Date: 2005-10-09
From: Va. 664, Reeds Gap

To: Va. 56, Tye river
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up this morning, or try to get up early, and we both fall back to sleep, because it was dark out. Finally got up, got on our way. we had to drive both cars down to the Tye river on US 56 and dropped the rental car off. And came back up Campbell Mountain road to the Blue Ridge Parkway to Reeds Gap and got ready, and at 9:20am we were off. And it was foggy, windy, and misting. Well we didn't have to put our coats on, or our rain coats. the first part of the trail wasn't bad, it didn't really go up that much, and there was one area where it was kind of neat in the fog. And then we had a tunnel effect with the bush's and schrubs and I was even talking about it reminded me of fairy tale settings.  Anyhow, then it did go up, but it went up nice and gentle. The first hill was 400 ft tall, crest of Meadow Mt. Then took us till 9:50am, 0.8 miles to the crest of Maupin Mountain. And then we went down to the Maupin Field shelter, 1.7 miles and we¢re there at ten twenty. And we stayed there for twenty minutes and left at ten forty. And then eleven o'clock we made it 2.1 miles to Bee Mountain. Bee Mountain up to the ridge is then very steep rocky sections. You could hear some waterfall off in the distance. We talked to four guys and a gal on Bee Mt. At 11:50am at 3.7 miles we¢re at Hanging Rock overlook and we stayed there about 15 minutes till 11:45. We stopped and had a snack, and again, no views, its totally fogged in, we're tired because it was real steep climbing up there. We took 2 standing breaks. We finally left Hanging Rock overlook at 12:05 and at 12:40 we got to the top of the first of three ridges. And then at 12:55 we were at that sign that said 4.2 miles and that's where the three boys came up. And then right after that was the dad. And we talked to him for a few minutes, they¢re out for like three nights. They might stop at that Maupin Field shelter. And then we went down and down down, steep, rocky, start to complain. And then at one forty, we came to Chimney Rocks, and we stayed there five minutes, we rested. That's at five point nine miles. One forty five we took off. At 2:05pm we were at 6.2 miles and that was the big flat area which is the third of the three bridges. And we stopped there and we had a view there, we had lunch, you look out across the valley see the farmland and terracing. But as we sat there, clouds parted enough, where we could see way off in the distance, the mountains to the west. I think that would be to the west. So that was the best view of the day and we happened to be there. Somewhere out there was the Parkway. So we stayed there until two forty. And we took off and you know just down down down, complaining about the rocks and the mud on the trail. Stinging nettle all around and every now and then, thorn bushes. Dont get me wrong, we love the Trail. And then at 3:30 we came to the Harpers Creek shelter at seven point nine miles. It was close to the trail but when you walked over there, a big creek was between you and the shelter. And there was no good way to get over there without maybe getting wet. And there was three or four people, two couples maybe over there, but we finally decided it wasn't worth getting our feet wet. So we left and you couldn't really talk to the people there, because of the sound of the Harper Creek. We did fiddle around there for about five minutes and left at 3:40. Came to Harpers Creek at 8.0 miles and took us about five minutes to cross. We managed to do it with the help of my poles. And then you talk about a complaint, they take you up and up. Terry thinks five hundred feet, and we don't know what for. We had to come back down to get to the creek. So then at 4:05 we came to where the Mar-Har trail came back in, at 8.8 miles and it was only three miles back to the Moppin Field shelter on that trail. So then we go down and then take you up over this hill and down and at 4:30 we started some switchbacks. And more down and more down and I start getting discouraged because I said I can't hear the river. How can we be getting close if we can¢t hear it. and then we turned a corner and could hear the river. At 4:55 we came to the Tye river suspension bridge at 10.4 miles. And we've heard that kayaking was really great this week, but we didn't see any. And then we were at the car, 5:00pm, 10.5 miles on the trail. And I think we got in the car and I drove us around to the east and back up to Reed's gap. We each got in our cars and we drove all way to I-64 to US250. Got off onto 58 and came to the Colony House motel, here outside of Waynesboro, went to Shoney's for supper. Ate way too much, came back and tried to watch West Wing on TV, and all you can do is hear the voices, no picture. And now we're just going to go to bed.