September 1: War Spur, Appalachian trails to Wind Rock and back. 8 miles.
On the way to Wind Rock, the AT crosses a 4,000-foot plateau.
If The Greatest Day Hiker Of Them All and I have a weakness on these weekly forays, it is the failure to remember to take pictures. And this day turned out to be the most egregious instance: As we approached our destination—the lookout point at Wind Rock—there was a bustle of people coming down from it, and all a-chatter about a snake. We made our way up a little ways until Gail saw it and then finally I did. My comment to those assembled, once I did find it—semi-camoflaged on the rocks—was something like, geez, that’s borderline alligator ain’ it? And it was. It was the biggest snake I’ve ever seen—as big around as your leg and six feet long.
We went on past the prime viewpoint to a lesser one beyond, well away from the snake.
We unpacked our lunch.
We talked about the snake.
We ate our salads, sipped our wine, got to the chocolate.
We packed back up and headed past where the snake had been, and on back down the Appalachian Trail.
And never thought once to take a picture of the biggest snake I’ve ever seen.
September 3: Flat Top Trail from Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 83.1 and back. 5.2 miles.
This re-creation of a trail crime has Gail crouching behind a rock so she can jump out and scare an old man should he ever reach the point of the rock in his slog up the mountain.
We always end up with two strong impressions from this hike: The faux-summit sections never cease to amaze and make this seem like a long climb for 2.6; and the eastern-overlook rocks, with their nice surface and great views to the east and north, are one of our favorite places anywhere for lunch. On this day we shared the rocks with two other hikers and their friendly dog. The way up is also the scene—sort of re-created in the photo below—of The Day Hiker’s best trick ever on a hike: She’s always in the lead, see, and one day as we headed up, she was far enough ahead to hide behind this rock, wait patiently and then jump out a me with all the fervor of a 12-year-old boy.
The view north from the east side of the Flat Top summit shows the Apple Orchard Mountain tower—there tiny on the horizon.
September 8: Appalachian Trail from Daleville south to Carvins Cove overlook and back. 5.6 miles.
Another hike with a pleasing lunch spot, especially during such a wet year, which has kept Carvins Cove at full pond for most every one of our views down upon it.
September 15: Over Mill Mountain via Woodthrush, Ridgeline, Riser and Big Sunny trails; back via Big Sunny, the Loop Road, Monument and Star trails. 6 miles.
The Day Hiker and I are taking the lead in the non-existent contest for Greatest Mill Mountain Hikers in Roanoke, with our predilection for this hike and its variations. Part of the blame goes to the fine salads and Fork in the Alley (this day), and Athens Corner Grill (been too long), but some measure also goes to the nearby outdoor treasure that is Mill Mountain.
View is upon Roanoke from near the bottom of the Loop Road.
September 22: Little Cove Mountain Trail/Glenwood Horse Trail to McFalls Creek forest road and back. 6 miles.
This hike, or some version of it, is etched deeply in The Day Hiker’s mind, as The Day of the Chiggers. This was far far back in the hiking oddity—many years ago—when we were foolish enough to sit on some moss for lunch, and she came away with a set off chigger bites from which she did not recover physically for several weeks, and from which she has never recovered psychically. And while she did incur a few such on this walk, it was the other aspect of it—our tendency to get off the Little Cove and end up on the horse trail—that turned out to be its primary drawback on this day. But that drawback turned into a shorter walk than we’d planned, an eventuality The Day Hiker never protests.
September 29: Read Mountain Trail up and down. 4 miles.
With a sudden plan to get me a new bicycle, and thus the need for a walk not too far from Cardinal Bicycle—to allow them time to move my geezer mirror, carrier, etc from the old bike to the new—we continued on out U.S. 460, not far, to the Read Mountain trailhead and the relatively easy and short climb to Buzzard Rocks for lunch.