The Appalachian Trail is both everything I'd hoped for and nothing like what I expected.
Topography wise, I expected mountains and hills, occasional strolls through towns, and more than a couple rivers and lakes. And while sure, it's all that and a bag of chips, some of the most beautiful moments have come when I least expected them: the grassy balds, the early morning fog, mist enshrined trees appearing out of no where, and the farms.
Before I entered Virginia, I'd seen plenty of farm remnants: dilapidated barns, aged barb wire fences, old roads, and grassy fields. In Georgia I walked over areas called 'stamps,' which were places where farmers used to let their cattle roam. It was interesting seeing places scattered throughout the trail where people so clearly used to live and work, but no longer do. The politics leading to these occasional reminders of historic farm life aren't something I'm qualified to comment on, save to say that some of the communities surrounding the AT were disbanded and seized by the government for a whole host of reasons.
In Virginia, however, I've been crossing active farmlands. In full disclosure, I have to admit to all of you that I have a thing for farms. I'm not exactly sure how or why, but the smell of sweet grass, diesel, spring, flowering dogwood trees, mixed with a slight undercurrent of cows and the thought of a dinner bell ringing in the background makes my heart skip a beat. (Also in the interest of full disclosure, I've never worked a day on a farm, and yes, I realize that this is a highly idealized view of farm life.)
I spent yesterday afternoon / evening strolling through beautiful farmland, watching the cows go home (literally around me, as the AT passes through several grazing pastures), and feeling completely content. The combination of everything : the setting sun, the animals, the mountains, the smell of the cold brooks cutting their way through the valleys, the birds chirping sight unseen from the middle of a giant hay field; all of it made for an overwhelmingly beautiful sensory overload. As such, it took me about 2 hours to go 2 miles because I just couldn't take in enough of the landscape to fill me up (my normal speed is 2 - 2.5 MPH).
Photos don't do this area of Virginia justice, especially those taken with my cell phone.
Just trust me: it was glorious.
*beautiful* I remember some of those fields clearly!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to get caught up in the moment and leave everything behind...
ReplyDeleteits great to read your notes from the trail, Its putting things in prospective for me, Ive took my eye off the ball since November and need to refocus, on travel and Hiking, Thanks for posting
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ReplyDeleteOk so ive spent the last Hour (Sunday morning in Rainy Brighton South coast of England) and its really bringing things into focus.
ReplyDeleteIn November I went out to BC with no plan to come back but it didnt work out.
Since then Ive been working ALOT, and not saving too much, completely unlike me, The BC thing going wrong was A shock.
But this (your blog) is really making me think. I need to focus on the big picture, save and plan, and work less, and be less wrapped up with the job.
I have too loose plans currently
1 save and then head off for three months on the PCT next year (the maximum time I can spend in USA is 90 days)
2 do the same and then head off to Seattle with my bicycle to cycle all the way to SF, a desire ive been harboring for about 18 months
About 18 months ago I was in Seattle at the start of a 9 week trip around the pacific north west, I met a gut from england who was cycling from Seattle to Denver, over two mountain ranges, and he was 69 and he made it.
I spent a while with him before he left, even went to the cycle shop with him, and ive been cycling a little lately
anyway enough rambling
have you met that farmer boy yet?
ReplyDeleteI grew up next door to a farm in the UK, That smell is unique and whenver i get the hint of diesel and manure it all comes back,( may sound bad but really a good thing.)
ReplyDeleteTake your time with the hike ...no rush
( To Tsimshian Wind, you can always get an extended stay visa with good reason at the us embassy, as long as you show proof of being able to support yourself and reason they will let you in)