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Rebecca and I survived our backpacking adventure. We spent 3 days and 2 nights hiking in the backcountry of Shenandoah National Park and along the Appalachian Trail. We saw some amazing things along our journey, such as a deer and her fawn, birds of prey launching off of mountain tops in search of food, and one shy black bear. We came out of the trip a little more appreciative of things like running water and soap. More details - and photos - coming soon.
Amazingly, It's 1 am and I am packed and ready to go to Virginia. I have seven hours before my mom and Connor take me to the airport. A whole seven hours! Normally, I would still be pacing around the room trying to pack. This behavior is mainly due to the fact that I wait until the night before to pack everything. What makes it incredible that I can actually squeeze in six hours of sleep this time is that I had some extra gear to consider for the backpacking trip. I had to include on my packing list things like a headlight, so I don't accidentally fall off a cliff when walking around at night, or eating utensils, which will come in handy while trying to feed myself. Oh, and, food...gotta have that. Then there are all the fun fashion items like a hiking boots that I have to find room for in my luggage. Thankfully, I bought a big internal frame backpack that has most of my hiking gear and clothes in it.
The one great mystery about packing is why I always pack multiple pairs of shoes. Is it completely necessary to have hiking boots, sandals, running shoes, and walking shoes? The hiking boots and sandals are for, obviously, hiking and the moments when I want to give my feet a rest from the boots. The running shoes are along in case Rebecca and I want to go for a run. What about the walking shoes? Well, I have to have those because I can't wear my running shoes with jeans or with sandals.
Jeez, when did I become so high-maintenance?
I leave on Wednesday for Virginia to visit my friend Rebecca. I'm looking forward to the trip because I get to visit her and get to see a part of the U.S. that I've never seen before. I'm also looking forward to escaping my life for a while. There seems to be a confluence of personal issues in my life right now, all of which I can't seem to solve. For part of our trip, we will be backpacking in Shenandoah National Park which straddles the Blue Ridge Mountains. Part of the Appalachian Trail runs through the park, and we plan to backpack some of that, too. I'm hoping our time there will give me an good opportunity to reflect on what's going on and possibly figure out a way to deal with it all.
The plan is to hike a 28-mile loop through the park. If you look at the Old Rag or Whiteoak Canyon maps on the NPS's Shenandoah site, you can see the route. It starts at Corbin Cabin, descends to Nicholson Hollow Trail, then up to Old Rag's summit via the Ridge Trail. After what is described as a "scramble" up Old Rag, the trail descends via the fire road, then goes on to the Whiteoak Canyon and Cedar Run Trails through two gorges and then connects with the Appalachian Trail. Fun, eh? And all that with packs!
Other things we may do in Virginia include visiting Jamestown National Historic Site, which was the first permanent English settlement in North America. We also may get to sail in Chesapeake Bay, if the weather permits. Plus there will be lots of opportunities to chat with my friend and find out about the place she now calls home.
I'm hoping to post some blog entries and pictures when I'm not hiding in the mountains, so check back if you can.