McAfee's Knob - Above the Clouds

                I had only been to McAfee’s Knob once before – during my sophomore year at Virginia Tech. I never really went back until just recently because even though the view was incredible, there were many more hikes to experience, Dragon’s Tooth being one of my favorites. I think I’ve hiked that one 4 or 5 times. I also went camping at the top during summer 2011. I wrote a blog entry about that here.

                The idea of camping atop McAfee’s was always something I wanted to put into action. So, this past Friday night it became a reality and I embarked upon the journey with my good friend Jim. Before we ascended into the heavens, we pigged out at this incredible restaurant called Homeplace. Never again will I go there BEFORE I hike. I don’t regret it (I would never regret eating bottomless homemade biscuits) but let’s just say it was a tremendous struggle to climb the mountain with gear AND a full belly that makes you want to go into a food coma for days (Mmm the memory of that cherry cobbler still lingers). Anyway, let’s begin the true adventure.

                 This is the first hike I’ve done without a hiking stick! For those of you who have accompanied me on a hike, you know how big of a deal this is. My stick gives me physical

support when climbing (a few times in the past it has helped me avoid injury) and makes me feel like I have joined forces with nature to conquer the trail. I generally scope the beginning of the trail for 10 minutes and find the perfect match. However, this trail provided no such luxury. It was sad. But also a new challenge! We began the trek through the wilderness around 5PM so we could make it to the top before darkness hit. I was greatly looking forward to the sunset at the top; Everyone knows I’m a sucker for sunsets (and roses). The hike to the top was like any other - full of great conversation and witty comments to distract us from the pain we were enduring during each stride. We even took multiple breaks which is not generally something we do (I blame it on the food). There was a fabulous water source about ¾ of the way up so we topped off our water bottles there. By the way this trail is 7.8 miles roundtrip. Not too bad, but when you’re hiking, look at the trail, and only see a 50 degree angle, it can get you a little discouraged. So we traversed on and bumped into many people descending the mountain. Hikers are always friendly – one of my favorite things about this hobby of mine. We reached the top in about 2 hours; Which means we were walking at approximately 2 mph. OH BABY. But seriously, we got there much quicker than we anticipated. We then came across the sign that makes every hiker squeal with relief/excitement (Jim is not excluded from this). The one that says “McAfee’s Knob 3197 feet.” We made it!

                 We then stepped out of the woods into the clearing and gazed upon the most wondrous sight. Mountains on mountains on mountains! Left, right, diagonal, upside down, rightside up. Ok, maybe not quite like that, but there were definitely a lot. We were dripping with sweat (aww yeah) and finally got to relax and take in the absolutely breathtaking view. Well deserved. We had about an hour before the sunset so naturally we took loads of pictures. And by we I mean me. I’m well known for documenting the crap out of things. Sue me :) We also scoped out the area to determine where we would set up camp. They have designated areas along the trail but we wanted to stay at the top of the mountain for scenic views and the sunrise. Plus there’s something about sleeping at the top of a mountain that makes my heart pump. It also introduces a sense of danger and conquest. As we were discussing where to pitch the tent and such, an Appalachian Trail (AT) hiker emerged from the trail and exploded with joy upon seeing the view. He was quite the character and his excitement was contagious. His buddy joined him shortly thereafter and then picture taking ensued. They don’t call this place “the most photographed spot on the AT” for nothing. We soon discovered that the first hiker’s trail name was Soul Flute and his buddy’s name was No Rush. Comical? Yes. Evidently, all well-traveled hikers get nicknames. Jim informed me that he had one (Cold Feet) and I was determined to have one too. I felt left out! To get a nickname, someone else has to name you. So I was crossing my fingers that this night someone would give me the honor. Soul Flute immediately started chatting with me and Jim and was a very enthusiastic guy. At that moment I knew this night would be great. We all decided to join forces and camp together. By this time, the sun was setting and the show was about to begin. I was jumping for joy as the color of the sky began changing from a deep blue to a combination of dark orange and red. The color around the sun was mostly bright orange with a darker ring of red around it. It was glowing like a big fireball. Again, my camera was put to work - each picture looking almost the same as the last. You know the song “Soak Up the Sun” by

Sheryl Crow? Well that’s how I approach sunsets. I just can’t get enough! Jim even got a photo of me “holding” the sun. It was quite hot! I should have brought oven mitts. Finally, the sun set completely and the moon took over.

                We pitched a tent in a square clearing next to a fire pit previous hikers had created. Jim strung up his hammock between two trees as did Soul Flute and Yeti (another hiker that joined us). Shortly after, we began the task of wood collection. I was quite proud of the amount I was able to locate and carry back. It was like a scavenger hunt except more extreme because we needed a fire to survive! Well ok, not that dramatic but we were cold so it helped. I assisted No Rush and Soul Flute in their camp set up and No Rush insisted I jump into Soul Flute’s hammock to see how comfortable it was. I wasn’t going to object. As soon as a buried my body into the hammock, No Rush goes “Hey you look like a baby kangaroo.” I told him I had actually traveled to Australia before and that it was the greatest place on Earth. And then something magical happened. I finally got a trail name!! No Rush dubbed me as Roo because Kangaroo was too long. I was so HAPPY!! I felt like I finally had authenticity as a hiker. I moseyed back to the fire pit where Jim and I whipped out our bottles of wine and enjoyed them by the flames of the fire. Soul Flute busted out his wooden flute (aha! Nickname origin) and began to play melodic tunes. In combination with the cackling fire, it made me feel like we were on a grand journey to Mordor. One ring to rule them all! He then let me take a whack at it. It was tougher to play than I thought! I handed it back to the pro shortly after and sipped my bottle of wine in appreciation. We then heard the stories of the other two guys and how they received their trail names. No Rush’s was created on a day at the beginning of his journey when he told one of his buddies “Hey what’s the rush, we’ll go when we go.” Ever since then he’s been taking his time and enjoying the trail at his own pace. Wabam! Yeti was named during a trek through a snowstorm with a buddy. He evidently took on the hike with ease and Shazam! Trail name. Jim’s was given to him by his brother when they went backpacking once and Jim’s feet were so cold that it was unbearable. True warriors.

                We walked out to the ledge and admired the moon and the city of Roanoke in the distance. I never knew Roanoke put out so much light or covered that much area. It felt like we were on top of the world. Which we kinda were. We then listened to each of our friends’ wild and crazy stories. Supposedly, there are big parties that are thrown for the hikers every now and then in certain cities/towns. They are labeled as Trail Days and they basically entail a great amount of alcohol and a bunch of shenanigans. Everything from food to shelter to drinks is covered by the inhabitants of that particular area. They mentioned one that was particularly crazy but I’ll spare the details because sometimes what’s said on the trail should stay on the trail ;) Besides the wild times, they also refer to a thing called Trail Magic. This is when out of nowhere all the worries they have about food or shelter or even an injury is somehow fixed by the magic of the AT. In other words, people like me who are just day travelers lend a hand in some way, shape, or form. I was dubbed a Trail Angel just for sharing some of my Chex Mix (why that didn’t become my trail name is beyond me). Trail Magic also includes hitching rides from kind locals to the local town for re-stock of supplies or receiving food or money from random strangers. It’s really neat that these hikers are so respected for what they do. I respect them that’s for sure. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to put your life on hold and live off the mountains. Speaking of courage, that reminds me of the danger that is involved in this endeavor. I was talking to No Rush and he said that there’s a report that goes out every so often stating how many people have died along the way. Yes that’s right. Died. That gave me shivers. Supposedly there was only one reported death but No Rush said “but we hikers know there were at least 7. I knew 3 of them. Not too personally, but I had conversations with them.” Two died from exposure of the elements and one from falling off a cliff while taking a photo. I can’t recall the rest but it’s crazy to imagine that this is no small feat.

                Before the hikers embark upon their grand adventure, they all are strongly encouraged to read several books about how to face the journey. Things such as what to bring, how to allot you time on the mountain versus going into town for supplies, how many miles you should hike each day to reach your destination within a certain time frame, etc. During the trip, there is a general blog that each hiker contributes to. It’s a way for them to communicate in case they want to combine groups at a specific location. It’s also used to tell tricks of the trade, such as the most gorgeous outlooks or the best camping spots. It also serves to tell each hiker on the mountain a little about the other’s character and inform them who else is out there, trail names only. For instance, there is a girl named Whiskey Girl who is known to, you guessed it, carry around whiskey. No Rush said that from the blog he was able to read her experiences and the perception of her from other people. She’s evidently the hottie of the mountain.

                After all these stories were told, we all headed to our respective “bedrooms.” I couldn’t sleep very well that night. It may have been due to the soreness I was already encountering plus the whole bottle of wine I consumed (best thing about the mountains is that the restroom is never far off). So I woke up periodically throughout the night. Actually, I don’t think I slept but maybe 2 hours that night. I would fall asleep for 10 min increments and look at my watch hoping it was 5:30AM so everyone else would be awake. 5:45AM is when the sun was scheduled to rise so around that time is when we all headed out to the cliff.

We looked out and saw the most amazing, the most beautiful, the most awe-inspiring....thick of fog. Bummer. We patiently waited around, hoping the fog would clear. Eventually, you could see a small fuzzy bright light and we knew something great was about to happen. As minutes ticked by, the sun became more clear and the clouds settled below our feet. Suddenly, the sun burst into the most gorgeous shade of orange and reflected off the clouds below. You could see nothing but cloud humps and the sun peaking above them. It was absolutely breathtaking. Imagine you are in an airplane and look out the window and see only cloud puffs. That’s exactly how this was except we were surrounded by clouds instead of a metal aircraft. I could feel the warmth of the sun’s beams after being cold for so long. It was perfect. And the pictures I took actually did it justice. We all sat in awe of

the wonder that was before us, unable to move. These are the moments I live for. These are the moments that truly give my life meaning. Nature, beyond belief. There are some things you just can’t describe in words and this moment was one of them. They give you the motivation you need to continue in life, because I’m sure we can all agree that life is difficult at times, very difficult. This is the cure to my ails. This, is living.