mount rogers, va - november 2003

“i don't know how much the overall itenerary may change from the original. i do know that both nights camping will be in the mentioned areas. how anyone gets there is dependant on what they feel like. there are a ton of different routes that can be used and we don't all have to take the same route. if i take the AT from grayson highlands to old orchard on friday, i may take the pine mountain trail on saturday and spend the day climbing around wilburn ridge. i may park at grindstone and hike in with everyone parked there. i will be at whichever parking area i decide on around 11:00 - 11:30 in the morning.”

“I'm dehydrated, packed and more than ready...all I need to do is get my oil changed, tires rotated, and gone on friday nite...I hope I can stay focused and not too overly excited...can't wait...”

“Okay...I know I do this all the time..but I got one more question:
where do we camp friday night? where do we camp sat. night? (In case I don't make it friday)

how far from the grindstone campground parking area? (so I know how heavy my pack can be) :)”

“I'm planning to arrive first thing saturday Gem. I think Rhodedhendron (sp) gap is where they plan on heading.”

“friday night, old orchard shelter, 4 miles from grindstone campground. saturday night, rhododendron gap, 6 miles from grindstone.”

“thanks! I think rhododendron gap is not as far from the backpacker parking lot either though...got to go check my map.”

“gone on Thurs nite and arriving at the TH on Fri morn...sheesh.”

“Ewker:
We are going to try to leave Spring Hill at 5 am on Fri. We are planning on letting Lone wolf44 shuttle us from Grayson Highlands to the AT on Hwy 603. You might see if he has room for more, the more the merrier.
Lonewolf 44:
Just let me know where we can meet you at in Damascus. Try to send any further info to trekkinggirl or ritteratau@comcast.net and see if you get thru to them. That sounds like a fair price. Ewker and that bunch could get in on it if you think you have room.

I will take my 2-man tent just in case it is too cold for a hammock. I can always rig my tarp over it for further protection. Except for a few last minute details I'm ready to go!”

“looks like I will be parking at grindstone place.\
Baumme 11 am>.? fri?”

“I am going to leave my car at the Grindstone Campground and hike the 4 miles to the shelter. We are leaving around 6:30 Friday morning.”

“jerbear, i have to work from 6pm thursday night to 6am friday morning. i plan on heading for the trail straight from work. if i'm real tired when i get near marion, i will probably park at grindstone and hike the 4 miles to old orchard. if i have lots-o-energy, i will go to grayson highlands and hike the 8 miles of the AT to old orchard. there are a couple of good points about parking at grayson on friday. first, i can get the only section of the AT i haven't hiked between damascus and I-81 out of the way. second, saturday hike would be less miles with plenty of time to spend on the rocks of wilburn ridge. and last, the hike back to the car on sunday will be only about 3 miles versus 6 to grindstone. no matter where anyone parks, the hike out sunday will be all downhill.”

“hey I have a 'DUH' question.

How much colder would it be to take a floorless shelter vs a tent?”

“oops
by floorless I'm refering to the betamid.”

“if you have a ground sheet of any kind, i wouldn't think it would be much difference. the betamid comes to the ground doesn't it? i have used a tarp in colder weather than i expect we will see here and was fine. your sleepy bag is what matters.”

“baume
there's about a two inch gap between the ground and the shelter.”

“i have to work from 12midnight until 8:30 friday morning....i am coming down with my friend rockstomper and she will probably do the bulk of the driving while i catch some sleep....we are prolly looking at an arrival time in the 4:30 - 5:30 range, so we will likely be arriving after dark at the old orchard shelter....save us a place!! can hardly wait!!”

“It was awesome, beautiful trip. May even try to join you guys this weekend. But at any rate have a great trip - for those of you that haven't been up there before, it's well worth the effort.”

“Ok, well I will see ya all at the old orchard shelter. I may be there early, and ifin so.... I may hike At from greyson???? Who knows? Will be good to see ya all and meet up with some new ones Yahooo! Yo bear!”

“knoxville weather sez no precip friday...
i parked the campground and walked down 603 to start this trip earlier this year-the car theivery was bad then-i definitely might or might not see you guys this weekend”

“it was awesome. lots of hunters on wilburn ridge, though. be careful, some of them are very mean. i'll write a trip report later.
i heard bad things about thomas knob but i really liked it. the view from behind the shelter was a nice place to eat dinner.”

“I'm gonna bring my wrist rocket and shoot em with grapes....blaze orange boys and girls.”

“It'll prolly be dark when I get to the shelter on Friday also but I am hoping to strike a deal with the D.A. before court so that I can hit the road.I never thought that speeding ticket would cause me to be late on a backpacking trip! LOL!”

“By the way I've screwed around and haven't gotten a map and all I really know is that everyone is meeting at the Old Orchard Shelter on Friday. I can handle that I'm just going to have to bum directions for the rest of the trip.”

“I thought about doing that(the campground with showers!), but Little Bit and I aren't able to do much mileage. If we stay at Rhododendron Gap on Sat. it will be a 4-5 mile hike out on Sun. That way we can leave by noon on Sun. Then Tenn War Eagle and Trekkinggirl can do the high miles if they want and we can take it easy.”

“Is everyone planning to walk to the top of Mount Rogers? Looks like it's only a 500 ft climb from Thomas Knob Shelter.
BTW, are we staying at Thomas Shelter or Rhododendron Gap? Seems I've heard both places. Which is it?”

“WD, we aren't staying at Thomas Knob Shelter.

I tried calling you over the weekend, did anyone tell you. We need to discuss where to meet Friday morning. I have already talked to Yam about it”

“nothin like humpin a states high point. but, I think that the Stratus one and I will be dropping packs near Rodgrendnebng gap and goin for the "day hike" look to the do the humpin. I'd like to be back at rogghernebtgd gap by sunset to do some photo work. I'm gonna try and make a nice sunset for everyone on Sat evening.”

“I was out when you called. I was out kinda late.”

“Give me a call Ewker. I can't find your #.”

“rogghernebtgd gap ..Now I want to go there..lol”

“Did you get my mail? Is that ok with you? I just wanted to make it easier for you since you are driving over a hour to get here.”

“Whose driving this ship?You or TWE.I'm so confused!! I think it would be easier for me if you guys came up 65 then to 40 and I meet you along there..That way I wouldn't have to get up at 2 am..And would be closer to home on the way back..What cha think?”

“wd and yam are meeting me at the Krogers on Old Hickory Blvd Friday morning at 6:30, why dont you have Karo and Stan meet you there.”

“SHOTGUN!!!!!!!”

“I think you invited us so whatever you want to do is fine with me. Find us a place to safely park and we can meet you there. I just want to go hiking the rest is small stuff. If ya'll want to do the shuttle we can just need to let lonewolf44 know one way or the other.”

“That would work for me Ewker but I think they want to leave earlier than that..But the parking place is great..”

“Hey that sounds like a plan. How early do you want to leave? Is 5 am too early?”

“Tell me where on Old Hickory Blvd is the Kroger you are talking about. That road always confuses me ever since they looped it all the way around Nashville. Is it off of I-40 East?”

“karo, it is at exit 221, Hermitage/Old Hickory blvd on I-40 east, approx 3-5 past Donelson Pike”

“Is the kroger on the north side or the south side of the interstate? I don't remember seeing one there.”

“if you take exit 221 it takes you right to Krogers, but it is on the north side of I-40 and on the right hand side of the road”

“Thanks for the directions. There is nothing like being turned around in Nashville in the dark. Because I've NEVER been lost!”

“our first true freeze of the season is predicted in knoxville area friday and saturday, so if it's 30 here it'll be 20ish up there - but no precip in forecast...”

“LOL! @Walkindude...Good call!


Yo Bear! See you there at Old Orchard!

Ductape - waitin' for the trip report!

TomBoneHikes and HikinMike- hope y'all make it out!”

“cold temps...my 47 lb pack is ready to go and my water will undoutedly freeze...need to rethink that plan. freekin water tube is probably gonna freeze while we're walkin.”

“I just checked the temps and the high's will be in the 50's and low's in the 30's except for Friday night low in the 20's”

“Ewker - I would subtract about 10 degrees from those temps when up in the gap. Should be about right for Old Orchard however”

“SL and I will try to do MR on sat afternoon.

OMG!!! 2 more steeenkin DAYS!!!!”

“i am coming..."and i'm bringing hell with me"
heh~~~~~~~~~”

“not another he!! raiser...look, I don't need any more stress on a friday nite...If you make something happen on friday nite...I'm gonna bite you.

LOL...ommmmmmmmmmmm....obi wan canobi.......ommmmmmmmmmm”