2002 HIKE OLD RAG

October 16, 2002 Wednesday Drive to Big Meadows in Shenandoah NP

Got up at 4:45 and ran 5.1 miles in the cold 50^o pouring rain. After a quick breakfast Anne and I drove to the Howard County Fairgrounds at 6:15 as I was substitute hike leader for Jack Bateman. By the 7:00 departure time only Nora Scanlon and Ron Mayor had arrived so I canceled the hike. It was raining heavily and supposed to continue all day. It is too dangerous climbing the rocks of Old Rag Mountain when they are wet.

We returned home for a nap before departing at 10:10 on the 170 mile drive to Big Meadows Lodge in the Shenandoah National Park. We stopped at Applebee's in Warrenton, Virginia about 1:00 for lunch costing $25.53 for the two of us. Gassed the car at a Crown station for $1.319 per gallon for regular 87 octane. We arrived at the lodge about 3:15 having driven in the rain all the way at times very heavy.

We ran into the Kapperts and Sneeringers as we checked into room 42 in the Piedmont Building at $99.82 per night. We all gathered in the Mooney's suite about 6:00. They had a room and a large lounge with fireplace. Everyone brought a bottle of wine and snacks. As usual I brought a bottle of Pinot Noir that I made, Triscuits, a can of smoked oysters and a can of smoked mussels. People drifted off to the lodge for dinner until about 8:00 when the Kapperts, Hebers, Mooneys, Flynns, Coxs and McQueens adjourned to the Sneeringer's suite for salad, bread, beef stew and blackberry pie with whipped cream that people had brought from home. Everything was delicious and filling. We socialized until 10:30 then to bed.

October 17, 2002 Thursday Hike Old Rag Mountain

I got up at 6:45 and ran out to Skyline Drive, across Big Meadows and into the woods on a fire road and back covering about 5 miles in 45 minutes. It is cold but still as I passed dozens of deer grazing in the morning light. I ate breakfast of orange juice, blueberry pancakes and milk in the lodge with Anne $19.86 and the Flatons.

At 9:00 sixteen of us carpooled in 4 cars the 54 miles (about 5-6 air miles) to the Old Rag Mountain parking lot at 10:15.

We started about 10:30 up the switch backed trail through the trees for about 2 miles. Jack Bateman lead a group of 10 and I was sweeping with Gary Gray, Delores Gill, Patsy Stroessner, Gail Bresnan and Jane Kuehnl in the rear. Pete and Sylvia Flaton were waiting for us as we emerged from the trees on the rocky ridge leading to the 3268' summit. At the first rock scramble Gary Cox was waiting to help the ladies over it. The nine of us continued to work our way up the rugged ridge line. Jane was feeling bad and getting worse as we progressed. She was nautious, light headed and dizzy requiring frequent stops. We often stepped on wet spots making our footing on the rocks slippery at times. Jane was getting worse but I decided to keep going because we were now over half way over the rocks and it is easier to climb than to descend. I was also worried that it might rain before we summited as dark clouds moved over us. We inched our way up the mountain ridge going down into crevices, up through crevices with a hanging rock overhead, across a large crevice, under a leaning rock turning right into a cave and then left exiting the cave and climbing up 15-20' and over rocks wedged between two vertical rocks. Ron Cully after waiting a long time came back down and helped us the last part to the summit. We reached the summit 3 miles from the parking lot about 1:55 for a quick lunch taking in the spectacular 360^o views although visibility was not the best. Jane was feeling better and ate some lunch. We started descending the back side of the mountain on a good trail and not too steep. We passed the Byrd Nest stone shelter and the trail shelter near the fire road where we turned right and descended along a stream to the parking lot 4 miles later at 4:00. We returned to the lodge about 5:30.

After a quick shower we all gathered at the Mooney's again about 6:00 for more wine and snacks. I brought a Cabernet Sauvignon I bought in Mendoza, Argentina last year with Triscuits, smoked oysters and smoked mussels. About 7:30 we went to dinner in the lodge There was a half hour wait so Pete Flaton and I went to the lounge for a 12 ounce Yuengling Black and Tan as I was extremely thirsty. I had barbecued ribs, baked potato, green bean, green pepper and squash medley, salad and ice tea along with Anne's meal for $52.81. After dinner we all went downstairs to the lounge to listen to Loni Andersen sing. I drank another Yuengling Black and Tan. We headed back to our rooms and to bed at 10:45.

October 18, 2002 Friday Drive home

I got up at 7:02 and ran the same route as yesterday in the frosty morning air. Back in the room I showered and packed up before going to the lodge at 8:33 for breakfast with Gary and Leigh Gray. I had eggs, sausage, English muffin, orange juice and milk with Anne's breakfast cost $20.59. We all said good bye, took some pictures and departed about 11:00.

It is sunny, cool and absolutely beautiful. About 1:00 we stopped for lunch at the Brewer's Alley in Frederick, Maryland. I had a Monterey chicken club sandwich, cream of celery soup and ice tea along with Anne's BLT and ice tea cost $23.85.

We returned home about 3:30.

	ROSTER
1. Jack Bateman*	11. Mary Lou Flynn	21. Anne McQueen
2. Jo Bateman	12. Delores Gill*	22. Dan McQueen*
3. Gail Bresnan*	13. Gary Gray*	23. Carol Mooney
4. Gary Cox*	14. Leigh Gray	24. Pat Mooney*
5. Sandy Cox	15. Carol Heber	25. Noreen Pleines
6. Ron Cully*	16. Frank Heber	26. Walt Pleines
7. Sylvia Cully	17. Marty Kappert	27. Nora Scanlon*
8. Pete Flaton*	18. Sandy Kappert	28. Jane Sneeringer*
9. Sylvia Flaton*	19. Jane Kuehnl*	29. Bill Sneeringer*
10. Joe Flynn	20. Ron Mayor*	30. Patsy Stroessner*

* Climbed Old Rag

Last updated November 11, 2002