there."

~An old saying from one of Mary Engelbreit's Calendars 

This post is linked with Skywatch Friday.

Hiker Signs with Some Fun Pictures ~ SOOC

I saw the first two plates last weekend when I dropped off some fellows from Philly who needed a shuttle ride.  The last one is Bud’s prized bumper sticker which I think it is pretty cute.


Here are the fellows I gave the ride to last Saturday. They were so much fun. Note the one that carries a Masters sized umbrella and an inflated cushion to sit on. He works construction, but is also a baseball umpire. I could not believe my eyes when he pulled those two items out of the car. He was a hoot and a half. His reasoning was he did not like to get up in the night in a rainstorm, crawl out of the tent to relieve himself, and then be sopping wet when he crawled back in. They are going to come back next summer, spend the night here, and then leave their car with us while they do another section. Umbrella Mike is a construction worker, but he also works as a baseball umpire. When I drove through Buena Vista on my way to the drop off point, he saw the sign saying Buena Vista, Home of Charlie Manual, manager of the 2008 World Series Philadelphia Phillies. He went bonkers with excitement saying, “He’s my man!”  Next year we will take him to see the house where Charlie grew up.

This is the traditional Appalachian Trail sign.

 Getting their stuff out of car ~ assembling the hiking sticks.

Mike tightening up the straps so his pack sits and fits comfortably on his back.

 This has to be at least a 40 pound pack...

the umbrella and the inflatable cushion 
crack me up. They are definitely a first!

Final shot before they hit the trail.

Here they go on their 10 day hike.

Please forgive me for setting off of the sign topic. I thought the story was so cool and fit in with the signs so well, I just had to include them.

This post is linked with Lesley’s “Signs, Signs.”

Watery Wednesday - 5-4-11

Appalachian Trail Close South of Hump Back Rock

Augusta County ~ Virginia

After a period of heavy rains, you will see water like this running over the rocks.

"Friendship that flows from the heart cannot be frozen by adversity, 

as the water that flows from the spring cannot congeal in winter.”

~author unknown

This post is linked to Watery Wednesday sponsored by 2sweetnsaxy.

Weekend Portrait ~ 4-29-11

Thru Hikers on the Appalachian Trail

Last Saturday I took my husband’s place running shuttle for 3 fellows - two from Georgia and the other from Chicago - thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. For those of you who are not familiar with the trail, it goes from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine, approximately 2,172 miles. They had gotten off Friday about 20 miles from town, hitched a ride into Lexington for a good night’s rest, bought some new things from Buddy where he works at Walkabout Outfitters, and then I ran them back to the trail to resume their hike. This was my first shuttle run, and it was so interesting talking to the guys about their experiences and the sights they had seen. They have a long ways to hoof it to get to Mt. Katahdin, and  I’m so happy it’s them doing the walking and not moi!

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”

 ~Steven Wright

This post is linked to the Weekend Portrait meme sponsored by Dindin MK.

Love of the Appalachian Trail

Three Ridges Wilderness Area ~ Harper’s Creek
Bud’s Trusty Pack, Hiking Stick, and Gatorade


"After a day's walk everything has twice its usual value." 

~George Macauley Trevelyan

This post is linked to:

 Sepia Scenes