The beauties of a Sunday late-afternoon hike for us are usually several . . .
• Mostly short and sweet, as is this AT ascent of Tinker Mountain to the viewpoint that’s better than Hay Rock’s, a little more than a mile further in.
• Often a slightly more-indulgent meal (hey, it’s dinner, not just lunch), as on this evening, with the roast beef sammies and Cheetos!
• A cooler part of the day, at least on the way back, which was not much of a factor on this coolish-anyway day.
It was on that descent, several years back, at the same nearing-dusk time of day, that The Greatest Day Hiker Of Them All began to chant about “lions and tigers and bears,” and sure enough, within a few hundred yards, we saw a bear!
She tried again this time, at the same point on the trail, but to no avail, as we saw nothing but a few squirrels.
Appalachian Trail from Daleville to Carvins Cove overlook and back 5.6 miles.
How to get there: Exit 150 of I-81 to parking lot just below the Exxon Station on 220 headed north.
