Day 70: known and unknown lessons

• Paul Wolf shelter (859.4) to the La Vantilla mountain shelter (872.3)
• 3202 feet ascent, 2133 feet

Today he reminded us of one of the most difficult problems in life. How can you know what you don’t know? No matter how carefully let’s plan, there are things that we do not know how to plan. Some lessons only have to learn through experience.

Fortunately, there were many people to help us compensate for what we didn’t know on our own. In that, it is another of the lessons of life. Together we can do much more than we can alone.

An early start

We were both excited for today. Finally, after bouncing in front and duplicate to replenish, we were going to reach the rock fish gap in our own four feet.

Based on the Sheltets space and the reputation of other hikers who «fly» through Shennandoah, we decided to climb our kilAGe through the park. We expected we were not biting more than we could chew.

Lesson 1. Longer hours, not walking faster

One thing we have learned about doing longer miles for us is that we generally have the same speed, we just have to spend more hours.

Sometimes we can go fast. Slightly uphill, land paths produce a rhythm of 2 to 2 1/2 miles per hour for us. That is not slow with a backpack. The problem is that this type of path usually does not last hours.

Then, we get up at 5:30 am to pack in 13 to 14 miles (counting bonus miles). The first 5 miles flew. Shennandoah was going to be a click if so (it wasn’t).

The most exciting thing we saw for a time was miles of poison ivy. That lesson we knew. Avoid it at all costs. Do not carefully choose your urine stop.

Lesson 2: You need road signals for hikers

When we arrived at Rockfish Gap, there was an intermittent road sign that said «intelligent walk», «Rescue takes hours», «Sunset 8:20 pm».

Hm. Who knew that the rescue has been? Who needs to be told ??? God, how strange welcome in Shennandoah. It is certainly not what we expected.

OK. We will take all that under advice. We congratulate ourselves to get up early and avoid Poisen Ivy. Our minds return to our professional ski patrol days and we will tremble. We know that some people will still not get it and that the rescue takes hours, personal and sometimes puts others at risk. Hiking Smart is a good idea.

Lesson 3: Virginia has rocks

Ok, another known thing. We just wanted to believe it. Maybe that is similar to not walking intelligent. I feel doubly stupid as the day took place because I walked huge stripes of Shennandoah in 1971 and should have remembered.

The historian was like a partially cloudy day. He faces Sunshine without rocks, then cloudy when the rocks thickened.

Sometimes, white flames give guidance on where to go and sometimes, well, not so much. It is like a DYI project without the useful person of commercial hardware.

Lesson 4: Tool handles, publications close and long arches

There are many plants that I do not know, but it is not common for me to stop me dry by one, I can’t even group in a wide category.

Today I was arrested for a specimen of American Hop Hornbeam Virginian oyster

I examined it, but I wasn’t closer to knowing what it was. An unknown thing.

Later, when I could investigate it online, I discovered that it is appreciated to make tools, close publications and long arches. It is a slow growth, reaching its mature height from 15 to 20 feet after 30 years. It is a great butterfly habitat but resistant to deer.

Lesson 5: Bear Hangs is a team sport

The final and most fun unknown today is that Bear Hangs is a team sport. After arriving at the calf of the calf mountain long before dusk, but later of the ideal, we discovered that the bear’s post had a great demand.

It is not a surprise there. However, as more and more bags were added, it became increasingly difficult to add one. Ours was not the last, but obtaining it did not provide an entertainment end.

A hiker must have been a professional football fullback in their daily work. When a crowd gathered to look and encourage, he kindly hung a bag behind the bag.

The historian approached with our bags. The fullback left, probably not having noticed that the historian walked.

The historian bravely grabbed the placement wand and made a pathetic attempt. The crowd shouted in support of poor condition.

I released: «Nice, leave the old one alone.» Our heroic fullback turned around, surprised and immediately relieved the historian of the hesitant vaccine.

The crowd roared in statement.

Atet several attempts, the heroic fullback managed to place our bags in the overloaded post.

The cheers and applause continued while the crowd disbursed their respective tents for the night.

Well learned lesson. The pendant bear bags are a team sport. Good night, team.

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