Post 900 Hike #87: Low Gap--2.5, AT--4.7, Snake Den Ridge--5.3

Today’s hike was one that Vicki Watkins needed in her 900 quest (Low Gap 2.5, AT 2.4 & 2.3), and Snake Den Ridge (0.7, 4.6). I arrived at Cracker Barrel at 07:10; Theresa Yu was already there. The others trickling in were Dick Ledyard, Leslie Toney, and Vicki. Dave and Carol Anderson, along with Joy Kelly also met there; although they were doing Low Gap with us, they would then go on to Mt. Cammerer. Theresa asked me to drive her vehicle.

We started at 09:12 and I talked with Dave and Carole a bit on the first section of Low Gap; then I endeavored to put it in a higher gear and arrived at the AT at 10:26. I only got my HR to only 144 on this 3000 ft gain; this is telling me again that I should not do heavy leg-work in my weight lifting on the day prior to a hike. It was cool and I put on my hiking parka after arriving at the AT. As a group we started on the AT (with Dave, Carol, and Joy going East and the rest of us going West) at 10:51. I decided to bring up the rear since I had had my aerobic workout.

We stopped for lunch ~12:00 after finishing our first AT segment; from L to R my cohorts were: Leslie, Vicki, Theresa, and Dick.


We finished the next segment at ~13:50; this picture is one taken during this segment that I sort of thought was unique and hope to describe it more.


After completing this AT segment I went ahead on the 5.6 mi. Snake Den Ridge Trail in order that I could ice my knee prior to driving Theresa’s vehicle back to Cracker Barrel. The trail was quite boring; I was alone and the trail was ~as steeply down as was Low Gap up on our first trail in the morning. I forget exactly when I arrived at the Cosby Campground and Teresa’s car; however it was prior to 1600. I iced my knee and shortly after completion my cohorts arrived. The trip home was OK; however, since I was driving and Dick at my R does not hear in his left ear, my comments to him were probably heard better by the three in the back seat. This was not a problem but it was sort of clumsy. Fortunately when we arrived at our exit, one in the back seat and Dick in the front politely asked me if I was going to exit. Guess I was just getting used to driving Theresa’s Ford Escape.