Date: 2005-05-09
From: US 11

To: Bearwallow Gap, Va 43
Miles today: 9.6

US220, Va. 816 to US 11   S 1.5 miles  Black Horse Gap, BRP Mile 97.7 to  Bearwallow Gap, Va 43  N 8.1 miles Today is Monday May ninth. We spent last night at the Econo-lodge again, and they said we could have it again tonight at the same price. And it's a king size bed we've got now. So it was a great deal. So we got up this morning I got up a little earlier maybe quarter to seven. Put my clothes on and got Terry some coffee and came back and said, "OK let's just do this 1.5 mile here in town". We went and found the trail crossing on US220 and left the car at the motel. So he drove around to US 11 and it was 8:20, we got on a trail. And, nine o'clock we are back at US 220 and the Econo-lodge. So we did it in forty minutes. So then we drove on up here to Va 43, dropped the car off. came back to Black Horse Gap, and got on the trail at 10:45. cross the Blue Ridge Parkway for the first time at 0.7 miles, in twenty minutes. And now at fifty five minutes we're at the next overlook, which we haven't seen the sign yet. we're setting at a picnic table. haven't really talked to anybody today. we're going north so we won¢t see as many people. We know a lot of hikers are at the hotel, hanging out, just eating and talking and having a good time. There was a dog there too, I guess a trail dog, and we did see a guy with his dog crossing there at US 11 when we got on the trail this morning. Got here to Bobblets Gap road at ten after one. We are having lunch, laying on this old fire road. Five miles and just under two and a half hours. So we didn't see anybody, didn't go to the Bobblets Gap Shelter, two tenths down the trail. We are seeing beautiful wildflowers. Terry gets to see something unusual you don't normally see. We happen across this couple lying in the woods. The guy jumps up and zips up and they both duck down. We just charged on by. We find a great place for lunch 10 minutes later. So we had a lunch, were resting and then it's just three miles to the car. Get out of here early. We hope and enjoy the evening. we took a fifty minute lunch break and we were back on the trail at two o¢clock. With three point one miles to go. And we had to go on up to the Peaks of Otter. Which was very nice and like I was telling Terry, I enjoyed the overlooks. Because unlike coming up to them in your car and then you feel like you had to get out of the car, go read and you're in a hurry. it seems like all time here we just walked up, went to the signs read them and looked around, and just really enjoyed. Most of the time there was never cars going by, or anything, was like we had the whole Parkway to ourselves. Then we went on and sometimes you're on an old road, and it just seemed to go very easily. The trail was great, and then finally started going down until you're getting to a gap, and hear cars, and a couple switchbacks and then we ran into a black snake on the trail. Right in the middle of trail. I say maybe four foot long, at the most.  The one the other day, I thought was bigger and longer. But anyhow, held us up for about maybe five minutes because he wouldn't get off the trail and when I went and took my hiking pole and touched his tail. Boy his head came around and up higher like a cobra ready to strike. And finally guess who the chicken was. It was us. We had to get up off the trail and go up around him. and then he decided he was going to go off the trail. So that was our excitement. down to the road and back to the car right at 3:30 pm. And then we went picked up the other car. Came on down to Hwy 460 to Hwy 220 and went to the Super Wal-Mart . Bought some wine which we're going to enjoy here in a minute and some things for the feet, mole skin, some bananas and I don't know what else. Then back to our Favorite Place the Econo lodge in Daleville for our third night. And we got here at 4:30 and just a great feeling. We had a great hike today and got the whole evening and we¢re not out of energy yet.