The day after I got back home from my section hike in Pennsylvania, I honestly felt like sleeping all day. A late to bed on Friday night after hiking 18 miles, then early rise to drive four hours in the rain back home left me a bit ragged out!
However, Little Caesar (my partner, not the pizza), did not have to do much convincing to get me in the car for a trip to Shenandoah NP. We had no intention of doing any serious hiking, but we have an annual pass and felt even a short visit would be a nice way to reconnect after my week away. Well, I thought that…it’s totally possible that she just wanted to get out of town and away from our pack of animals for a few hours. 🙂
After reaching the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center in the north district, we walked across Skyline Drive to pick up the Dickey Ridge trail to Snead Farm. 
Oh, were my feet happy! I deserved this soft, soft, cushy, like a dream, trail after my week of communing with those rock strewn pathways of Pennsylvania! Beautiful, woodsy trail until you reach the fire road.
We swung left on the fire road to continue to Snead Farm. Wildflowers lined both sides of the road making our stroll more pleasant.
This is a short three mile hike and seemed to be popular with families. I love seeing Mom’s and Dad’s sharing and teaching their kids about the outdoors. 🙂 Takes me back to when I took my son out on hikes. 🙂 🙂
Anyway, a very adorable family came down the road as we returned.
One of the younger children had a camera and I asked of what he had been taking a picture. He replied with all the seriousness of a professional, “I am capturing the wilderness. ” 🙂
Keep clicking Kiddo and Hike On!
Girl Gone Hiking 
With Dickey Ridge, it’s one of my favorite day hikes.
As soon as I can plan myself a shuttle I would like to hike the entire Dickey Ridge trail. However, I have plans for doing a picnic hike up to the Visitor Center and back with my dog, Sidekick Pauli, later this summer!
You can easily hitch back from Compton Gap.
Okay, I just read Section Hikers post on “planning fails” http://sectionhiker.com/trip-planning-mistakes/ … I worry about assuming I can hitch, and I don’t want to have to hike it. 🙂 🙂
Imagine the images if there were digital cameras in the colonies in 1700. We get glimpses of what it was like when we sortie into the woods but weaving through the old growth, elk, panthers, wolves, bison and the “original” residents shared the trails that were already thousands of years old.
Very true! I am just glad there were no cell phone cameras in the 1980’s. 🙂 That could have been a career killer for me!!!