Though the weather reports were nasty for this Memorial Day Weekend in 2001, nine Troop 1131 Scouts and leaders headed out onto the "grand daddy" of all trails to backpack, some for the first time.

       At 7:00 AM on the 26th, the Scouts started arriving at the church in a hard rain to prepare to depart. Troop gear, i.e. tents, food, etc., was divided up and some Scouts water proofed their boots. A little after 8:00 we got into cars, headed to a McD's for a light breakfast snack and got ready to hit the trail at Snicker's Gap in Virginia.

       The rain, miraculously, had stopped when we arrived at the trail. The woods were a little damp, but, at least it was not raining! We headed up the "A.T." and took a rest near the Bear's Den Hostel, where there was a nice overlook. About 2 and a half miles into the hike we took our lunch break (lunch consisted of crackers, cheese, tuna, beef jerky, sausage, peanut butter and jelly) by a good-size stream. Mr. Weaver and two scouts pumped some water for bottles before we crossed the stream and headed up the last hill of the day. We arrived at the Sam Moore Shelter around 2:00 PM and decided to pitch tents rather then to sleep in the shelter. Dinner was a cup of Ramen Noodle Soup and some Beef/Stuffing stew. Dessert was a Cherry Cheesecake. Scouts started trickling off to their tents to "hit the sack" at around 8:30.

       At 6:30 the next morning, tired Scouts woke up to the bird's chirping and the sound of rain dripping off the leaves. There had been a great thunderstorm the night before (which most of us slept through) that had made the forest damp. Breakfast was hot oatmeal, cereal bars, hot chocolate, or whatever that the Scout had brung on the trip to tide him over until lunch. We packed up everything and headed out to the trail around 8:30. After climbing the brutal Buzzard Hill, we descended into Ashby Hollow, where we took our lunch break. Lunch was the same as yesterday, and, again, Mr. Weaver and some Scouts pumped some water. We topped Piney Ridge, a steep hill, and had one last hill to climb when the thunder started. We hurried and hoped to beat the rain, but, on the top of this last hill it started to downpour. Pack covers and ponchos came out in a flash. We climbed down this hill through mud and raging streams and met Mr. Burley (who had just come from the New Scout Campout) on the trail. At camp the rain stopped and most of the Scouts decided to sleep in the shelter tonight (Rod Hollow Shelter). After 7 miles of trail, the Scouts were all sore. Dinner was tortellini and a Chicken/Rice dish. A chocolate pudding pie dessert was delicious! We talked with some hikers staying at the shelter who were going to hike the whole trail. Some Scouts even took up playing cards (the game was called "gigi") with the super-hikers. We retired to bed sometime after 9:00 PM.