Winter

Yes, folks, Old Man Winter has arrived.

Suzy Q had an appointment at the Twin Oaks Animal Hospital last Tuesday to have her ovaries removed. Allowing some time for her to recover from surgery, I figured that a few days in the mountains would be a nice break from the force majeure of townhouse renovations. And, on a whim, I called The Donald to come along. So it was that, with Sam and Q Beans in tow, we were underway within an hour.

The Donald on Katherine's Knob

With exquisite timing, we passed through Winston-Salem shortly after 7:00 to have barbecue for dinner at Little Richards. We nearly had the place to ourselves as the dinner crowd had already come and gone by that time of day. Upon leaving I noticed a space heater at the car hop’s outdoor station. That was to be our first sign of winter.

I had neglected to turn the heat up at the house in Air Bellows before leaving and, the inside temperature was a less-than-cozy 47°F when we arrived. So, turning the heat up and getting a roaring fire going in the fireplace (after yet again forgetting to open the damper and setting off the fire alarms), the air temperature was tolerable by bedtime. But, the temperature was only 57°F upon awakening the next morning as I had last set the thermostat at that temperature before leaving last time. Duh!

While Suzy was the center of attention at the hospital, The Donald, Sam and I hiked all the way down and all the way back up the section of the old Air Bellows Road between the Blue Ridge Parkway and Stone Mountain State Park. That’s a round-trip distance of 10 miles or so with a change in elevation of about 2000 feet, and it took us five hours by foot. We could only imagine what it was like along some sections for the early settlers with horse and wagon when this old road was the I-77 of its day. The bottom portions have gentle grades, mostly along ridgelines. But, near the top, it was much rockier and much more vertical. Those travelers were some tough folks.

While the old Air Bellows Road is interesting from a historical perspective, it’s not much to speak of visually when it comes to hiking. It’s mostly in the woods with only a few vistas along the way. So, the next day, we were off to Grayson Highlands State Park to hike a portion if the Appalachian Trail. I called the range to make certain the park was open (it was) and to inquire about the snow (none). He did advise us that it was a little chilly (24°F) at Massey Gap but it was a nice sunny day. We stop by the hospital to check on Suzy Q and off we go to climb Pine Mountain for its magnificent panoramic views.

The hike up the spur to the Appalachian Trail is through the woods and was downright pleasant but, once on the trail along the ridgeline, we soon got our first taste of the wind. And, it only got stronger as we approached the summit. The climb at the top is on rocks and this day they were partially coated with ice and snow. The passage through Fat Man’s Squeeze on the back side of the crag was entirely over clear ice. As we emerged from the Squeeze for our final ascent, the winds picked up and a misty cloud moved in. At the top, visibility was perhaps 100 feet and the strong winds made our exposed parts very cold and, ultimately, our stay very short!

So, down the slippery footholds we go without breaking any bones. About half way down we stopped for lunch behind a rock that served as a wind break. And, at that point, I noticed that I was experiencing ice in my beard for the first time. Underway again, I looked back at Pine Mountain and, yes, the summit was … wouldn’t you know it? … crystal clear! We did manage to see some nice views along the way, but this hike of normally an hour and a half somehow managed to take us four on this funky winter’s day.

On the way back, we picked up Suzy Q. I didn’t know what to expect except a shaved belly and a surgical scar. Would she be sedated? Sore? Angry? We take her home and release her from the carrying case. And, what does she do just 24 hours after the knife job? She makes a mad dash for the bowl of cat food on top of the clothes dryer! Surgery? What surgery? In short order she is climbing the rafters and begging to go outdoors as if nothing had ever happened.

Thursday broke with wind, a temperature of 24°F and some falling white stuff here and there. But, Katherine’s Knob, the highest point in Alleghany County was visible. So, off we go. As we drive up the access road, it’s snowing to beat the band. But at the top, it’s clear and cold and windy. We set off across the saddle between the peak on which the cell tower is located and toward the peak I’ve always represented as the very top of Katherine’s Knob. Once there, The Donald exclaims, “Hey, that peak looks higher than this one!” Being often wrong but seldom in doubt, I assure him it was just an optical illusion. But, alas, we find no geodesic marker and upon closer study of the topo map “that” peak with the cell tower was indeed taller than “this” one … by something less than 20 feet! So it is that the two tallest peaks in Alleghany County are separated by a saddle of maybe a half mile.

By the time we left the mountain to return to the flatlands on Thursday afternoon, the house had warmed up and snow was beginning to fall. With exquisite timing, we passed through Lexington about 5:30 to have barbecue for dinner at Lexington #1.

The hair on Suzy’s belly is returning with what appears as a dusting of snow. She is as spunky as ever and we will certainly not miss those sleepless nights every 21 days.

Now, if only winter will turn into spring.