Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Hiking on Heard Mountain
Remnants of an old brick road peaked through the layers of leaves, loam and debris. However, any signs of the old chipped bricks disappeared altogether on the other side of the gate that we had been seeing in the distance. Four shiny padlocks hung on the rusty gate, promising entry for four different keys. Paul and I squeezed past the gatepost to continue our hike up a dirt road adjacent to our son’s farm in Covesville, Virginia. Covesville lies 30 miles south of Charlottesville and is nestled in the vicinity of the historic Blue Ridge.
The day blissfully turned into a beauty---imagine January 9, 2006, partly sunny, a bit breezy reaching a high of 63F. The two dogs (Amber and Bella) were impatient with us, indulging in endless round trips trying to urge us on. We trekked toward the hunters lodge above giving reason for the road’s existence and the four padlocks. No one was “home” and the door opened easily with a twist of the doorknob. The building was sturdily built with living room, kitchen, bathroom, fireplace and a loft sporting a ladder to gain access. The walls were wooden slats with definitive lines of blue sky showing through. The roof looked solid and hole-free. As one could imagine on seeing the litter and dirt, cobwebs and animal droppings, the sometime inhabitants did not care much about hygiene or cleanliness.
We were anxious to continue our hike and exploration and the dogs were noisily addressing the fact that we were not paying attention to them. Two trails – not exactly well groomed, beaconed to us. We chose the trail along a ridgeline. Our four-legged escorts ran ahead, up and down the cliffs along the side the trail and jumping into the running brook.
To my great delight, I was hiking PAIN FREE after my very successful hip replacement in September 05. I couldn’t help, however, being super-cautious, my doctor’s words ringing in my ears. Enough said, I don’t ask for problems, so cautious and sensible I will remain.
The rustic trail traversed the brook several times, but what is a little mud and muck covering the hiking boots on such a gorgeous day. There were numerous rewards; “ribbed” ferns as healthy and happy as if it was mid summer, bright green mosses hiding in patches like the bricks beyond the gate and dark brown vines enveloping the tree trunks resembling crawling ropes seemingly with a purpose and destination reaching high into the tree-tops.
The trail disintegrated into high and slippery slopes. I declared enough, I don’t want to jeopardize my titanium hip. With the dogs well ahead of us, we returned to the hunter’s lodge and then around the gate to the far side of the house to investigate a possible new site to plant our motor home on future visits to Covesville.
The hike was stellar for me, getting “back on my feet” pain free. The good weather was a bonus beyond our expectations. The serenity on the mountain will linger in our minds for weeks.
The day blissfully turned into a beauty---imagine January 9, 2006, partly sunny, a bit breezy reaching a high of 63F. The two dogs (Amber and Bella) were impatient with us, indulging in endless round trips trying to urge us on. We trekked toward the hunters lodge above giving reason for the road’s existence and the four padlocks. No one was “home” and the door opened easily with a twist of the doorknob. The building was sturdily built with living room, kitchen, bathroom, fireplace and a loft sporting a ladder to gain access. The walls were wooden slats with definitive lines of blue sky showing through. The roof looked solid and hole-free. As one could imagine on seeing the litter and dirt, cobwebs and animal droppings, the sometime inhabitants did not care much about hygiene or cleanliness.
We were anxious to continue our hike and exploration and the dogs were noisily addressing the fact that we were not paying attention to them. Two trails – not exactly well groomed, beaconed to us. We chose the trail along a ridgeline. Our four-legged escorts ran ahead, up and down the cliffs along the side the trail and jumping into the running brook.
To my great delight, I was hiking PAIN FREE after my very successful hip replacement in September 05. I couldn’t help, however, being super-cautious, my doctor’s words ringing in my ears. Enough said, I don’t ask for problems, so cautious and sensible I will remain.
The rustic trail traversed the brook several times, but what is a little mud and muck covering the hiking boots on such a gorgeous day. There were numerous rewards; “ribbed” ferns as healthy and happy as if it was mid summer, bright green mosses hiding in patches like the bricks beyond the gate and dark brown vines enveloping the tree trunks resembling crawling ropes seemingly with a purpose and destination reaching high into the tree-tops.
The trail disintegrated into high and slippery slopes. I declared enough, I don’t want to jeopardize my titanium hip. With the dogs well ahead of us, we returned to the hunter’s lodge and then around the gate to the far side of the house to investigate a possible new site to plant our motor home on future visits to Covesville.
The hike was stellar for me, getting “back on my feet” pain free. The good weather was a bonus beyond our expectations. The serenity on the mountain will linger in our minds for weeks.
# posted by Ann Carol @ 9:54 PM 
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