4 June 2018
Thank goodness the rain has stopped and the fog has lifted. I was getting a little moldy! I was finally able to get a look at the lodge sans fog.
I also discovered there was a patio which overlooked the valley below. I wondered why there was a row of rocking chairs facing windows. However, when I took the photo, the fog was still in the valley.
I debated which hike to take today. There were several choices. I knew I wanted to hike the Lewis Springs Fall trail but the park information warned the rocks were slippery. I was debating whether to hike that later in the day and then decided the rocks would never dry out enough to be safe. Caution to the wind, I embarked on the supposed 3.2 mile hike (my gps said 3.73). The first stop was Blackrock Viewpoint, the highest point in Big Meadows at 3720 feet. It was a short 0.2 mile walk that started about 2680 feet so you were not walking up a big, steep hill.
The view from the top was pretty nice.
As I started to walk the rest of the trail, I met a hiking companion. Actually, he was a little shy and decided to run ahead on the trail.
From there, you walk down the trail that goes past the view point and merge with the Appalachian Trail (AT) as it traverses the Shenandoah. I haven’t actually been on the AT in years and it was kind of nostalgic to get back on it even if for a short segment.
The trail is marked with white blazes. The Lewis Springs Falls trail is marked with blue blazes (actually both are paint splotches on the trees).
The AT parallels the lodge and then the Lewis Springs Falls trail veers left and down. And down. And down. You drop 1247 feet to the falls. The path was indeed rocky, and slippery and I had to be extra careful of the footing. Thank goodness for my walking stick!
As you travel downward, you sometimes have to follow the trail that has water running through it from all the rain the past week. It was shallow enough you could simply walk through the water and still not get your socks wet.
On occasions, you got a get view of the valley below.
The falls were roaring with all the runoff. I noticed two hikers below me trying to get better views of the falls. The falls are actually 81 feet hight but you can’t see the best part of the falls from the trail. If the falls were not running so fast, you could take a side trail that would take you below the main part of the falls for a photo but today would have been suicide to try that.
This recreational use of the drug by younger men still needs to be debated and studied by authorities.Though it’s a order viagra on line levitra generika report definite that the drug has been commendable in making older men perform well in bed again, this is not true with every person. That is why men levitra 20mg generika for erectile dysfunction treatment. Fatty liver usa cialis disease [90% improved]. As per research on cialis cost 20mg ED treatment compare to other ingredient Sildenafil is the only successful who won battle against erectile dysfunction.
The hike back up to the top was very short (0.8 miles) but also very steep. I must be getting into shape. I was able to hike the 1247 foot elevation with only one brief rest stop! Bring on Mount Everest!
After making it back to the top, I rested at Blackrock View Point and then got to the jeep and drove to the visitor center about a mile away and purchased my passport sticker. Lunch was a sandwich at the Wayside Restaurant next to the visitor center and then I decided that was enough hiking.
Tomorrow, I head to Greensboro, NC for a visit with my cousin Jimmie and her husband Stephen. They are great hosts and treat me too nice. I may have to get them to have their neighbors make a lot of noise like its been at the motels this trip so I can sleep.
Actually, last night was not too bad. The couple from the night before left and someone new came in above me and they went to bed soon after I did. I slept very soundly.
So, it’s been a great trip! Here’s a review of national parks, national monuments, and other sights visited:
Guadalupe Mountains NP
Carlsbad Caverns NP
Saguaro NP
Petrified Forest NP
Painted Desert at Petrified Forest NP
Meteor Crater (private)
Death Valley NP
Channel Islands NP
Pinnacles NP
Lassen Volcanic NP
Redwoods National and State Parks
Mount Rainier NP
Mount St. Helens NM
North Cascades NP
Craters of the Moon NM
Great Basin NP
Capitol Reef NP
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Great Sand Dunes NP
Theodore Roosevelt NP
Voyageurs NP
Isle Royale NP
Cuyahoga NP
Acadia NP
Shenandoah NP.
I’ll continue to post on the blog a few things for the next few days but the national park part of the trip is finished! What an experience! I encourage everyone to get out there and get traveling!
