Shenandoah National Park

We spent four secluded days in Shenandoah National Park.  No internet service and in order to get cell phone service we had to go up to the Big Meadows Lodge or climb out on a rock off the Appalachian Trail.  It was nice.

Pete on the 'cell phone' rock

 We arrived on Thursday, September 2nd and planned to stay until Labor Day as it is very hard to get a campsite on a three day weekend.  Our campsite was relatively secluded until Friday evening.  There were a lot of deer in the park and most of them were not afraid of people.  We saw a couple of bucks with antlers but they didn't want their pictures taken as they were too busy looking for does.

Our uncrowded campsite

Deer in our campsite

We were able to fulfill one of our goals on this trip and that was to hike on the Appalachian Trail.  It is approximately 2,000 miles long.  It begins in Maine and ends in Georgia.  We hiked for maybe a mile so we have 1,999 miles to go.  It was exciting just the same.  The markers shown in the pictures are made of concrete and the symbol is an 'A' and a 'T' made to look like a tree.  These are the markers that are along the entire trail letting hikers know where they are and what is ahead.  We had one 'thru hiker' as they are called come through our campsite area.  He had begun his hike at the trail head in Maine and was hiking all the way 'thru' to Georgia.  He had come into the campground for a shower and a meal.

Pete on the Appalachian Trail

Linda on the Appalachian Trail

We left on Monday, the 6th for Washington D.C. and will meet up with Bob and Pink, our friends from California.  We are looking forward to the next half of our trip with them.  Cheers!