Date: 2016-06-24
From: Rock Fish Gap Shenandoah National Park

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 109.0
Weather: clear sky

Shenandoah National Park ¢ Rockfish Gap to Front Royal ¢ Friday June 17 through Friday June 14 ¢ 108 milesFriday June 17 ¢ Rockfish to Calf MountainSaturday June 18 ¢ Calf Mountain to Black RockSunday June 19 ¢ Black Rock to Loft MountainMonday June 20 - Loft Mountain to Hilltop MountainTuesday June 21 - Hilltop Mountain to Big Meadows CampgroundWednesday June 22 ¢ Big Meadows to Pass MountainThursday June 23 ¢ Pass Mountain to Gravel SpringsFriday June 24 ¢ Gravel Springs to Front RoyalDaily average this section - 14.5 miles per dayOverall average entire trip ¢ 11.8 miles per day (includes down days)This has been a great week of hiking including many events not expected. I entered the park on the south side and registered with the park ranger kiosk for the backcountry permit. AS I left the kiosk, something rattled the leaves to my right about five yards away in the trees. Riley of course immediately perked up and looked around as we both watched a bear turn tail and run away from us. Good thing Riley was on the lease at that time as he got pretty excited. For many hikers, they have already seen at least one bear but this was my first the entire trip.Many years ago I watched a special on the Discovery Channel about fireflies whose behavior baffles scientist. In the show the fire flies would all blink in the exact same pattern at the exact same time including turning off the blink. The show indicated there were only a few places on earth where this happens and scientist could not figure out how they coordinated their blinking or even why they did so. All I remember was that one such location was in the eastern United States. I talked about this several months back to other hikers when the fire flies just started coming out and several of the hikers indicated they believe that location was close to the Appalachian Trail. Well they were right and I found that location at Hilltop Mountain. Getting to Hilltop was a long day of hiking that day and I did not get there until after 9pm with very little natural light remaining. Riley and I hiked quickly as we could just barely see the trail and nothing into the woods on our sides. Every now and then we would hear a branch break and Riley would stop and peer into the woods. I on the other hand would begin to whistle tunes and hike faster as I feared one of those cracking branches might be the result of a bear or mountain lion or something else that sees me as a tasty snack stupid enough to be hiking at night without a light and alone. But we got to the shelter area by 9:15. There were several other hikers there already set up and had a campfire going. AS the fire died down I could see into the dark woods that fireflies began to come out in great quantities and within minutes I was surrounded by fireflies light up the night woods. Around 10 pm their random pattern began to change. It seemed like the fireflies were beginning to form separate group for some reason, with each group blinking together in unison but different from the other groups which by now numbered around 8 separate groups around the forest. Then without reason they began to flash in concert with each other with the first group blinking first then each group to my right starting a few seconds later and continuing around the forest in a circular pattern still keeping their unique group patterns separate from the other groups. Then all of them would stop blinking at the exact same time and remain dark for about 10 seconds. This continued for about 30 minutes. They pattern continued but after a while the blinking was now all the same across all groups even though they stared at different times much like the standing wave fans do around a stadium at baseball games. What was most amazing wat that all of the flier flies stopped at the exact same time like someone turned a switch off. At another shelter area there was a creek about five yards to the left of the shelter next to a mountain creek. Between the creek and the shelter were small bushes where a large doe stood and watched us for hours. She acted like she was trying to hider herself behind the small bushes apparently not realizing we could all see here. As new hikers approached she would simply lower her head like she was hiking as the hikers walked past her. Even Riley watched her in amazement. Of course snakes seemed in abundance on the park. Riley and I had three near experiences over the week in the park including one where I literally did not see the snake and stepped over it with Riley behind me. As Riley passed I heard the rattle going, looking down and jumped into the area realizing I just stepped over a rattle snake. On the second to the last day in the park I stopped at a wayside rest on Skyline Drive that had food. I sat outside on a park bench with other hikers enjoying a burger and fries when one of the hikers jumped up and ran towards the woods. I turned to see a smaller bear come out of the woods towards the picnic area but then climbed a tree when it spotted the hiker bearing down on it. There were four park rangers there as well and they joined in trying to chase the bear away. It was pretty cute as the bear instead climbed a tree next to the picnic tables. At first it hid in the tree behind the trunk but then peered around the corner only to see everyone looking at it. Apparently it did not realize that its big butt was sticking out the other side of the trunk for all to see.The last night in the park we decide while at the way stop to make the last night special. The camp store sold beer and wine including wind in the boxes so I got a small one (500ml) along with lots of junk food and snacks. I was not worried about the weight because we only had about two miles of hiking to go for the day. That night was a lot of fun. We built a campfire. A group of three section hikers were there as well and brought a French press to make coffee. All in all a great night and great way to complete the national park. Two of the nights I decided to camp at the park campgrounds, the first time at Loft Mountain and the second at Big Meadows. All day I was hounded by storms and when I reached Big Meadows it was already 7pm, we were wet and I started to realize Io only had a couple of nights left with Riley before he headed back to Colorado. Instead of a campground I decided to treat Riley and I to a cabin at Big Meadows. As soon as we entered the cabin Riley of course jumped up on the bed and let me know that he has found his sleeping spot for the night. I went over to the camp store and restaurant and got us both dinner including him a cooked hamburger patty with cheese.The week was a success but bittersweet as I came to accept that starting in a few days my best trail friend and hiking buddy would no longer be hiking everyday with me. I can see that Riley is exhausted every day and I am concerned having him carry a backpack for so long while he is still growing increases the odds of potential long term problems for him. Such continuous long term hiking is hard on the body and I would feel terrible if Riley grew up with ailments and problems from such a hike like this. Anyway Marilee misses him as well and would love to have him home. She told me that she does not lay out under the stars at night because she is alone and afraid, especially with the large number of coyotes and mountain lions that live around us. At least this way she will sit outside and hopefully be looking at the same stars I am looking at. I miss her and sitting out with her at night on the lounge chairs all wrapped up in blankets and look forward to do that again when I get home. I have no doubt that next week I will be sad not having Riley lay next to me under the stars or watching him chase squirrels in the forest.My friend Paul is picking me up Friday in Front Royal and I will spend the weekend with him and his family. Paul and I go back many years and we each were in the other¢s wedding. Paul retired from the Air Force and remained in the Washington D.C. area as what we call the beltway bandits ¢ contractors working under a government contract.I also got a text message from Commissioner who was behind me after leaving Daleville. He decided to catch some other hikers he knew in Hersey PA so he hitched a ride and now is many days in front of me. I have no doubt we will cross paths when I flip in July and hope he has a great hike. So with Commissioner gone I am now hiking with people I just met. Like always you feel a little sad knowing you most likely will not see someone again but also excited as you connect with new people over the miles.Last blog I talked about my cancer and again this week it rattled through my mind while I hike. It is a terrible word to hear that brings nothing but fear into you. Each day you wonder if this will be the day it returns, or cuts your life short before you have a chance to live your dreams or complete your bucket list. I did not start this journey as a bucket list item but the fear of failure combined with the risk of return always is in the back of my mind and keeps me determined to complete this hike. For years I refused to tell people of my condition on fear I would be judges poorly. It makes you feel like you are something less and broken you want to protect yourself from being seen as such. I think of my experiences this week like the fireflies and bears and come to accept that no matter what, life still has a lot of great things in store and the only way forward is to keep living each day with a sense of adventure and excitement. AS I reflected on this trip I do find it to be a great adventure and happy I had the chance to do this. Although cancer will always be in the back of my mind I plan to build and complete a bucket list ¢ the only difference he next time is that it must include Marilee. I have and will always believe that happiness is best shared as being alone on the trail is not as rewarding without someone to share the thrills and excitements. I think Marilee would have loved to be sitting next