February 12, 2008

Today's miles: 16.0
End: near the Pinnacle

It was on hell of a day of ascending and descending! I tried to start out early, but didn’t get going until 8 am (what with food prep, double-bagging everything to keep in dry in the forecasted rain, and taking down camp). Plus I was in a valley so I missed an early sunrise.

Before noon, I had climbed up to the gorgeous summit of Table Rock and snapped all kinds of silly photos. There was ice on some of the rocks, but I was buzzing around like a little energetic bee to and fro. I climbed down from the summit to the picnic area with a beautiful row of trash cans! Free of small amounts of trash, I frolicked with my pack down the trail to the Chimneys – lots of stacks of rocks like pillars (supporting nothing) dotting the mountain-scape. The walk was narrated by NPR and the Diane Reem show, on which she was interviewing the articulate author of Souled Out about the rise of the religious right, and more generally the role of religion in politics. Very interesting.

The trail took me through sections of young pine down to a gap and then on the ascent up to Shortoff Mountain, which was totally burnt during a fire last year. There weren’t too many blowdowns, and it was interesting observing the degrees of burn through the forest with some spots just a bit scorched to others where the heat had knocked down all of the trees, and eaten into the ground to the tree roots. From the long mountain ridge, I could see down to Linville Gorge and across it to other mountains.

I pushed hard most of the day, praying that the rain would hold off enough to keep the Linville River low so that I could cross it. It did start to rain a teeny bit but (true to tradition) once I got all of my rain gear on and pack readied for a downpour, it started to fade away. Down at the river, I had nothing to worry about – I waded across in just my shoes, not wanting to get my socks and spandex wet, and the water didn’t come up past my knees. It was pretty cold though and I was happy to be done with the 60-foot crossing. I was more inundated by the pile of leaves (to my waist) on the path down from Table Rock Mtn!

So then I began my walk farther, hoping to finish this 16-mile section to leave less walking for tomorrow. Little did I anticipate that the hike up to the Pinnacle would be STRAIGHT uphill! It started to rain a little more seriously then (the sun had opened its eye for a two minute blink at the beginning of the climb) and I just kept grunting upwards. A 1600 foot climb isn’t so bad for late afternoon. I camped out in some rhododendron and Devil’s walking stick, and jumped in my tent. I didn’t run into a single person, all day long!

Tomorrow, I cross the Catawba River (on a bridge) and go over some mountains.