Cranberry Wilderness...
you know the drill...click the pic to go to the set...
take two CHS alum, add two backpacks, toss together...mix with the monongahela national forest in westBYGODvirginia and you have a recipe for a FAB backpacking trip!
JLB flew in wednesday night...it was kinda mind boggling, you know? i mean...dude...i never ONCE said a word to him in HS. i was sorta friends with his sister. he was a freshman during my last year. blah blah blah.
see what happens when you search ppl on facebook and start talking to em for two months.
you plan adventures!
awwwwwwwwwwww yah!
so, yah, JLB arrived wednesday. i picked him up from the airport. (complete with signage and all :P)
THURSDAY we did brunch at sweet melissas (oh drool!) and took off to the YO to stop at our respective parents houses for gift drop offs and gear pick up.
i met JLBs dad and little brother...and they told me some interesting facts about my dear hiking partner...
like. um. hide that "machete" he is gonna bring because he sleepwalks.
ooooooooo boy.
and something about bears. and JLB. and um.
anyhow...
we got off to a late start actually...and lo and behold my wet ass smelling car (ooops! water jug leaked in the trunk!) decided it wanted to ride hot!
ugh!
checked the coolant. all good.
fans movin.
ooooo
time to ride to WV with the heat on. GAG!
i knew JLB always wanted toastie feet, no?
(yah, um. i have a thermostat sitting in my front seat right now...time to get greasie saturday. *sigh*)
anyhooo. we made it.
the long way.
the long. hot. way.
(how did we miss that exit?)
all was good. a little detour around gauley country.
and i modified our hiking route on the way :)
so. in the shelli-chris-amy-val style, we arrived at the trailhead in the dark.
and seeing that it was after ten pm, and 6 hours in a car with the heat on and windows open was really being felt...we camped at the TH for the night.
FRIDAY!
glorious friday! time to hike!!!!
i was so stoked!
first of all...BEAUTIFUL area, that i havent been to. way cool!
second...trying out my new dehydrating SKILLZ, with a fab menu planned, including a new energy bar creation (god, i love the planning process! lol)
third...HIKING! WITH A CUTE BOY!
woo woo!
that is all.
lol
back to the story....
we took the north south trail to the middle fork trail...and hiked that to opposite trailhead. did about 10 miles friday...
it was GLORIOUS!
oh, my beloved woods! beautiful trees! happy sounds of nature mixed with footsteps mixed with the slight squeak of my pack...
middle fork trail follows the river, and heads west...we had decided to make a fairly large loop...through parts of the cranberry wilderness and backcountry.
truly beautiful forest, i have to say!
since we were going to take the little fork trail up to the ridge, and continue onto the north south trail next...we camped at the trailhead of middle fork and little fork. it was actually an organized car camping kinda area...single latrine, and 3 sites...
it was just us for a little while...then keanu...i mean, chase, arrived.
dude from OU. pretty cute! and he had beer *grin*
but OMG. can you say KEANU'S BROTHER?
like. dude.
so. yah. night two camping. JLB whipped his hammock out too! (get yer mind outta the gutter peeps!)
a good nights rest, after a hellacious time getting a fire started (yay wet wood!), was had... :)
SATURDAY.
after a few failed attempts at finding the little fork trail (wtf? um. signage in the wilderness is fab...however, it is not always where it should be!), we located the bugger and headed on our way...
it was uphill.
up rocks.
up roots.
up. up up.
actually, we did about a 1400 foot climb. not too horrible.
but damn...my energy bars and beef jerky tasted nummie at the top! lol
to quote JLB...CREEEEEPIE.....
the little fork and all of its climbing was a gorgeous trail too...
and now...we were in the backcountry.
even more pretty trails to explore!
whats the difference between the wilderness and the backcountry you ask?
i have no clue.
but i will tell you this...
the folks that marked the wilderness...did a damn good job. rock pilings. signs (ok. well, maybe the signs dont always LEAD you right to the trail...but whatever)
the folks that marked the backcountry.
um. well.
they really like the color blue.
A LOT.
in fact, they like it SO MUCH, that they use it for EVERY. FREAKIN. TRAIL.
it is all really kinda strange.
"follow the blue blazes"
ok.
yah.
anyhow.
sometimes they were invisible too.
cool huh?
a couple of lil confusions, but we found our way.
oooo...i should prolly mention another fact about JLB and hiking. he likes to bushwhack :)
i mean, clear the trail.
i think hiking poles with sharp edges would be a great addition to his gear stash...hehe.
but hey! its all good. now those who hike after us can write him thank you letters and send him gifts of gratitude.
:)
little fork to NS trail...up on the top...then back down...
to cranberry river trail.
road.
trail.
whatever.
night three, we had a FAB campsite!
right on the river...complete with swimming hole!
(and butterflies, and big ass spider, and an ET rock!)
pea + river = LOVE.
hey lakeshel, remember the meadow run dip during the girls weekend?
i love it when my b00bs float in the water. *grin*
FAB way to start SUNDAY!
off we go!
cranberry trail. road. whatever.
so, we run into some folks on horses.
i guess in west virginia, horses think backpackers are monsters.
or at least, that is what the lady in the front of the pack of 3 said.
she asked us to step off of the TrailRoadTrail...because the horse with the 9 year old kid might get spooked by us.
um.
ok.
whatever lady.
lol
horse didnt blink an eye by the way.
lol
along the way to our next destination, we passed several trail shelters...(complete with presents of powdered gatorade, cookware, and empty tequila rose bottles!)
a couple of the shelters were occupied and converted into what seemed to be dude ranches.
no motor vehicles allowed on the Cranberry River TrailRoadTrail...so DROVES of folks took their chuck wagons back to the shelters and set up shop!
it was actually freakin cool :)
(i cant wait for the fall pack trip in a month! yay fagowees!)
we turned off onto our last leg of the trek...the north fork trail...
THAT was a really pretty trail!
from the cranberry cut off, it was about 6.5 miles out on the north fork. we hiked about 3 of it, and set up camp for our last night *sniff*
it was a nice camp...along a river again.
how i love the sound of water in motion!
any water...you know?
when i swim laps...i love listening to the rhythmic sound as i slice through....back and forth, back and forth...the sounds of the water completely around me when i flip.
i have fond memories of camp fitch, how the waves of lake erie would sing me to sleep...
i love when i am camping along the river, and i am able to listen to its flow as i fall deep into dreams....
ok. i will shut up on the water front (ha, get it. water front?)
anyhow.
LOVE falling asleep to moving water....and for our last night of the hike, it was WONDERFUL.
MONDAY.
the hike out.
3.5 miles. not bad. and beautiful trail!
it was pretty overcast though...but the sun peaked its head through here and there...
making for a nice hike out overall.
sad it was over. i couldnt have asked for a better hiking partner, a prettier trail and despite a few sprinkles...more perfect weather.
JLB ROCKS, by the way. i love his hiking style. he looked out for me :)
and, he's freakin cool as shit. i totally plan to have more adventures with him...
and fab thing? i have an awesome new friend!
i know we all have changed since high school...but damn. too bad we havent hung out this entire time, you know?
but in a way, it sorta felt like it during the whole trip.
it was like...coming home.
:)
and thats pretty damn cool.
so...there ya have it! cranberry hike!
overall, did about 33-35 miles. tried some totally rockin new recipes (note to self, rehydrate eggs and chicken SEPARATELY, instead of WITH the mashed potatoes....)
saw some beautiful forest. had some FAB camping and hiking...and made a way cool new friend!
no better way to spend a long holiday weekend :)
and trail monkey loved it too!
-Pea, out.