8-2-03

I wasn’t completely satisfied with just driving to the High Point. Maybe thats because I went up there a bunch of times while I lived in the area. So Me and two others guys decided to hike there. We found out about an old logging road that goes from Ridgecrest Conference Center (just outside of Black Mountain) all the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. From there you hike along the road into the park and jump on the Moutnains 2 Sea trail to the summit. The whole hike is about 16 miles. We started early in the morning before daylight and started up. You have to love the Southeast because it was already muggy and warm. The weather was perfect. Our first break we walked a couple hundred feet off the trail and found a rock ledge with a wide open view of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. The trail was pretty empty excempt for a runner and a couple mountain bikers. Once we got into the state park we only had about 4 miles left, but for some reason they seemed like the longest 4 miles of my life. It wasn’t tough, it just never seemed to end. Finally we got to a sign that told us we where withing 1 mile of the summit. The ascent was a good one. The trail switchbacked though a forest that reminded me of when Luke went to find Yoda in the swamp. We arrived at the summit in a midst of people who looked at us like we might have over-exaggerated the 1/4 mile hike to the summit. Once we got up their we found that the nearest phone to call a ride was another 2 miles. It was a great hike!