Ride the Roller Coaster, Dave

So Dave wants to do a little trail running this weekend?

No roads. Dirt. Rocks. Streams. Mud. Twenty miles maybe. Start at 6:30 AM. How about a Roller Coaster, Dave?

After our 23 miler a few weekends back on dirt roads around Crazy Craig's house, Dave's feet screamed NO MORE HARD SURFACES. Wuss. How about a little rock-stubbing, toe-ripping stretch for those gentle toelets, eh?

Always thinking of combining wildilfe watching with running as a perfect if potentially dangerous combo, I've come up with a challenge for us. We'll stay on the Appalachian Trail in Loudoun County, Virginia and if we survive our first 14+ miles, we'll take a final 6 miles north of Rt 7 on the AT.

Snicker's Gap is the hole in the Blue Ridge that permits Rt 7 to pass west from the Washington DC suburbs to Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley. During the fall, an intrepid band of volunteer hawk watchers enjoy fall weather (or not) for months on end. From the earliest sharpies and kestrels through the clouds of South American-bound broad-winged hawks in mid to late September and late November's possible golden eagles and rough-winged hawks, Snicker's Gap is Virginia's Hawk Mountain. Want to visit? Bring a lawn chair and pull off Rt 7 on the south side of the gap. For a great description of this place from a birder's standpoint, click here.

If you want to go beyond the parking area Hawk Watch and scramble our trail, here's what we'll be doing, from a listing on Trails.com:

Appalachian Trail: Snickers Gap to Blackburn Trail Center

Preview: Hikers eager for, say, 4,800 feet of elevation change should try this one-way, 7.3-mile Appalachian Trail outing. Over half of it is on the aptly nicknamed Roller Coaster. It also provides seasonally diverse woodland landscapes and time on one of North Americas greatest hiking trails. Trees dominate the hike, helping anchor the mountain soil, shelter the areas bountiful wildlife, shade the trail, and make hikers appreciate the overlooks. Oaks and hickories are common, but youll also encounter maples, black tupelos, and pines. In the understory, dogwood blossoms-plus myriad wildflowers and migratory birds-brighten early spring; mountain-laurel leaves offset the pallor of winter, and poison ivy lurks year-round. The rocky trail can be slick when wet or icy, so be prudent when scheduling or doing the hike. Also, wear orange in the fall; the ATs no-hunting-allowed right-of-way is narrow. Try this hike in September, when the leaves are starting to turn and only migrating birds are in the air. Scenery: Mountain woodlands, steep slopes, boulder field, farmland views. Trail surface: Chiefly dirt and rocks (both loose and embedded); some grassy patches.

Someone will let you know if we make it back alive. With a wildlife list. And 10 toes each. Sorry you're missing this one, Andrew!

Crazy Craig