The forest is my element

I went hiking again this weekend. This time to McAfee's Knob, off route 311 in Catawba, VA. This is, hands down, my favorite hike in Virginia. The first time I went here, it inspired me so much that I decided I wanted to hike the entire AT (Appalachian Trail). My career track (and lack of money) have prevented me from carrying out this wish in its entirety. I have hiked 120 consecutive miles of the AT in Virginia (in 10-30 mile sections over the past couple years), and I plan on going on section hikes while I finish my education. At the moment, I work out of town during the week, so its very hard to make it back home on Friday with enough time to pack and set out on the trail for a weekend trip.. so these have been abbreviated for awhile... but soon (one month) I will be in school again, living in one place (not two, as i do now), and I will be able to simplify and hike again... And after I graduate I will hopefully be financially stable enough to take off a summer and hike the entire thing.

My heart grows restless when I am apart from the forest. I feel it within me always. I crave returning there, and I always leave a hike with a sigh of frustration that I can't continue onward... but I remind myself that the AT will be there when I graduate, and I have to prioritize my education first..

Anyway, the hike started out in the pouring rain and thunder.. I love a day hike through the rain.. it's invigorating and very sensory and you see so many animals that normally hide during the heat of the day... like salamanders and turtles. We saw a lovely male box turtle about halfway up (at 2500 feet).. It's amazing to think that he will spend his entire life on this mountain.. he's miles from a road. Imagine the serenity! At this point, the rain leveled off. The view from the top was great.. kind of hazy, but it made for a surreal landscape.


This is Sakari, my troublesome pup. He has had some aggression in the past with Mercury, my collie. But he's so protective and doting over me that we work it out. He's a very cute dog.


Mercury was in a rather snippy little mood on the hike, as I accidentally closed his tail in the car door (and didn't realize it for a few minutes). He got over it, though, and we cuddled at the top.



I of course took the obligatory feet-hanging-over-the-drop-off shot that so many people take. I don't consider it cliche, and I post it here..



I spotted many blackberry, raspberry, huckleberry and blueberry bushes along the trail.

The forest was so rich and alive after the rain! The flickr page with all my hiking shots from this (and future) trips is linked here. I have decided to move from webshots for these shots. It seems like there are more people on flickr who are interested in this type of stuff.. So goodbye webshots!