Well, I did some hiking while I was in Jacksonville, but there is nothing like a mountain trail. So, today I decided to finish a part of the Appalachian Trail (AT) from Tanyard Gap to Pump Gap. I have hiked out of Tanyard Gap three other times but that was north on the AT to the Rich Mountain Fire Tower with the latest trip being last month. Back in December, I hiked from Hot Springs over Lover's Leap and down to Pump Gap, so today I was completing this section of the AT.
The hike took me over Mill Ridge area and its meadow full of sunflowers and view of Rich Mountain. Besides sunflowers, there were plenty of wildflowers, including the Cardinal Flower. I then past the pond I am just going to call Pump Gap Pond. I then took the Pump Gap Trail (going left at the campsite) and came back around to the gap I was at back in the winter. One thing it sure didn't feel like winter, because it got hot pretty quick. While not even as close to the heat I witnessed last week in Jacksonville it still was hot! Then I hiked the AT back, past the scars of the fires that closed the AT through here back in April. The hike came in just under six miles.
I then headed to Hot Springs, mainly to pick up a sticker but I also replaced a map I lost on the hike earlier in the day. I did a mile on the AT through town. One thing I noticed in Hot Springs was the extent of the fire damage from April it was worse than I thought. On the way out I stopped for a coffee (at Laurel River Store) and when I got home finished the day with a fire.
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