Sprout Day 21 (Sunday, April 17th)

We went up to Annapolis Rock today.  I saw a bunch of huge birds.  I’m pretty sure that they were vultures.  They were HUGE.  

On our way

View from Annapolis Rock

Another memorial on the trail

One of those vultures

Although the view was beautiful, it looked like a place where ignorant people go to party.  There was a bunch of graffiti on all of the rocks, even on the way up the trail!  I didn’t really enjoy that.  Leave no trace.  Natural beauty is enough.  Graffiti is trace!

We also went off on a side trail to Black Rock Cliffs.  As we get stronger we want to take more time to go on side trails blue blazing (these are trails off of the AT, we would get back onto the AT right where we got off.)  Sometimes you have to take a blue blaze when an area of the trail is closed, sometimes to get to a shelter, and sometimes to walk around a mountain rather than up and down it.  It’s always a good idea (if a hiker sees a blue trail) to check it out in their guidebook.  They can also mark a spring off the trail or an overlook.

Black Rock Cliffs

The sun was beginning to set.  I had to get moving!

While hiking today we saw houses.  We knew we were on private property because there were signs stating, “STAY ON THE TRAIL”.  It’s crazy to live that close to the trial.

One of the fields we walked through.  It was such a beautiful day!

Day:  21

Miles hiked:  13.1

Total Miles hiked on the trail:  197.8

Bears:   0

Butterfly:  8

Chipmunk:  2

Crawfish:  1

Deer:  20

Really Big Dog:  1

Mouse:  1

Nest of bugs:  1

Skunk:  1

Snail:  1

Snake: 1

Squirrels:  11

Turkeys:  4

Turtles:  107
Vulture: 4

Woodpecker:  1