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short hike with backpack

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    • short hike with backpack

      I got to the trailhead about 11:45 to 11:50 AM. Put on my backpack, got out the compression lock hiking pole, and checked my gear to make sure all zippers on the backpack were closed. Got my cell phone on the remote selfie stick. The button cable went in the earphone jack. So when I made videos, no sound.

      Walked down the trail and took a photo of the bulletin board. Warning page about bears, and how to not leave a trace. 'Cameras in use' sign there as well.

      Went a few feet. Realized I should have taken off my flannel shirt, but I didn't. That was a big mistake.

      Came to the upper Cave Creak Trail connector. Took the left onto it. Sun sure is bright and hot. I need an umbrella to shade the cell phone camera so I can see if its working properly. Nope, didn't bring one.

      Went mostly down hill. Since I am out of shape, I knew it was going to be tough coming back up. I'll do a bit of pre-wheezing here. Whooosh !

      Sun was bright, not much leaf cover on the entire trail. Mostly smooth to start with. My Fila sneakers worked fine with this part. So did my Medi-peds diabetics socks.

      Wound around and up and down, mostly down hill. Walked over several run off areas that were very rocky. No water in them. My sneakers didn't like this part. I could feel the rocks, and not in a pleasant way.

      Two people up ahead, looked like they were going camping. I stopped a couple of times to avoid them. I'm out there to test myself. Typically I would be chatty, but me going 'wheeze hello gasp' is not conducive to chit chat. Besides I can be boring when I'm talking.

      I stopped and drank some water. I should have snacked to, but didn't. Started walking again after letting my heart rate drop a bit. Not as bad as last November. So I must be getting better at walking.

      My insides started grumbling. So, before getting to the lower Cave Trail Connector, on the Pinhoti, I turned back. The roots along this section were felt through the bottom of my sneakers.

      My cell phone was beeping. So I stopped using it. Switched to my Ion camera to try it out. I met several family groups heading down the trail, as I walked back to the car, weho werte apparently going to meet down the trail.

      Three families had dogs. The ones witgh large dogs let them crap on the trail and didn't clean it up when I got back up the trail. Hopefully they cleaned it up when they left.

      I got warmer and got a bit dizzy. Stopped and drank lots of water. Tried to eat a salty snack, but I couldn't. My trekking pole decided it wouldn't stay at the length I had set it to.

      I walked much slower going up hill. It was hotter. No idea why I didn't stop, take off the flannel short, and put it in the backpack, I have no idea. I should have. Would have made a more pleasant hike.

      I got back to the car and sat there, took off the backpack, flannel shirt, and drank more water. Tried again on the salty snack and got it down.

      Got a bit upset with myself as I knew better than to make every one of the mistakes I had made. I'll do better next time.

      The videos are too wobbly to use. I select frames from them and post in my gallery.

      So, let this be a warning to new and old hikers. Don't stop listening to the warning signs your body is giving you !
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • Always irritates me when folks let their dog(s) relieve themselves on a trail without using a plastic bag to retrieve the mess..Small confession without disclosing the location.

      I was seated about 500' (153 M) above a trailhead eating lunch when I spied a couple exiting their SUV with two dogs. First off while they donned their packs, both dogs downloaded without the couple retrieving the mass.

      I remained in place while the couple went North at a trail fork out of sight. When I reached the TH, discretion was overwhelmed as I used a plastic bag to retrieve the aforementioned mass and jammed most of into the vehicle ventilation air intake.

      As the day was warm, I'm sure the AC was utilized for the outbound trip at least for a portion of time.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Dan76: Auto correct offense ().

    • Dan76 wrote:

      Always irritates me when folks let their dog(s) relieve themselves on a trail without using a plastic bag to retrieve the mess..Small confession without disclosing the location...................
      We almost always hike with our dog, a 90 pound shepherd.
      We rarely pick up her waste except on urban hikes.
      Instead we use a stick, leaves, or our foot to move the waste off the trail and into the woods, where it gets covered with leaves, duff, or a rock. We never leave the waste on the trail or in a place that looks like it could be a place to camp.
      And to top it off, our dog stays on a leash except when we're in our tent.
    • I have decided that tomorrow is the day I finally hike Old Rag. There are multiple ways to do it. You can hike up the fire road from Skyline Drive by Skyland. I'm going to take the traditional route from the other side. :D [tt][/tt]
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

      The post was edited 1 time, last by jimmyjam ().

    • Dan76 wrote:

      Always irritates me when folks let their dog(s) relieve themselves on a trail without using a plastic bag to retrieve the mess..Small confession without disclosing the location.

      I was seated about 500' (153 M) above a trailhead eating lunch when I spied a couple exiting their SUV with two dogs. First off while they donned their packs, both dogs downloaded without the couple retrieving the mass.

      I remained in place while the couple went North at a trail fork out of sight. When I reached the TH, discretion was overwhelmed as I used a plastic bag to retrieve the aforementioned mass and jammed most of into the vehicle ventilation air intake.

      As the day was warm, I'm sure the AC was utilized for the outbound trip at least for a portion of time.
      you so brave!
    • JimBlue wrote:

      I'm not stopping and I think I've narrowed the cause down to one food item I partook of before the hike.
      Well... seems it wasn't the Clif bars afterall. Could be a number of things that morning.

      Make sure I go to the restroom, and snack on peanuts and water, before I start a hike. Reaction from exertion, I wasn't used to, was more likely the cause... but I really have no idea at this point.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I have decided that tomorrow is the day I finally hike Old Rag. There are multiple ways to do it. You can hike up the fire road from Skyline Drive by Skyland. I'm going to take the traditional route from the other side. :D [tt][/tt]


      I did Old Rag right after college graduation with a couple of college buddies. Had a memorable wildlife encounter there. We were sitting around a campfire. It was completely dark except for the light of the small fire. Then we heard a footstep in the woods, quite close. Then another from the other side. We were surrounded. My friend picked up his flashlight and illuminated the woods to reveal that we were completely surrounded by about a dozen deer not 10 yards away, just far enough away to be out of the fire light.
    • Well the drive up 231 to Old Rag is beautiful. They make you park at the lower lot now, so you have a .8 mile road walk to the trail head- I tried to think of it as an "Approach Trail". The whole hike from the parking lot up and back down didn't take me but like 3 hours and that included snacking at the top, lunch on the way down and a little exploring. The brochure says allow 9 hours- I guess maybe if you've never set foot in the mountains. There were a lot of people huffing and puffing- I passed about 30 or 40 of them on the way up. Unfortunately the mountain top was socked in with fog/cloud at the top and all you could see was the tops of some trees below. I did not do the loop, just the ridge trail up and back down. Here's some pic:

      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference