Day 0: Arrival at Base Camp

So here I am at “base camp” which is the Schairer Trail Center in the Shenandoah National Park. 20140511_19232920140511_192407
We just had dinner a couple hours ago which was cooked by this writer. The dinner closely resembled a beef fajita dish and was yummie! Presently, I am writing this entry (duh!) And then am off to sleep.
It has been one busy day! Recall I went to sleep at 4:15am. I woke up at 9:50am and it took every oune of energy to rise. Sure, I was excited about the trip. But before leaving home, I had a few household logistics issues to attend to. Boring things like paying bills, taking trash out – basically, if it was something I did not want to do it was on the list.
Then I had to deal with that mound of clothes you might remember from last night. Being that my pack was completely full without the clothes, I didnt even bother trying to stuff them in. That is a task for in the morning before I head out to the trail.
So, I finally made it out the door at 2:00pm for a 3 hour cruise 4 hour drive.
With abour 30 minutes remaining, the Shenendoah Mountains became visible. I snapped a few photos along the way…

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Once arriving at Swift Mountain Gap and getting on the Skyline Drive, there were several gorgious views down into the valley. Traffic was virtually non-existent, so I stopped right in the middle of the road to snap some photos.

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After 5 miles on the Skyline Drive, I arrived at the Eaton Hollow Overlook which is the parking area for this cabin. Interesting location, because the cabin is 0.4 miles from the parking area. When I arrived, Jim and Danny had already arrived and were returning from their first trip to haul in their gear. Just in time for me to join their 2nd run. Fortunately, I was able to carry all my stuff in one trip. I had not just my backpack, but dinner supplies and a cooler.
I have already unpacked my gear so I can go through it in the morning, eliminate some items if possile and pack more tightly.
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…and with that bunk/sleeping bag – I am outa here. Next entry will be from the trail!!!

4 thoughts on “Day 0: Arrival at Base Camp

  1. Looks like time for well deserved sleep to prepare for your hike in the morning… Hope the weather is good for you.. Enjoy your hike and take lots of pictures.. Time for some of us to get ready for work! 🙂

  2. Have a wonderful week. Enjoy the beautiful outdoors. You should have good weather for your shake down. Look forward to seeing your posts this week.

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