Day 31 - Friday, March 26, 2021
Today we are hiking from US 501, VA 130 (787.3 NoBo) to Petites Gap, BRP 71 (777.2 NoBo) for a total of 10.1miles. One of our shorter hikes but it will be a well deserved break.
I called my martial arts Grandmaster and Instructor, Grandmaster Clifford C. Crandall Jr. yesterday from on top of Big Rock Row, as I had cell coverage, to talk with him about our upcoming Instructors Staffing Meeting and semi-annual Black Belt Ceremonial Luncheon tomorrow. I’m obviously on the trail and I would not be able to attend. Grandmaster Crandall and I talked about how well the school is doing even amidst covid19 and he informed me how 17 Black Belts in our school, American Martial Arts Institute (amai-eagle style.com) have earned new rank and will be recognized at the luncheon. This is tremendous growth in our school and I want to personally congratulate each one. I will be thinking of them and will send them my ki.
So, we were driving to the trail on Petite Gap Road and we’re nearly there when we came up to a tree fallen across the road and not able to continue. We were assessing the situation and trying to figure an alternate route when a local Good Samaritan stopped and asked if we needed help. I’m guessing our New York license plate gave us up? We tell him our predicament and thank him for stopping. A few minutes later he reappears and tells us he can bring us to a road that goes up the mountain to the AT. He drives us to Cave Mountain Road and tells us to “just” follow the logging road up the mountain and whenever we come to an intersection, go left. This will get us to the trail but he wasn’t sure where on the trail we would be. So, about 35 minutes later and 7-8 miles of winding switchbacks we found it and if turns out we are at the Apple Orchards Falls Trail head (769.8 NoBo), 7.4 miles farther down the trail and it’s now after 10:30 am. It’s a beautiful day, sunny and 65°. We estimate it will take us nearly 9 hours to complete. We have our headlamps, checked the AT Handbook for water sources as we only initially brought water for a 10 mile hike and decided to go for it... besides what else are we going to do 🤣. We began hiking at 10:45 am.
The FAA tower on Apple Orchard Mountain.
Entering the Thunder Ridge Wilderness Area.
Overlook from Thunder Ridge.
Storm debris at Petite Gap. Trail maintenance folks have been very busy keeping the trail passable. Thank you...
Changing socks and redoing tape at lunch.
Looking back at Thunder Ridge. This may give you a better perspective of how rugged the terrain is. We came across that ridge 3 hours earlier.
Sterilizing spring water with an ultraviolet light steripen.
Almost doesn’t look real... breathtaking!
Views from Highcock Knob.
The James River from Gunter Ridge.
Matts Creek by the Matt’s Creek Shelter.
The AT along the James River.
Getting close to sunset.
Crossing the James River footbridge.
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