Date: 2005-10-08
From: Dripping Rock Parking,BRP, Mile 9.6

To: Va. 664, Reeds Gap,BRP
Miles today: 4.9

OK Today is Saturday October eighth. We spent the night at Sherando Lake Campground, sounds right, outside of Waynesboro Virginia and we slept in. It rained all night long, and rained and rained and this morning, it was still raining. and we roll over and go back to sleep for an hour. Finally at nine o'clock, not because it stopped raining, we decide to have our cereal right here before we leave.  Probably going on for ten o'clock before we left. we went on up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. And drop the car off there at Reeds Gap right on top. And then we drove down to Dripping Rock overlook and parked the other car and we started off hiking. Was a long time to get ready and there is just always something to be doing, getting things ready, not wanting to get out and get wet. But finally at 11:30 we left Dripping Rock. And we cross the road and the trail went down and didn't take it too long a start getting rocky, and you had to go real carefully, things were wet. At 11:50 and we we're at the Cedar Cliff. And you¢re supposed to have a good view, well It was all fogged in. Couldn't see anything, it's raining and raining. And so keep going, and feel like they kept going down, down and lots of rocks and then you have cascading creeks coming down. Water is flowing across the trail everywhere. And because of all the rain, we've had every stream we crossed was like triplets, three streams going down. There was another creek where water came out from under the rocks right above the trail, flowed across the trail, and then went back down under the rocks again right below the trail. And every now and then you walk over rocks and there'd be a stream underneath it, you can hear it. A few times there are some straight stretches of just normal trail, but the vast majority of the whole trail was slippery Rocks. Terry loves hiking in the rain. He prefers rain over a 75 degree plus day. we had a guy come by and he was wearing his camp clogs that are real light and open toed. And he just walked right through water and he had a skirt on with a T Shirt and no rain gear, he didn't care. Because all his gear was dry, he had a nice cover on his backpack. So we kept walking, what fifteen minutes later, the gal with this guy walked by and she didn't have much on either. She was pretty well bare arms and I think she just had a halter top and she had sandals on. So the theories on how to hike in the rain, is just a few things get soaked, except for your protected pack, and when you quit hiking you put on something dry. If you get cool you put on your rain gear. We did take a ten minute break somewhere along there. We were getting a little weak and decide to have snacks, but then at 2:20 we finally went up and got up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and crossed over the Parkway at Three Ridges parking overlook. And then right back into the woods, but flat. Made some good time and then you just come out of that into a field and the trail goes right next to the forest. In this field you don't see the forest really, because it was so foggy. That's when we really noticed the fog. You couldn't see the forest or the Parkway. All you can do is follow the trail, and then finally you got close and see the car. Got to Reeds Gap and that was at 2:35 and 4.9 miles along the Appalachian Trail. So we came out at Reeds Gap and then we went back to get our other car. we got the other car and came back, and it seemed like the fog got worse. I mean there was times when you could hardly see in front of you at all. So we finally made it back to our road at Reeds Gap, and we turned and went back down toward Sherando lake campground. You go like one tenth of a mile down from Reeds Gap and it's totally clear. There's not a bit of fog a mile down the hill, nothing. And by this time it stopped raining. We had already talked, when we were sitting in the car, we're going to be camping again.  We came into the Sherando lake camp ground, got our same campsite. Went took shower. Had a bottle of wine, and then we went out driving to Waynesboro. Went over the interstate and finally ended up at Wendy's. And stopped at a little grocery store, got some lighter fluid, because Terry borrowed firewood from other campsites. You didn't steal it; people are leaving it because it¢s raining. we had a fantastic fire that Terry made and we backed the minivan up and laid in the back with the door open and enjoyed it. and then finally we moved over by electric hookup and read for a little while, and then we went to sleep.