Whether On The AT Or Sawing Logs, It's Hard Being A Legend!

Oh yeah! Crazy Pete, the Hiking Machine, here and I have a week's worth of adventures to share with all my Peteoholics. 

On Monday, I started my week by carrying the Lummox up to my section of the AT for maintenance. Yes, his name is on the website, but the CMC (Carolina Mountain Club) didn't want my name on it because I'm an AT (Appalachian Trail) celebrity! So, I hiked up, carrying the Lummox and tools to camp at Jerry Cabin Shelter. We had planned to tent, but when the thru-hikers discovered they had an AT Legend in their midst, they insisted I take a spot in the shelter. That night at the campfire, I kept them riveted by the stories of the Hiking Machine crushing trail! 

On my way carrying the Lummox

Firecircle led by the Hiking Machine

The next morning, after some more embarrassing fawning from the awestruck thru-hikers, it was on to walking my section and doing work. Once we reached Big Butt we had covered the three miles. Then, it was back to Jerry Cabin to collect the trash and head back. But, another thru-hiker recognized me...it is hard being an AT Legend!

Next moring my Peteoholics made me a fire & breakfast

Fixing this sign was just some of the work I did

Then, on the second part of the week, we were getting our USFS Chainsaw Training. I did need the Thursday classroom session, I let the Lummox handle that. Then, on Friday, it was time for field training. While the Lummox was a dismal failure, I was asked by my instructor, Chris, to come in and teach a future class. What can I say? I can smash trail and stack logs! Well, that's it because you deserve no more. With that, you know what's next, I'm out...BITCHES!

They wanted me to teach by the end of the day

Only Cabin Blog Needed Courtesy Of The Hiking Machine

Well, Peteoholics I'm back and it was a trip to the Cabin in Southwest Virginia. When I'm on the trail here it is mostly a training session for the Hiking Machine. First off, I didn't think we would make it because "Big Red" barely got us to Fort (Blackmore). It didn't matter as there was no hiking on Wednesday because the Lummox was struggling to get that piece of s**t lawnmower going. Well, that changed 

Thursday morning as it was time to hit the trail. Yes, it was 4/20 and I get my high smoking trail. Some have referred to me as Crazy Pete and that is what I become when I'm not let loose to crush trail like a crazed creature! While I wanted to go up my knob the nob that's the Lummox wanted to look for (morel) mushrooms. Like a Bigfoot or alligator, the Lummox saw the same thing...NONE! You know he would want to send up the drone. Well if it gets me on the trail I don't really care. We did see some wildflowers, including Bear Corn, but the Bruins themselves didn't show. I would have body checked them off the knob! 

On Friday, we did a mile going down to catch a ride back to St. Clair. I made the Lummox take a detour. He whined quite a bit until he spotted some wildflowers. I got in another mile which is better than no miles at all. Well, with that, you know what's next, I'm out...BITCHES! 

One Year To The Day Back At Mill Ridge & Hot Springs

Springtime on the Appalachian Trail (AT) is thru-hiking season. But it is also just a great time on the trail, and there are a lot of great places to enjoy the season. However, it seems that I come back to the same place at Mill Ridge near Hot Springs. The reason I say this is because my hike Saturday was at the same place and day as last year. Like last year, the start was Tanyard Gap, but unlike last year, there was a pair of nice ladies set up for Trail Magic. From here, it is going against traffic, southbound on the AT. It's a nice part of the trail that offered up some wildflowers. 

Tanyard Gap & the AT

Wildflowers

Once at Mill Ridge, there are open meadows with great views of Rich Mountain. Oh, like last year, I ran the drone. I had to launch from a different spot above where I did last year. I had great views, including Mill Ridge Pond. 

Mill Ridge...

...Pond

Rich Mountain (L) & Camp Creek Bald (R)

Hot Springs

The pond from above

Vista includes where I flew last year (M) & This year (ML)

After getting back to the car I had time for a Trail Magic hotdog before heading to Hot Springs. It's always a treat to walk around my favorite trail town. It doesn't hurt to stop at Big Pillow Brewery to finish the day...

Hot Springs

SmugMug Photos

Spring Was In Full Swing On Hike To Pete's Branch Falls

Last Tuesday, Pete and I headed to what he likes to call his falls...Pete's Branch. While I have been here many times my last visit to Pete's Branch Falls was Festivus 2021. While beautiful, it was cold and icy which meant no wildflowers. I know this hike from Horse Creek Recreation Area to Pete's Branch has plenty of wildflowers as I did this hike in April of 2019. Once again I wasn't disappointed as documented in this blog.

Wildflowers

 One of the things that had changed on this hike had to do with signs. There were some new ones and then one that was new on my last visit and now is gone. I even flew the drone at the waterfall and I didn't crash it. Anyway, check out these pictures and others, they are always the most fun...

(L) The old sign at the junction & (R) the new one.

Above Pete Branch Falls

(T) The Bald Mountains & (B) This sign there in March, gone in April.

SmugMug Photos

Real Trail Magic Is The Hiking Machine Learning Tree!

Well, Peteaholics, I wasted no time getting back on the trail & this time, the AT (Appalachian Trail) at Tanyard Gap to Mill Ridge & in Hot Springs. 

While any hike on the AT is a good one a trip of around three miles is nothing for a Hiking Machine like me. I call these Wuss Hikes because they're not Hiking Machine level. What they are is Lummox level...like I said Wuss Hikes. So, just me stepping on the AT today meant it was shredded! It is thru-hikers season and they were stopping to just glimpse this trail legend...the Hiking Machine. I had a couple wanting an autograph, but I just sat them by the learning tree and gave out the advice of an AT sage...now that's, real, Trail Magic! Just that was worth my day out on the trail. Don't get me started on Hot Springs, the attention there was downright embarrassing. Well, with that, you know what's next, I'm out...BITCHES!

Wildflowers Of Horse Creek & The CNF

While I do the time-consuming task of finishing the picture blog for my hike, Wednesday, to Pete's Branch Falls from Horse Creek Recreation Area in the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) I have decided to put up a blog of some of my favorite wildflowers. Like I said in my last Wildflower Blog, I'm just doing them when I feel like it. This day was more than worth its own blog because there was a plethora of wildflowers on this 4.2-mile hike. So, with that, here are the wildflowers...

Sweet White Violet

Tennessee Starwort

Heartleaf Foamflower

Nodding Wakerobin Trillium

Squirrel Corn

Gaywings

Rue Anemone

Yellow Trout Lily

Canada Violet

Yellow Downy Violet

Common Blue Violet

Southern Woodland Violet

Meadow Alexanders

(L) Fond Fern & (R) Shining Clubmoss

Bear Corn

(A) Dwarf Crested Iris & (Cover, B) Dwarf Violet Iris