Date: 2018-11-21
From: Route 19E

To: Forest service road 293
Miles today: 13.7

Lee made us pancakes this morning and we filled our empty Tippy Cow bottles with butterscotch schnapps before we left for the trail. I'd made us turkey sandwiches last night and we've started having electrolytes in the car when we get picked up because we realized we're not drinking much water during the hikes so we made sure those were ready for Lee to bring later. It was a chilly start as it has been lately with temps in the upper 20's. I put my neck warmer on and pulled it up over my mouth and nose for the first 20 minutes. We hiked up over a hill only to come back down and cross a street that is really close to the trailhead where we were dropped off. It felt ridiculous. On the other side of the street the trail resumed climbing and in seeing the switchbacks before me I stopped after the first couple of them and removed my neck warmer, putting it on my left arm. A while later I removed my fleece. We hiked up into a field with a good area of low growth on each side of it. I noticed a sign on a tree explaining the effort to revitalize the area as a yellow winged warbler habitat because the species is becoming endangered here. I looked around but didn't see any bird activity. The sun however was already working on warming things up. At the top of the climb thru the meadows the view reward was nice. I stood for a few. It's quiet out here today and I'm taking it all in. The frost on the brush, the trees all bare for the winter and the trail as it tunnels thru rhododendron forest up ahead. More pasture climb and more views. About 4 miles in we crossed a road and stopped in the parking lot of a church to have our hot chocolate and snack in the sunshine. Sitting on the cold concrete is when I noticed that I was missing my neck warmer. I must have dropped it when I took off my fleece. I was bummed because I've had that warmer for close to 20 years. It's a simple fleece one but I love it. I pull it up over my mouth and nose and It warms the air nicely when it's really cold so it doesn't hurt when I breathe in. It was 10am and I felt funny drinking my spiked cocoa in a church yard before 10am but it was so yummy! My knees are hurting. These mountains are big 4,000-6,000'+ and it's easy for me to forget about keeping soft knees on descents because the switchbacks are graded. But the descents are miles long and the trauma to the knees is real so today I began the practice of soft knees as I had done up north on much steeper grades and I hope it helps. That and plenty of vitamin I. We took a side trail to Jones Falls. Completely worth every extra step! They are beautiful falls and there was no one around! Just before the side trail however I took a butt slide down a set of log steps that were covered in dry leaves. WE came around the corner to find me sitting there with both legs outstretched and reaching for my stray poles. We both laughed. Yes dry leaves are slippery! A half mile before the side trail to the shelter I came upon WE perched on a log with her sandwich in hand. I was very hungry too so I joined her and shared my chips. We cooled off quickly even though the day had warmed so nicely but I think it was the breeze. We finished the climb after lunch and had one more view reward before reaching the state forest road where Lee was waiting. The rhododendron in this section were so pretty and I can imagine them in spring bloom. I'd love to return to see them and walk through the tunnels of them on trail. We fixed ourselves bagels and cream cheese and I had Spaghettios with it. Lee has caught my cold and is I'm bed early. She bought peppermint schnapps and Rumchata today. The schnapps for our cocoa. But I tried the Rumchata and that is delicious! WE gave Lee a shot or 2 of it and some NyQuil so hopefully she'll get some rest. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we're going to hike 6.5 miles and bring Romeo with us. I've not hiked with him before and Chihuahua are not generally dogs you see out hiking. Then it's dinner at Shirley's restaurant and I've been looking forward to it.