McAfee Knob

Day hikers don't normally understand what's it's like to thru-hike, and I am no exception.  I check the weather, make sure that it's not going to rain, grab the appropriate gear for the temperature and set out on the day of. I don't understand the seemingly randomness of weather, expecting the unexpected, and hoping that you have the gear you'll need for the trail ahead...however many thousand miles that is.

I swear this isn't a philosophical tirade.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Blacksburg, VA area with a friend, but sadly for us the weather wasn't cooperating for our many planned outdoor adventures.  One of which was to hike the 8.3-mile out and back hike to McAfee Knob, considered one of the Appalachian Trail's most photographed places.  I had no idea when I'd have another opportunity to hike this section of the AT, so I told my friend: Let's go for it!  Let's just do it!  She, being the trooper she is, agreed, and we set out to get backpack covers and be on our way!

Up to this point, we had never hiked in the haze or rain--the frozen stuff.. ice/snow/etc ...yes but never rain--so we weren't quite sure what to expect. It was certainly a different experience from hiking knowing it's going to be a beautiful day! Our hike to McAfee Knob was just foggy and hazy, and when we arrived, it was so mysterious--shrouded in fog.

One bonus of our foggy summit was that I had no idea how far it was if we fell, so I was fearless!  My hiking companion had done this hike previously, and was constantly concerned that I was getting too close to the edge.  But, I didn't care; I couldn't tell how high up we were!  For once, I was fearless.  For once, I felt free of my self-imposed constraints!

Our return back to the car was speckled with rain droplets.  Nice, refreshing sprinkles--a nice respite from our sweaty, steamy summit.    

I learned a valuable lesson that day.  Not all hikes need to be enjoyed in "perfect" weather, with the sun shining and cumulus clouds splayed over a ocean blue sky.  Every hike, no matter what the weather, is memorable.

Raven Rocks, WV

New year and going to try to keep up with this blog better than I have in the past!  My friend and I have made a New Year's resolution (I can hear all of your sighs from here, but wait, listen...this one's good--I promise) to hike at least 100 miles together!  We can hike separately, but the only ones that count towards our goal are the hikes we do together.  Here it is January 25th, and we've already hiked over 20 miles, well on our way to our goal.  I plan on using this blog to help document our wonderful adventures, and the growth, excitement, friendship, and just natural beauty that I encounter along this journey.

Anywho, enough of the background.  One of our recent hikes was to up to Raven Rocks, West Virginia.  I bet a lot of you have already heard of this hike...it's a (very small) part of the Appalachian Trail.  You're able to do just this section of the AT as an out-and-back hike in about 5.5 miles...there's a small parking lot for folks to park about 0.4 miles away.

There were SOOO many exciting things about this hike!  Though this was our third hike of 2015 (and I'll try to back track on the other hikes, as we were able to hike some real gems), this hike held many firsts for us.

First, it was our first section of the AT that we were hiking together.  In hindsight it probably wasn't the best timing for us to go, as it had rained the day before, and much of the trail was iced over.  But we braved it!  There are a lot of rocks that weren't icy that we were able to use to keep our balance.  Really only about 1/4 of the hike was icy, and on the way back, much of the ice had melted (thankfully).  Despite the ice, there was one major advantage to completing this hike in the winter: bare trees allowed us to see some amazing views from the trail.

The trail includes several ascending and descending stretches, which brought to another one of our hiking firsts: hiking into a new state!  We were able to cross from Virginia into West Virginia!  (I see all of your eyes rolling--yes, I'm easily amused).

Just a little beyond the state line, you come to Raven Rocks and a wonderful view!  It's the kind of view where you sit and just enjoy life.  It's wonderful to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life, and just enjoy the views and be with nature.

If you're in the area, it's definitely worth the time for the hike.  Soak up the sun, the views, and the peace you find here!

Happy 2015, and Happy Trails :)