Stick at Franklin Cliffs

Walkin' in the park just the other day, baby

Day 71, South River Fire Road to Rock Spring Hut

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

I met Stick a month ago and have been hiking with him for most days since. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him. It’s nice to have someone to hike with who is near my age and hiking speed.

Stick’s friend, Mike, has been a nice addition to our team. For one thing, he gives me good opportunities to give Stick a hard time.

“Do you see what I have to put up with?” I’ll ask, referring to something Stick has said.

He replies unsympathetically, “Do you see what I’ve been putting up with for the last 20 years?"

Weather Partly cloudy and cooler, with a high around 70
Trail Conditions Well-maintained with several flat and easy sections
Today's Miles 17.0 miles
Trip Miles 927.9 miles

We trade these verbal barbs good-naturedly all day long. They may be a defense mechanism to keep us from getting on each others’ nerves.

Let’s face it. We’re spending much of every day together. We’re also old guys who are set in our ways and mannerisms.

Stick’s mannerisms include a regular repertoire of stories and anecdotes. He’s outgoing and engaging by nature, and is willing to share these at any opportunity to anyone who will listen.

Lately, he’s enhanced his storytelling performances with a schtick played up for comic effect about being the “Bear Summoner”.

He frequently says he has never seen a bear. As more and more hikers report they’ve seen a bear, Stick has claimed to have acquired the ability to beckon bears for other hikers.

Mike and I haven't seen a bear either. Stick's skills as a bear summoner are apparently limited.

Sun filtering through the trees

Our first couple days in Shenandoah National Park have been difficult, but not because of the terrain. The trail hasn’t been challenging, but the weather has been unpleasant at times.

Today, though, that changed. We awoke this morning to cooler temperatures and a sunny sky.

We took our time packing up and didn’t leave our campsite on the fire road until 7:45 a.m.

Easy trail

Right away, the trail began with a climb, but continuing in the pattern since we entered the park, this climb was gradual and easy.

Steep but short descent

That was followed by a steep but short descent. Switchbacks made this easy too.

At the bottom where the trail leveled out was a side trail to a cabin maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Stick wanted to stop to take a look, but Mike and I elected to keep walking.

Also near here was the spot of an abandoned Episcopal mission.

The mission was established in 1902 by Frederick W. Neve, an English-born Episcopal minister.

Rev. Neve had come to the U.S. in 1888, and after serving a parish in Ivy, Va., he began establishing missions throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Leaving Stick, Mike and I continued on.

At one point a fawn darted across the trail. Moments later we heard a crash in the woods. We stopped and looked, but could not see what caused the noise.

We had a good guess, though. We thought a bear was in the area, which would explain why the fawn was in such a hurry.

Getting water in Lewis Mountain Campground

Stick caught up to us as we reached Lewis Mountain Campground, where we stopped for water.

Lewis Mountain Campground

When the park was first developed, the state still operated under Jim Crow laws and policies. The federal government maintained a policy to recognize local segregation practices.

Virginia had laws to segregate the races in all public places. Initially, however, the park had no facilities for African Americans.

Park rangers began to direct African American visitors to segregated areas, and eventually Lewis Mountain was developed to become the official "colored only" accommodations of the park. A sign at the entrance identified it as "Lewis Mountain Negro Area."

African Americans were hired to operate the facility, many of whom had been fired a couple years earlier when all of the workers at other park facilities were replaced by white workers.

Slowly under pressure from Washington, park facilities began to integrate starting in 1946. Lewis Mountain and the park became fully integrated in 1950.

As we were leaving the campground, Speedy arrived. It had been nearly two weeks since we had last seen him and it was good to see him again.

Rock outcrop on Bearfence Mountain

The trail next took us over a series of ups and downs. The first was called Bearfence Mountain.

Pippi, Red Cap and Stick

We stopped there at a rock outcrop to take pictures. Pippi and a hiker I had not met before, Red Cap, were here.

Red Cap confirmed the commotion we heard involving the fawn was caused by a bear. He saw it.

Stick and Gravity on Bearfence Mountain

Mike took a picture of Stick and me standing on the rocky outcrop, then we continued on.

The trail dropped to Bootens Gap, where we stopped for lunch and saw Splat and Dory again.

We then climbed Hazletop Mountain, which was about 300 feet higher than Bearfence Mountain, but didn’t provide a view.

Big Meadows Wayside

After a long, steady and gradual descent from Hazletop we took a short side trail to reach Big Meadows Wayside. It was time to get another mass infusion of cheeseburgers, fries, and blackberry milkshakes.

Dory, Splat, Stick, Red Cap and Pippi at Big Meadows Wayside

We were joined here by Dory, Splat, Red Cap and Pippi, and that made the stop even more enjoyable. We stayed a long time, enjoying the sunshine and each other’s company at least as much as we enjoyed the cheeseburgers.

A couple of hikers, Bones and Van Gogh, pulled from their packs a harmonica and a guitar and provided a little background music to add to our relaxing time.

Speedy and Young Buck resting at Big Meadows Wayside

Speedy and a hiker named Young Buck were so relaxed they took a nap.

It would have been nice to stay even longer, but it was nearly 5 p.m. and we still had more than four miles to go to reach where we planned to stop for the night.

So after returning to the store in the wayside to buy a few over-priced candy bars, we continued on our way.

View from ridge

The trail went up a ridge, where we found a nice view of a wide valley.

Then the trail took us along the edge of Big Meadows Campground.

Several campers were cooking dinner and preparing for the evening, and said hello as we walked by. We stopped a couple times to chat with some of them.

It was fun to talk to the campers, but the conversations slowed us down and it was getting late.

View from Franklin Cliffs

We then walked along a exposed ridge called Franklin Cliffs. There were several open spots to stop for a view.

By now it was 7:30 p.m. and we still had at least a mile to reach Rock Spring Hut, but we stopped to watch the sun filter through clouds that were moving in over the valley below.

As we stopped at one of the ledges we discovered some hikers were camped nearby. They told us we had just missed seeing a mother bear and and her two cubs.

This set Stick off again on another rant about not seeing a bear.

Sunset filtered in the trees

In the remaining daylight the sun filtered through the trees. Streams of brilliant reds and yellows were caught in the leaves, as if to set them on fire.

I slowed down to enjoy this, not caring that I wouldn’t arrive at the shelter until it was nearly dark.

Walkin' in the park just the other day, baby
What do you what do you think I saw?
Crowds of people sittin' on the grass with flowers in their hair said
Hey Boy do you want to score?
And you know how it is I really don't know what time it was oh, oh
So I asked them if I could stay awhile

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