Mt. Rogers Is Hiking Machine Approved!

This time out I'm going to do something I rarely if ever do, and cut the Lummox some slack. He has been down since that slobbering mutt Bax left us. While I had issues with him (like trying to eat me!) I kind of liked the old boy. Anyway, he needed some time on the trail, and what better place than the Virginia Highlands. 

This place is certified crushed trail by the Hiking Machine. Hiking out of Grayson Highlands (State Park) on the AT (Appalachian Trail) into the Mount Roger's NRA (National Recreation Area).  Then it was on to the camp spot, Thomas Knob Shelter. 

Then I grabbed the Lummox and headed up to Virginia's Highest Peak...Mount Roger's (5??? ft). We had seen a little earlier, but near this much...it was SNOW, HELL YEAH! Oh, the Lummox even got to run the drone, which made him happy. 

The following day it was back out. While I love the AT getting to go up that tough-ass Wilbur Ridge Trail was the trip's highlight. This trail is Hiking Machine approved. Another plus of this trip was the lack of ponies. While the two we saw were two too many at least it was a herd of them. Well, the Lummox will eventually do a blog on this and a few other trips but I'm out...BITCHES!

Gone But Never Forgotten...Bax

Friends come in all shapes, sizes, and species and our dog Bax fits this description. Sadly and with a heavy heart, we had to make that decision one has to make. The Wolfpac is down a member as Bax has left us.

My Dad with members of the Wolfpac.

See, Bax was more than just our dog he was one of my best friends. He is also one of the reasons I am sitting here writing this right now. Back in 2017, I was suffering from a mental issue. While at the Cabin, in a moment, I decided I just couldn't take things seriously and was contemplating suicide. While there were other factors that prevented me from doing it, hearing Bax on the side of the door was a big factor. You could say he saved my life. 

My Buddy Bax!

So, the Kaiser (my nickname for him as he was actually from Germany...he has a passport) was more than just a dog he was my friend. I feel bad for everyone, especially for Lester because he's lost right now. With that I chose to remember when we picked him up at the Gate City Police Station (he was a former police dog), playing in the snow, chewing on his pig, and being the best hiking partner (sorry Pete) a Wood Booger could have. I'm not a spiritual guy, but we will hike one day, old friend...

The day we picked him up.

Bax loved...

...snow!

Bax & his pig

...

..when you tried to take it or his ball.

Bax with me at Margarette Falls...

...& Cliff Ridge. (Below) how I will remember him...

The Censored Edition Of Down The Rabbit Hole...

Okay, I give the Lummox hell, and it is deserved, but sometimes he gets something right like hiking to Margarette Falls Wednesday.

I know he won't tell why we went there today and I know if I do it will be censored because that is just how he rolls...but **** ** ****** *** ****** ******* *** ***** *****. ***, *** *** ** ** ***** ** * **********...*'* ***** *******! I told you what he would do...what a b***h! Still, it was a good hike as we went to Upper and Lower Bailey Falls, which is Hiking Machine approved. The lower one is where he ******* *** *****...LOL! 

Well, since I will be censored if I keep talking I'm going to sign-off, so I'm out...BITCHES!

Another Day, Another Tapout!

Yeah, I know it has been almost a week since I went to Camp Creek Bald with 200 pounds of dead weight known as the Lummox. It has taken that much time to get over him tapping out...AGAIN! 

See, the plan was to Camp on the Camp, on Wednesday, and then the following day hike to Coldspring Mountain Meadow to camp. But, the Lummox did feel well, so on Thursday we didn't head out, just I COULDN'T F**KING BELIEVE IT! If you ask me what was bothering the Lummox could be solved with some Vagisil! 

So, I got only one night out with nothing more than a glorified car camp...wuss! As you can tell I'm still hot, so I'm out...BITCHES!

Grandfather Tapped Me Out...But Got A 2nd Chance on The Roans

Old age is one of the things that happen to us all. However, combined with being out of shape then what happened to me in mid-September was inevitable. See on Tuesday, two weeks back I was going to hike from the Daniel Boone Fork Trailhead off the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) to the trail with the same name up to the Hi-Baslam Shelter. I decided to get water (there is none at the shelter) at the Daniel Boone Campsite because it was either there or a hike over to the other side to Shanty Spring. I decided I didn't want to do the extra mile or so for water. However, this just added more pack weight to a hike of 3.5 miles and 2,000 feet in elevation gain. I did this hike way back in 2016...six years ago. I was still in my 40s then and in better shape. I got out of said shape during the early days of the pandemic and have been trying to get back ever since.

With that said I wondered if I bit off more than I could chew and it didn't take long to realize that was the case. I knew I wasn't going up the Nuwati Trail because I would then have to lug my pack up the Cragway Trail. The Daniel Boone overall is easier to where the trails meet at where I plan to get water. So, by the time I got from the trailhead to the start of the Daniel Boone I knew I had overestimated my abilities. So, I could have continued on, but it wasn't going to make a difference. Since it was still early (not yet noon) I decided to pull the plug. However, I did waste the opportunity to get pictures of the Linville Viaduct from a new perspective.

Where to go? Since I was feeling down, Pete was pissed and I had to travel back through Roan Mountain I decided on Carvers Gap. The next question where to camp? I thought about the Roan High Shelter, but the weather was so fall-like that I decided on the balds. Where on the balds? Well, I decided to just head up the Appalachian Trail (AT), and when I felt like setting up that would be the spot. I thought about Jane Bald and then Harriet Bald, but I had something to prove so I headed on up to Grassy Ridge. I decided to change it up and not go to my favorite spot on Roan High Ridge and camp before the rhododendron trees before the summit. That meant I decided to haul water instead of hiking to the source at my favorite site. I will say the venue change gave me a chance to run the drone more.

I made dinner and went to the Grassy Ridge Bald Summit for a wonderful sunset. After that, it was a nice, relaxing fire to close out the evening.

As the Sun rose on Wednesday morning I noticed that was coming up where I was supposed to be at Grandfather Mountain, Callaway Peak to be specific. That's ironic don't you think? After breaking camp, I ran the drone a few times before returning to Carvers Gap. However, I had one more bit of business. I had never gone down the North Carolina side, so down NC-261. There were some views of the Roans and some good fall colors. While not my original plan you can never go wrong on the Roans...

Photos: SmugMug