Date: 2014-05-13
From: Dancing Bear Bed & Breakfast 

To: Pine Forest Camp
Miles today: 17.0

Reflecting back on yesterday, I'm sure that six months from now or even sooner, when I'm stuck in rush hour traffic on Interstate 10 in Phoenix and breathing toxic brown air, I will look back on that day and realize just how special it was. I'll recall sitting in the back yard swing relaxing with beautiful rhododendrons blooming in the garden with Robins rooting in the lush grass for worms while in the early evening, Gray Catbirds looked for grubs in the flower beds, with Chimney Swifts twittering overhead in their bat-like flight. I'll remember walking the streets of Damascus where you couldn't go more than a few feet without running into someone you knew. Today I was unfaithful. I cheated on the Appalachian Trail. I was seduced by the gentle curves and sweet murmurings of the White-top Laurel River. Today over second breakfast, Shannon mentioned that you could veer from the official AT, and walk the Virginia Creeper Trail which followed the river. The VA Creeper Trail is basically a Rails to Trails conversion that is used primarily by bicyclists. So my choice was either follow the AT, which took you up a steep hill and into the woods with little to no scenery, or stray from the AT and follow a beautiful trout stream while crossing 20 or so old railroad trestles.I chose to veer from the AT and follow the VA Creeper. About a half mile out of town, I heard a bike approaching from behind and I turned and saw that it was Just Bill. He slowed to my pace and we started talking whiled I continued walking. I asked him where Deoghi was. Deoghi is his dog (pronounced D O G). He said "She's around" I looked around but didn't see her. He saw my confusion and said "She does her own thing, she'll come around. Sure enough a few minutes later here comes this rag top dog strolling up behind us. A little while later, Just Bill rides up ahead and says "Let me show you this challenge I have to meet in order to cross into National Forest land". When I get to the edge of the river, Deoghi is already swimming in the water. "Before I can enter the National Forest, I have to toss a rock across the river and make it stick on that ledge" l looked over at the ledge and noticed about 30 to 40 rocks up there. He made a rock stick after 3 attempts whereas it took me several before I was starting to get frustrated. I finally resorted to being patient and selected just the right sized rock, took a deep breath and let the rock fly and it sailed end over end, not so high as to clip the overhead branches, but with enough arc to land and stick on the ledge. It stuck without a bounce. I could now enter the forest. I can honestly say in honor of my friend Just Bill and due to my competitive nature, I was not going to cross the line until successfully competing the challenge. We we walked back around, Deoghi was now rolling on the sand to dry off. Just before leaving the area, Just Bill pointed to a Private Property sign posted on the tree that said "Trespass to Trout Fish Only" He and Deoghi walked another quarter mile with me then he turned and said "This is as far as I go, look me up next time you're in Demascus, and I'll take you fly fishing. My walk along the Virginia Creeper Trail was relaxing and serene. I ended up going swimming 3 times in deep pools. As it turned out, 3G had also chose to follow the Creeper. The trail passed through a small community and I stopped and had a coke while listening to blue grass music being piped from the cafe and watched two Red Tailed Hawks soaring high in the clouds overhead. On the way to camp, I saw about a four foot long black rat snake right off of the trail. AZ, 3G, and I ended up stealth camping in a pine forest and were in our tents as a thunderstorm rolled in and started raining. Slim stayed back at the shelter with Scout, Chinook and Pockets.