Last night I tossed and turned but overall I slept well and when my alarm sounded at 04:30 am I was just being lazy and didn't move. It wasn't pitch black out but it was dark with a mist that seemed to cling to everything. I began with boiling water for coffee and then made some eggs, spinach and toast. It wasn't a very tasty breakfast but then again I wasn't really trying. By 05:30 am I was on the road to Old Rag Mountain.
The drive was about 1.5 hours long and a peaceful one although by the time I reached the parking area I had to pee so badly. As I was hoping with an early arrival there were only a handful of vehicles and plenty of space for me. I parked the farthest away so as to not be in the way and ran to the porta-potty. Once my pack was ready I headed up the paved road to the trailhead.
The hike was steep and I was breathing hard. I hate how every time I workout and hike I breathe like I have asthma. This time I worked on focusing on controlling my breathing...in through my nose and out through my mouth: I actually think it helped some. After multiple switchbacks and a trail shrouded in mist I made it to the rock scramble area. Boy what a scramble it was too! I should have had gear such as gloves. At some parts I was wedging myself between rocks to get up or leaping down into crevices. It was fun but quite the workout! When I made it to the false summit the view was of a deep dense forest of green, blue skies and a white fog that still clung to some of the mountain tops. I threw my pack off of my sweat filled shirt and ate an apple while sitting over the edge taking in the view. Then I continued to the real summit where I couldn't see anything due to the fog. Another 5.2 miles saw me down at the parking lot with sore feet and knees. I did it. I FINALLY hiked Old Rag Mountain (10.2 miles 2,508 ft elevation in 3.44 hours) after six years!
Afterwards, I ate yogurt and fruit juice while I drove back to Sparryville to try and get cell service. That didn't happen so I continued on to Front Royal, VA where I bought a bag of ice and went to a Starbucks. There I messaged many people, tried to plan D.C. and answered messages for work. With no real advancement in the D. C. planning I left at 17:30 and began the 24 minutes drive to a friends parents house in Marshall, VA.
Her and I used to work together at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center six years ago and got along well; however, due to time and life itself it had been six years since we last met. Thankfully, her parents were letting me stay in their yard and were very accommodating and sweet. An odd feeling came over me as I drove to their place for I was remembering the roads and turns it took to get there. Like a floodgate memories were released. Her mom and I talked for some time and then I let her be for I didn't want to be in the way. I love reconnecting with people and am so thankful that they let me crash at their place but no matter where I am or who the people are I always feel like I am intruding or am an inconvenience.
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