Day 80: The end of the Shennandoah

• Gravel Springs Hut (959) to Tom Floyd Wayside (969.5)
• Ascent of 1896 feet, decrease of 2508 feet

Today is a historic day. We leave the Shennandoah National Park. Looking back, our emotion to enter the park was almost the same as our emotion to leave the park. Perhaps it is the feeling of reserving such a special part of the Sender of the Apalaches

Most people are excited about the availability of food in Shennandoah. I think that for us it is more a feeling of completion. Virginia is so great that it seems useful to celebrate discrete portions.

Looking to the future for the day

A review of our next reference points suggested that it could be a curious day. On the one hand, we only had 10.5 miles to the next refuge. That seemed a short day. Farout promised the emotion that includes «terrifying» cliffs and passing through a Hogwallow.

As the day progressed, we discovered that Faraout failed to mention the Fearute path of what we call Tom Floyd’s surprise. The last emotion was not something that Faraout could have mentioned.

Cliffs with views and peaks without any

The morning walk included an unusually large elevation gain for Shennandoah, almost 1000 feet in a pull. It was well qualified and distributed in a 2.5 mile section. On the way there were two spectacular views of the cliff. North Marshall Mountain, Elevation 3362, was wooded and had no sight.

From the cliffs, the world spread to our feet. The distant mountains predicted the flattening and the lowest elevations that will arrive when the path of the Appalaches leaned towards the states of the middle Atlantic.

Green bees

After reaching the peak, we headed down and lost most of the altitude we won. Of course, with heat and humidity, we sweat copiously.

It was time to lunch, although we were not hungry in the heat. We decided to take a break and refresh us a little. After a lunch of the size of a snack, I wrote some and the historian leaned on a tree and took a nap.

A little later, we discovered that we were surrounded by green bees. They were much more interested in our team than in us, so they did not feel threatening.

A small research later taught us about the bees. They are non -aggressive pollinators who do an important job in our plant world. Interestingly, the golden bee of green sweat (Augochlora Pure) It does not trust a single queen, but instead many females can put eggs. After the mate in autumn, males die and females get fat for a winter of hybridization. In the spring they place their eggs in the cortex of the old trees.

What seemed to be irritating insects proved to be a fascinating society that we had never met. Some were green.

Others were golden.

In the midst of all bees, a little lady went to inspect my backpack

The green glove

The path of the Apalaches is often called green tunnel. In fact, we have enjoyed all the coverage of the trees because it protects us from the sun, heat and glow. We also enjoy the biodiversity of plant life.

With all the rain and heat, plants in some areas have tried to exercise their supremacy over the path. A narrow path through green forests with a skilled undergrowth has little defense against nature. During the height of the growth season, trail maintainers simply cannot keep the path clear.

After lunch, when we saw the density of the plants, aggregated to the knowledge that many would be irritating skin, we fight for the hatches before moving forward. We were particularly grateful for the invention of the light hood of the Sun.

Wading through plants was a challenge. We are both hikers very dependent on Trekking Poles. Poles establish our rhythm in many ways. With all the weeds, there was no place for the posts to be without being hung on the plants.

The vegetation was, as expected, poisonous. There was Poisen Ivy and a lot of ortiga. Between that, were sections of The pale nut impatient.
Pale touch-me-no-no, yellow jewel. Although we do not try it, Jewelweed is provided to have a soothing effect on the irritations of the skin of poisonous plants.

The end of the Shennandoahs

Around 4 pm, we reach a long flat stretch. The Sender of the Appalaches shared his way with the Shennandoah’s horsepower path. White blazes and yellow jackets lived in trees.

The soft and wide path with its easy qualification was very welcome. We were tired and hot. We relax and imagine soon arriving at Tom Floyd Wayside, a Shennandoah’s style shelter, right north of the park limit. Our favorite chicken and homemade dressing food with sauce was in the dinner menu.

Tom Floyd’s surprise

We arrived at an ascent and the forest opened. It was the end of the Shennandoah. We did it.

To our left was a mountain shoulder with a thin sotobosque. There was a sign that said you would leave the park. He also severely told you to stay on the way.

Changing our eyes to the north to the white flames, we could see a rock cliff and then nothing. Another hiker happened to us and stumbled, but did not fall on the rocks. They were challenging.

As soon as our attention returned to worry about the stumble of stumbling on the path, we saw new, horribly hard rocks of rocky rock that we left the rock slide that we inhabit. Some of the drops for one step were in the range of 3 feet.

It seemed that the descent through the raw path continued forever. Actually, it was probably less than half a mile, but suddenly demanded a shocking level of focus and attention.

I had to remove my backpack and lower it and then myself in a section. Feeding it under me was a bit intimidating in the steep terrain. Putting it again, precariously balanced in the Rock Loose trail, it was a better task than contemplated.

And then there were bears

After finally arriving at the shelter, we thought the drama was made by the day. Oh contrary. While we were preparing for the night, a shelter partner looked over his shoulder and said: «There is a bear.»

I laughed, assuming I was joking. I turned around and I saw the biggest black bear that I have seen wander along the path of the Apalaches that was heading towards the shelter. I escaped for my camera, waiting for a distant shot, but the other hiker shouted to the bear.

Without looking up, the bear wandered from the side of the path to the forest, he went to the campsites under us.

I was disappointed not to have a photo but worried about those below. We all joined to shout breath so that the bear looks elsewhere.

Sleep bear alert

A fellow Sheltet found each of the occupants a pile of rocks and distributed them if we need to boost them towards a bear at night. What a reflective!

We all went to bed and soon to sleep. Around 2 in the morning, I woke up with a beginning of the sound of Huffing Air. My heart was beating hard. I arrived at my lighthouse and thought about the rocks. Then, I realized that a shelter partner was reinflating his air mattress with leaks.

I fell on my air mattress plump and fell asleep. Between rocks and bears, the day was an appropriate ending for the Shennandohs.