Occasional peices of rusty metal could be seen here and there poking through the scrub pines and dry grass. The trail soon left this area and descended through lovely hardwoods with the ubiquitous rhododendron thickets everywhere. It must be quite something in June when all the shrubbery bursts into bloom. Passing the first stream, I filtered some water and washed up. A group of campers from UVA on the ridge behind the stream had barely begun to stir and peered at me with bleary eyes.
Early starts are one advantage to solo hiking.
A mile or so further on it was clear that today was bound to be another hot day. The path continued to wind slowly upward through dense shrubbery crossing the occasional stream. I happened through a lovely sylvan glade with the remains of some buildings and possibly a dam sticking through the grass and ferns. A family of deer including a very young fawn bolted at my approach and were not seen again. Eventually the trail started to pick up the gradient and the woods opened up a bit.