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Big Rocky Row has been on my list of hikes to hit in Virginia and the other weekend I found myself with an empty Sunday so I headed down to where the James River flows through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It had been awhile since I hiked alone (Michael was studying) so I was a little nervous to tackle a new section of the Appalachian Trail by myself. I decided to do the hike up to the first overlook at the top of the mountain and then back down. The trip was about 8.2 miles up and back.
I hate carrying coolers around... or pulling them around... or pushing them. Honestly the only thing I’ve found coolers are really good for is providing an additional seat by the campfire. We brought one on a camping trip a few years ago and that was the first and last time we brought a cooler with us because I simply couldn't stand dealing with the bulk when the rest of our gear was so lightweight and reasonably sized... But then we got our hands on a Mountainsmith Cooloir 24 and decided to give it a whirl…
While in North Carolina we decided to spend the day in Pisgah National Forest on a river recommended to us by a friend. For the first few hours we didn't get a single bite. We waded for awhile trying different spots and had no luck. Feeling defeated we trekked back to the Wrangler and drove downstream and stopped at one last spot before giving up. Luckily at that second spot we started landing fish immediately!
Leave No Trace (LNT) just released new social media guidance concerning tagging and sharing our favorite outdoor spaces and places on social media. This has been a tough subject for me. I essentially launched my blog six years ago with the hope that sharing my hikes and adventures would inspire people to get outside and enjoy the amazing places Virginia had to offer. Because of this I geotagged every post, gave detailed directions to every hidden spot and more…