.November 8, 2006
After two long days, I get a short day today, just 13 miles. We are moving to a new motel today which takes some extra time. Lynn does so much but needs help loading and unloading the vehicle, so on moving days my hikes are usually shorter.
First we went across the James River Foot Bridge. Here's a picture from the north end.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Up the stairs
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The bridge is 625 feet long and is the longest pedestrian bridge along the Appalachian Trail. Some bridges are longer but they are shared with vehicles. It was built on piers left from an old railroad.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ View from the south end.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There is a plaque at the south end.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So with this foot bridge being named after Mr. Foot, this is actually the Foot Foot Bridge.
After walking with me for a while along the river, Lynn headed back. You can still see the bridge in the background.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ With a river on my right, very steep mountains to my left, and Madison slowed down by carrying today's provisions in her pack, I decided to give her another try off the leash. Lo and behold, she did wonderful. She went ahead of me, but stayed close.
I try to look at the positive on rainy days. At least the waterfalls and creeks put on a show.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I entered the James River Face Wilderness
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Matts Creek was moving right along.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Matts Creek Shelter was right on the trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ After the shelter I had trouble locating the trail. Then I realized it crossed the 'creek'. Uggh. It was far from impassable, but I got my feet soaked. Madison on the other hand loved it. With Madison's love for the water, this was a reminder to me not to put anything in her pack that couldn't get wet. (Soggy sandwiches, yuck) Next, the climbing started. Up, up, up, we went from 700 feet to 2500 feet. I tried to get a view into the valley before entering into the fog. On a clear day, both sides of the river offer great views. Oh well, there will be plenty more great views.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I would have liked to check out Devils Marbleyard but it was over a mile off the trail and with it raining I didn't want to stretch the day out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I did get some smooth trails today.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Look who is off the leash. She even posed for me at the south end of the James River Face Wilderness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next stop was Petites Gap where I met Lynn.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lynn walked with Madison and me for a while as we entered the Thunder Ridge Wilderness. She then walked back and drove three miles up the road to Thunder Ridge Overlook.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Madison and I continued on through the long, green tunnel.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I made my way to the top of Thunder Ridge, the highest elevation of today. It is somewhere around 3700 feet. The trail then drops to Thunder Ridge Overlook where I met Lynn. Thunder Ridge Overlook is a good stopping point if you are being crewed. The trail doesn't go right to it, but it is just a few yards away. Trying to find some humor on a rainy day we got a 'kick' out of this sign stating that 'seeing is believing'.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It was no surprise that I didn't see any hikers today. Hopefully the rain is behind me. The forecast for the next few days looks great.
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