trips - Hike into Trail Days part Deux

“Uncle B - Bring your rope. Ya never know......”

“Glad to see you're going to join us Uncle B. You will love the views there, as well as the ponies!!!”

“Just for the record, it snowed at Whitetop today, up at Elk Garden. A guy went up to pick up two hikers who were calling it quits, and said he had almost whiteout conditions. But it's supposed to warm up a lot in the next few days.”

“B you should ride down with me. that would be awesome to split the gas in half.”

“Local, do you come by Dave's place when picking up workers for the campground?”

“Aunt B, cant make this trip. She has some housework, and pies to make for the church social.”

“Crash, I like the idea of sharing a ride. I got your message about leaving Friday. Just give me call when you get a chance. If its okay with you I would like to take my car. Are you planning to start the hike on Saturday? Talk to you soon.”

“If its okay with you I would like to take my car.

is my driving that bad?”

“I dont have to answer that question. I think the Trail Talk Choir could answer that question. I still want to take my car. There is your answer.”

“are you pissed off at me, too?”

““Local, do you come by Dave's place when picking up workers for the campground?”
hyway

Hyway, are you talking about during Trail Days? We might try to set up a shuttle, but will have to see who volunteers and where they are staying. We assume most will take advantage of the free camping and some of the free meals.”

“I am just messing with you Crash. Not pissed off. I think its best for me if I drive my car. I can still leave Friday or Saturday. Talk to you soon.”

“Uncle B is too nice a guy to be pissed at anyone.”

“is my driving that bad?�

I can't speak to your driving, but you haven't had the best of luck at trailheads. Hopefully you won't have any more problems with critters chewing on your car while you're out backpacking.”

“I try to park near Crash at trailheads. His car is the bait.”

“I'm gonna order some Inertia meals. The shipping is a flat rate of $5. Does anyone want to order any and we can split the shipping costs?”

“FYI-it's Enertia

Weather-Troutdale, VA
still looking like low-mid 70s during the day, mid-upper 50's at night.
Hopefully that will hold out.
Showing Rain on Sunday.
It's still early, all could and probably will change.”

“inertia, ROFL!”

“Better forecast with altitude is Whitetop Virginia.”

“Thanks Fridgr!”

“Are you still a maybe? Have you found summer work yet?”

“Crash - Any thoughts on taking the Creeper Trail into Damascus? Is this blue blaze more scenic?”

“i have no idea. if i could find my map, i could hazard a guess. at what point does the CT meet the AT?

in case you didnt already realize this, it is a paved bike path”

“the creeper trail is not paved its small gravel and hard packed.. i was riding bikes on it today”

“my point was that it is not a wilderness footpath”

“Which is more scenic? In looking at the map I have, the two trails cross at 728 south of Lost Mountain Shelter.”

“I actually like the idea of taking the Creeper Trail. It would be something different for me.”

“Whitetop, VA
highs in the low to mid 60's
lows in the low to mid 40's.
Might have some rain.”

“ok people hope you all are ready . the count down has started . see some of you on sat. and the rest of the ladies on sunday....”

“Meaning the other ladies in our group are going on Sat. Hee , hee.”

“does that mean youre hiking with us, jb?”

“I think whether one takes the Creeper Trail or the AT doesn't matter to the group. We are all going to the same place.

I kinda like the idea of the Creeper Trail, as mildbill says, "It's something different".”

“YOU are something different”

“It's all good!”

“From WB:

Well, if you're hiking the AT, you're going to hike right into Damascus. The AT follows the sidewalk on Laurel and Douglas (the main drags). As it leaves town to the north, the AT joins the Creeper for about a mile. Then it goes up a bunch of PUDS and drops down to rejoin the Creeper for a few hundred yards, about 5 miles from Damascus. Then it goes back up for MORE PUDS, then drops down to rejoin Damascus about 10 miles from town.

"You can hike about 13 miles of ups and downs on the AT or walk about 10 almost perfectly smooth miles on the Creeper heading out of Damascus. They both bring you to the same place at Creek Junction."

Is our last campsite before or after Creek Junction?”

“I haven't heard where any of the campsites are except for Sunday nites site.”

“Talked with Trillium, she votes the creeper trail. I don't care, it's all good.”

“everybody do what they want. no need to vote. hike your own hike.”

“sarc font//each hiker can make their own trip page. we can have 7 different trip pages and 7 different itineraries and 7 different hikes. that way i dont have to worry about any of you momos//end sarc font
last edited: 5/02/10 3:07:31 PM”

“creeper trail will be very crowded but it is an easyhike in to Damascus. Hundreds of people will be on the creeper trail. Have fun and don't forget to use your turn signals.”

“no I'm not hiking this yr but i am going to be doing shuttles for a few people.and friday i will be cooking bbq on the smokers for 8 hours.and be for trail days i have vol.ed to help in the camp ground and clean out our site and do fire wood,,,”

“Hundreds of people on the Creeper Trail on a WEDNESDAY?”

“this event is actually all week Chin. Backpacking vendors will be wide open on friday”

“Hundreds of people will be on the creeper trail

that, and bad weather could turn me away from this alternative. in a downpour, i would prefer to have some leafy coverage. is the VCT much more wide open than the AT, or is it a green tunnel, too?”

“I doubt there will be "hundreds" of people on the creeper, but there will be many. There will be many on the AT as well. Everyone is making there way into Damascus for Trail Days. Last year, we came across a bunch of people hiking in.
If the weather is bad, there might be less on the creeper trail than the AT due to less people out on bikes.”

“Either way, I'm ready to hit the trail!”

“http://www.vacreepertrail.us/

Just keep to the edge of the trail and watch out for crazed teenagers coming downhill wide open. Most should be in school on a Wednesday in mid-May so you should be safe.”

“The Creeper trail has a really nice cafe next to the river 6 miles before Damascus. A great place to stop for lunch. There is plenty of trees around the creeper but midday and early afternoon you will be in the sun. Its very scenic, but only a few mountain views. It follows along the powerful creek and crosses over many pedestrian bridges.”

“Is there any place to camp along the trail. We will be close to making it into Damascus at the point, but may not want go all the way in. I'm thinking th cafe for dinner kind of thing, maybe.”

“I did this trail on my bike a few years ago. Very scenic indeed. I recall seeing some campsites, but I couldn't tell you where they were exactly. Oh wait, i do remember a well established campsite! I stayed there on a hike with sweetpeastu on an AT hike south into Damascus. The Creeper Trail crosses over a big foot bridge and the camspite is not far from the base of the bridge. Good water supply from the creek and plenty of sites. I don't think its very far from Damascus. I hope I am remembering this right.”