May 25 - Three Ridges

Post date: May 26, 2012 4:33:31 PM

"Five Pair" left the comfortable confines of the Dutch Haus and was immediately greeted with the steep gravel incline that she had descended the evening before and that pleasurable hiking, coming before her AT hike for the day officially began, foreshadowed the day to come.

"Five Pair" is traveling with the "AT Guide", the definitive guide for the Appalachian Trail (created and maintained yearly by "AWOL"… a hiker that calls Titusville, Florida, home) and as detailed and useful for the hiker in planning as it is, it does not present the ruggedness of the trail and terrain to be addressed.

Such was the case this day, as "Five Pair" began her AT hike with a 500 foot rocky ascent over the next half mile, followed by a couple undulations, then a 800 foot rocky ascent over the next mile. "Five Pair" then hiked down 3,000 feet in elevation over the next four miles.

As followers of this journal know, the terrain of the AT is the antithesis of the old saying beginning "What goes up". Having hiked down to 1,000 feet above sea level, it was time for her to turn her boots skyward and begin the over 3,000 foot ascent achieved in the next five miles. Reaching the summit after 5pm, "Five Pair" hiked the next two and half miles into Maupin Field Shelter arriving around 7p having completed the 18.1 miles for the day.

The holiday weekend was evident at the shelter as a group of girls scout leaders in training had set up their tents, a family had pitched hammocks nearby and two dads were attempting to manage a group of about 10 kids with one little girl then engaged in some serious crying. As "Five Pair" surveyed the crowded surroundings but no familiar hikers and as she observed the two dads working futilely to manage their charges, up strolled "Pedestrian", "Duke’s Keeper" and "Duke". NOTE TO FIG: I have confirmed that "Duke" was in fact present.

"Duke’s Keeper" being a resident of the surrounding area assured "Five Pair" the hiking in the upcoming Shenandoah does not pose the challenges of the ascents of the Three Ridges area which with its over 5,000 feet of elevation gain garners a 5 out of 5 on the hiking difficulty scale where hikers burn in excess of 5,000 calories during their hike. Click here to see graphic representation of the hike.

"Duke" facts: "Duke", a lab/shepherd, is just a puppy of approximately 9 months and was rescued around Thanksgiving by his keeper.

835.5 miles complete/1,348.9 miles to go