Smith Mountain Lake 10/28/2016 (Backpacking Test)

Mailing Address:

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE STATE PARK
1235 STATE PARK RD
HUDDLESTON  VA  24104-9547

Phone Number:

Information:  (540)297-6066

NOTES:

• Site 29 is a good site but all the park in sites are good ones.
• There are no lights so be sure to bring lanterns.
• The tent pads are fine gravel
• There are enough trails there so that you can hike a different one each day for a week. Several of them you would have to drive to the trailhead
• The outdoor recreation area is a short drive away

Friday, October 28, 2016

I started the morning by going to the gym. I wanted to see what my pack weighed and to get a head start on training for the spring. I stepped up on the scales and the read 263 pounds!! I stopped to calculate the weight and then it hit me like a ton of bricks, this is what I weight three years ago when I went to Doctor Millers office. I was carrying 37 pounds on my back and that represents the weight I have lost since July of 2014!! I was ecstatic, to say the least. Well after I got over the excitement of what I had done, I stepped up on the treadmill and started walking. I walked for 24 minutes and I could tell it in my hips. Will need a lot more training before I decided to head out into the woods for two days!!

Well, we left Friday about 3pm and headed to the Lake. I took us about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there from the house. We checked in at the Visitor Center and it cost us $26 for one night. We drove around and picked the tent site all the way in the bottom of the campground. 

 

We set up our tent and started supper. We had chicken and rice and all w had to do was add water. After waiting 10 minutes we ate the chicken and rice with some french fried onions and sweet tea. Afterwards we had an ice cream sandwich and made smores in the fire.

 

 

We turned in around 9pm and went to sleep. We were both restless during the night but slept OK. Saturday morning I was up at 6am and started a fire so Amy and I could keep warm. I read some of the Minor Prophets, had a cup of coffee and got Amy up around 7am. She had eggs for breakfast and I had oatmeal. 

 

 

 After breakfast we decided to take a hike and we walked 4.3 miles in just over 2 hours. Here are a few pictures of our hike.

  

  

After our hike, I broke camp and then went and took a shower. After Amy had changed we headed to Lynchburg. We picked up Louise and took her out for her 93rd birthday, we ate at Cracker Barrel. While there we were able to see Nicole for a bit and that was great.