[at-l] Weekend Hike near Roanoke

[Walter Shroyer <wshroyer@mail.bluefield.edu>]

Day One - Saturday Oct. 2, 1999

There were three of us (Dan, Diane, and Walter) and we all drove our
cars because two of us were camping out and hiking Sunday and the other
one is heading back home today.  We left Bluefield Virginia around 7:00
a.m. after meeting at McDonald's and arrived at the U.S 11 trail head in
Troutville around 9:30 a.m.  Our drive was filled with beautiful scenes
of rising mist, fog laden mountains and red violet colors as the sun
rose.   We parked two cars at the large parking area where we would end
our hike today and drove my car to the trail head at Black Horse Gap on
the Blue Ridge Parkway, mile marker 97.7.  We will have a 12.2 mile hike
today and we put our first footsteps on the AT around 10:15. The first 2
1/2 miles was just beautiful, easy walking with lots of fall
wildflowers.  We saw a strange pine tree that had no limbs on it but
large clumps of growing pine needles around the entire tree trunk.  It
looked like it had been decorated for Christmas.  Very strange looking!
At the Wilson Creek Shelter, we ate a snack, took a potty break and
continued our descent down to Wilson Creek and Little Wilson Creek.
When we reached Curry Creek we decided to hold off lunch until we had
climbed at least part of the next 800 foot ascent.  The first part was a
little steep but after we crossed Salt Pond Road it became easier.  Just
past the road, we found a couple of fallen logs and stopped and ate
lunch and enjoyed the sounds and scenery.  Shortly after lunch on our
descent towards Fullhardt Knob we heard a loud noise behind us only to
see a bird fly up and then dive back down to the ground.  I thought it
must have been a turkey but before we could even decide, it flew out.
While it glided away we saw its hugh wingspan and quickly diagnosed it
wasn't a turkey or a hawk.  I figured it must have been a Golden Eagle
because last time when we were in this area we saw two of them.  What a
beautiful sight to see it soar with outstretched wings.  In the next 1/2
mile we came upon some more wildlife, a 4 - 5 foot black snake in the
middle of the trail, who after startling us quickly made an exit through
the blueberry bushes and then reappeared crossing the trail behind Dan.
He said thought “we were being encircled!”.  We had a long steady ascent
to Fullhardt Shelter where we noticed a tent set up and shortly met the
occupant.  She was a lady in her 50's or 60's and said she couldn’t find
her coat which she soon found wrapped around her waist.  We should have
realized then that this wasn’t any ordinary lady (although we have all
found things we were looking for right under our noses) because for the
next 15 minutes she went on how "they" were bothering her and wanting
her to leave.  She rant and raved about several things until we were
able to change the topic and we soon decided we had heard enough and
headed down for the last 3 1/2 miles of our hike.  When we got out of
listening distance I announced that we had seen an eagle, a snake, and a
“nut” today.  Everyone laughed and agreed.  Oh yea, she told us several
times she was not crazy or nuts.  Anybody out there know about her????
We arrived at the cars at 4:45, feeling great.  Diane headed home while
Dan and I headed to the Cracker Barrel for an early dinner.  We figured
we could beat the crowd and took our time eating a tasty meal.  On our
way back to pick up my car we stopped at a Food Lion and picked up a
gallon of water, gatorade, snacks, and a cooking pan.  You sse, we had
both left our cooking pans at home. Dan bought some aluminum bread tins
since we only needed to boil water for our breakfast oatmeal and hot
chocolate.  I called Diane's husband to let him know she was on her way
and he said “she just walked in the door”.  She must have flew home!
Dan and I picked up my car and debated whether to camp right there (we
were hiking this section tomorrow) or head down to the North Creek
Campground, 18 miles away.  We decided to head to the campground because
we felt it would be noisy by the road and also colder on top of the
mountain.  We made the right choice because the weather down in the
valley was warm.  I pitched my tent in the dark and we managed to find
enough wood to have a nice campfire which we couldn't have done next to
the parkway.  We had a great time talking around the campfire and a
great night sleeping.

Day Two - Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999

We got up around 7:30 a.m. to a beautiful morning, ate a good breakfast,
and were on the trail by 9:30.  We left Dan's car at Bearwallow Gap,
drove mine to Black Horse Gap and began our 7.4 mile hike.  This section
follows the Blue Ridge Parkway and crosses it three times.  It is a
ridge hike and crosses several knobs.  We saw some hugh stone walls
probably built by the CCC, some people with binoculars out hawk
watching, and enjoyed the scenic views in the valleys below to the north
and south.  We found some wild grapes by the trail which I enjoyed
thoroughly.  I hadn’t eaten wild grapes in over 20 years.  Tasty, but
seedy!  After hiking this section we decided to do one more section that
was only 2 1/2 miles long and would make our next hike shorter.  We
parked one car at U.S. 220 near I-81 and parked the other car at U.S.
11.  This section goes under I-81 and as we were about to start several
fire trucks raced past us with their sirens blaring loudly. Shortly, we
saw the traffic jam in the southbound lanes of the interstate where an
accident must have just happened.  We discussed alternate routes we
might take on our drive home but then noticed the accident happened
before the exit we would be getting on. Thank goodness!  I did pray for
those in the accident though.   Although this section is short it had
some neat sights.  The trail goes through an old overgrown apple orchard
and Dan and I each picked and ate two juicy apples.  Yum! Yum!  There
were also many walnut trees here.  It crossed through some cow pastures
and went through a thick pine forest.  What a great day of hiking.  On
our drive home we stopped at a Taco Bell in Blacksburg for an early
dinner and I was home by 6:00 p.m.

Walter Shroyer


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