Hello fellow CF blog followers!  Last couple of weeks have been busy with training for the big hike.  My co CF soul sister hiker Fred Douglas and I hiked yesterday 15 miles at Pocahontas State Park on the Fendley Station Trail.  This trail was nothing in comparison to what we've been hiking over the last three months, but still had a few small challenges.  The heat and humidity were unbeatable and the bugs were bothersome, thank God for bug spray.  Good hike for distance but not very strenuous in terms of hills and terrain.  Pretty much a flat trail through the woods.  One area by the dam which has hikers to cross a stream leave no other way to get a cross except to jump and wade across ankle deep.  And I got caught taking care of nature by another hiker yep with all my angel white hanging out, but what are you going to do when you gotta go you gotta go!  None the less for some reason I am very sore today and exhausted.  Only a couple of blisters on the feet, which will heal.  Next week is our next extreme conditioning hike near Roanoke, this one will be 19miles.  Not sure Ill be making this one or not.  Will be an all weekend deal and will have to leave work early and just not sure I will be able to do that.  Here are a few photos from yesterday's hike.

Here are a few photos from our 4th conditioing hike for the extreme hike for CF!  It was an amazing day!  The weather was perfect, cool and in the 60s all day, but when your out there hiking you want it cool.  Lots of rocks on this trail but several beautiful views!  We had a group mascot today, a beautiful foxhound by the name of Cash!  Loved having him with us and hope to see him again!  Quit a bit of the trail was semi flat but followed a dried up river bed and made the hike slower for all the unstable rocks.  About 4.5 miles left of the hike was a pretty steep climb of about 1200 feet.  I know doesn't sound like much but when your starting to get alittle fatigued after hiking on loose rock and dodging beer Poo for 11 miles a steep climb for 1200feet can be challenging with about 8 switch backs!  but we made it only to have the last 3 miles to be very rocky and on a downward slop!  great team of folks hiking today and everyone did an awesome job!  Oh I did forget to mention the two times I fell while hiking down rocky slops!  Actually I thought I would cheat and just roll for awhile to save my strength!  Now to get my hiking clothes and gear in the washer, right now they smell so bad they're stand in the corner on the front stoop by themselves waiting the be asked in the house!  Stayed tuned followers our next hike will be 19 miles near Ronake Va.  another tough challenge!  The big one is closing in on us fast!  Please don't forget to donate, we are working really hard and this is worth the effort o

And an awesome cause!  Bez

Hello followers, hope all has been well!  This past weekend My best friend Fred Douglas and her husband Jack along with my kids Evan, Michelle and myself all went hiking up in the Shenandoah Valley.  Did an 8 mile hike on the Hoover campsite trial.  It was a beautiful day for a hike and it was yet another great trail of streams, falls, overlooks and wildlife.  1200ft climb but lots of great p,aces to shop and take pictures and rest breaks!  saw several deer on the trail and they didn't seem to frighten of visitors.  On Sunday the 4th we started out early around 9:45am we started out on the Rose River trail, however this hike proved to be much more adventurous!  About 300yds into our hike we encountered a black bear and not a very happy one!  Evan and Jack spotted him first and when Evan said bear I spun around a little too quick and I guess startled the bear and he lunged at me and growled, snorted and stomped his paw!  We started each other down for about 20 seconds because I was to scared to look away and everyone else told me to not move!  My legs were shacking so bad my knees were knocking together!  Then he slowly moved away went over and checked Fred out for a few seconds and then crossed the trail about 10 feet in front of Fred!  The good Man upstairs was watching over was this day. later on the trail while taking photos on the bridge crossing over the falls we look over to view to beautiful scenery and what do we see not one but two rattlesnakes sunning themselves on the rocks the below!  Over all we hiked about 12.5 miles over the weekend with, deer, turkeys, rattlesnakes and bear!  Adventures of the sole hikers INDEED!!!!  Sorry no bear photos, but we have witnesses!