On Being Afraid

I have been hiking alone for years. I traveled across the country and lived in my car and tent alone for three months. I like being alone. I love meeting and connecting with new people, I love my very social job waiting on tables, and I love being with friends and family. BUT, I also love being alone! People are always asking me: "Aren't you afraid?" "Weren't you afraid traveling alone?" "Aren't you afraid of all the crazy people out there?" Well, no, I'm not. I don't think about it. Oh, I hear about horrible things that happen everywhere. Even though I live without a television and rarely look at or read the news, there always seems to be someone around to inform me of the horrors of the world. But truly, those horrors are few. Really. The world is not an evil place, full of evildoers. It's a beautiful place, full of beautiful souls! I meet them everyday. They just don't make the news. If it's not bad news, nobody wants to read it. Or watch it on television. Sad to say, the happy stories just don't get that far.

I was afraid though for a few minutes on this most recent trip to WV. I had forgotten it actually to write about it in my initial posting. But, here it is now...

A week or so before I went to WV I spoke to a woman with the department of forestry. I was looking for maps of the area. She told me to be careful out there, and to also leave a note in my car telling exactly where I was going so that if I didn't show up when I was supposed to they would know where to look for my body. Ok, that's not how she said it! She went on to tell me that someone was missing in the Cranberry Wilderness and had been since June. No trace of this person anywhere. No backpack, nothing! I parked in the same parking lot where this person had parked to go into the wilderness; there were signs posted in several areas asking people to be on the lookout for any signs of... Of what? Well, anything unusual I suppose. This did not scare me though. Stuff happens. If I die out in the wilderness, I die having lived a fulfilling life.

Anyway, After hiking about 11 miles I was done for the day. I found a spot across the river (the Williams River) that looked like a good flat area to camp. I crossed the river and found a spot to set up my tent. After setting up my tent I went in search of a place to hang my food. Along this flat area there was a steep bank going up to another flat area. As I was looking up to see if I might find a tree up there I saw what appeared to be a blue backpack. OMG! My heart sank. I felt sick for a moment, even a little bit scared. I didn't really want to go up and see what it was. But, then again, what could do? Leave? What, without knowing?? What if....? Anyway, I climbed up the bank to check it out. And, it was two old pails that were a tarnished, bluish color from years of weather. Whew! Silly me : ) The Middle Fork Trail runs along an old railroad grade, and so there are remnants of those days in the area.

Ok, but I was scared for a few minutes!

Almost Heaven West Virginia

I just got back from a solo hiking/ camping/ backpacking trip to West Virginia. It really is almost heaven! Who wants streets made of gold? I'll take a dirt path in the mountains any day!

After arriving in the Monongahela National Forest near the Cranberry Wilderness I first went to the visitor center. They didn't have the map I was hoping to purchase, but they had a small free map that was helpful and convenient to stick in my pocket. Roseanne at the visitor was very helpful as far as trails in and around the wilderness. She easily convinced me to do my planned route in the opposite direction.

I did a couple of short hikes on Sunday afternoon, then set up camp at a $5 site on the Williams River. It was a beautiful night with almost a full moon, and very quiet at my site. The next morning (Monday- Columbus Day) I packed everything up, had breakfast and headed (almost) to the wilderness. I say "almost" because my car wouldn't start. Great. No traffic on the road at all so I started walking to Tea Creek Campground just a quarter mile away. Since it was a holiday weekend, there were many people camping. Before I made it to the campground though, I flagged down a truck with three guys in it. They were glad to help. I hopped in the truck and rode back to my car. They cleaned up my battery cables and got my car running with a jump start. Many thanks, and I was off and running. The world is full of good people : )

I parked at Big Beechy Trail head, left my car running for 30 minutes while I got all my stuff together, then turned it off and headed into the wilderness. Big Beechy Trail is 6.5 miles. Beautiful thick woods, a trail that's a bit hard to follow at times, and quite narrow, steep, and rough near the end where it intersects with the Middle Fork Trail (that's the middle fork of the Williams River). What a beautiful spot! Big Beechy dumps into the Williams River here. There's a great swimming hole too. Not that I was swimming! I did walk in the water ankle deep and it was numbing! It felt good though on my burning feet. I changed from my hiking boots here into my Merrell Barefoot Shoes. Aaah! After a half hour break for lunch, I continued my trek on the Middle Fork Trail. It was such easy hiking; since I started at an elevation of 3500+ feet there really weren't any hills to climb. The Middle Fork Trail follows an old railroad grade, so it's very easy compared to what I hike around home! Looking back, I wish I had stuck with car camping and did a long day hike. It was 16 miles and I took two days to do it; It would have been easier to leave the heavy pack and do a 16 mile day with just lunch and water. Backpacking is way too much work alone. Having to carry all the food, the whole tent, stove, etc. is a lot. Plus it's lonely. I set up camp along the river around 3:30. I meditated a bit, read a bit and did a crossword puzzle. Then what? I needed to lie down to rest my back and legs, so I stretched out in my tent. It was just starting to get dark, and I wasn't ready for sleep. But what to do with the time?? Then I heard what sounded like a bear. So, I carefully unzipped my tent and peeked outside, and sure enough, there was a small bear. I grabbed my camera and tried to get a picture, but alas, I was too loud, and he/ she was hie tailing it through the woods! Damn camera isn't quick enough in the semi darkness. I miss my old 35 mm SLR!!

After a long night in my lonely tent, I got up at 6:00 am. It was quite dark. Darker than it was at midnight when I got up to pee. But, I was awake and ready to go, so I packed everything up, ate a banana and set off in the darkness. Crossing the river was a bit tricky, but I managed not to fall in. I only had about five miles to hike out of the wilderness since I covered so much ground the previous day, and was back at my car at 9:15 am. I tried to start the car right away and it was dead. Why doesn't my car have a warning light that says: WARNING MELANIE, YOUR BATTERY IS ABOUT TO DIE- DON'T GO OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS!!! No warning at all!! It was starting to rain now. I put on my raincoat, made some coffee and walked out to the road to wait for a passing car. 20 minutes later I was flagging someone down in a work van. "Will you please give me a jump start? I have cables." I said. He answered: "Sure." As I was getting in his van he said: "Are you sure you're not luring me up here to mug me or something?" I guess that was funny because I think I'm obviously pretty harmless : ) Maybe he was serious though, thinking that maybe I had an accomplice. Anyway, he jumped my car, then asked me: "Are you a Christian Maam?" Oh Boy, and Yikes! "I used to be." I answered. "I was for 10 years actually. It's not my thing anymore." He said, "This world won't always be here maam, you should get yourself right with God." He was so darn sweet I couldn't be offended with him! He asked my name and I told him. His name was Jim. I know Jim prayed for me when we parted, and that's a sweet thought too : ) The world is full of good people!

Then I made a trek 45 miles (round trip) out of my way to purchase a battery in Richwood, WV. I'm not sure what exactly there is in the town of Richwood, but I know there is a very kind service station owner who collects vintage Mustangs, and rescues barefoot women with dead batteries! I got a brand new interstate (not a crummy old Walmart battery like the last one) for $80. My car started like a charm every time after that. The world (and WV) is full of good people!

I drove up to Summit Lake (since it was on my way now : ) Beautiful. Nice place to car camp (future reference). I just had a little walk around and was on my way. I really wanted to hike around the cranberry glades. As I got out of my car in the Cranberry Glades Parking Area, I met a local couple. She was admiring my bumper stickers, and had to say that I was changing her opinion of Virginian's because of them! We hiked the glades boardwalk and chatted together for a short time. They were on their way to pick up a lamb they had left a week ago to be butchered, and had just stopped to see how the glades had changed in a little over a week. In less than half an hour we developed a friendship, exchanged phone numbers and emails, and I was invited to come back and visit them on their farm. I'm going to do just that next spring when I head to WV for another adventure! I love connecting with great new people, and the world is full of them!

When we parted at the end of the boardwalk hike, I ventured off to hike the Cow Pasture Trail. This was my favorite of the hikes! It's 6.5 miles and mostly flat. There are a few ups, but no mountains to climb. This is exactly what I needed after my long trek with the backpack. This area is considered "high plain" and is very diverse in its vegetation. The colors there are amazing right now. I can't wait to go back and see what it looks like in spring. In spite of the shortness and flatness of the hike, I was exhausted near the end and wondering if it was ever going to end. I started feeling like I had passed by here before and felt like I was walking in circles. I wasn't. It was just the exhaustion. I had hiked about 23 miles in two days. 16 of those miles with 30+ pounds on my back. I made coffee in the parking lot and then headed home. I had originally planned on another night of camping and another day of hiking, but rain was imminent and I was too tired to deal with that.

On my way home I drove to The Homestead looking for the warm springs that are noted in the area (Warm Springs, VA). The Homestead is amazing! Huge! Like at least four Keswick Halls! Way too pretentious for me, but something to see none the less. I turned around there and finally found the actual Jefferson Pools Warm Springs, but the bathhouses were closed. The website said open til 6:00 and it was only a little after 5:00. There's a little gazebo out front and I was able to sit next to it and at least put my feet and lower legs in the water. It was just what my aching feet needed. I only wish I could have put my whole aching body in the water!

That's it. I'm glad to be home. Was happy to wake up in my warm cozy bed to the sound of rain on the roof : )

Link to more photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/108047143404594101383/October122011