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Thanks! I really like your Art Loeb video. I just subbed so I can check out more of your stuff!

Yes and yes! As long as you stay within National Forest boundaries, you can camp almost anywhere at no fee.

It's lovely, isn't it? I've been enjoying the katydids the last few evenings myself.

Thank you! I appreciate the support.

I'm glad this could help you feel some peace on a Monday morning that will probably be anything but peaceful. It was so good to be reminded how it feels to sit at camp for half a day and not have anything to do. I forget about that sometimes during those long days of hiking. We need to do it more often! There were a lot of good reminders on this trip. I'm glad you enjoyed it and didn't mind screening it. 😉❤

Oh hey! It was nice meeting you in the parking lot! Thanks for checking out the video and for the tips on the birds. It turned out to be a great bird day.

Thank you! That means a lot. I appreciate you watching and sharing your thoughts.

Thanks man! I can never decide how bookish to get in these videos, so I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the Kerouac stuff. You keep making that art too! I owe you a few comments one of these days 😉

I always sing to you guys when I'm on a solo trip 😂 I agree, sometimes we need these quick little overnighters, although right now I have my sights set on something a little bigger 😉 I'm glad you enjoyed the Kerouac stuff! I'm never sure how those tangents will be received, haha. Thanks for watching as always, brother!

@@beyondthecampfire your 2nd sentence... TWSS!!!!

I thought you might like that 😉​@@Smokeybeesnatural

@@beyondthecampfire also what she said 🤣

Thank you!

Yes, it's challenging. A lot of the time I was too tired to shoot video during the uphill sections, haha. It's hard to quantify these things, but I'd say it's an 8/10 on my personal difficulty scale. Lots of elevation, lots of rocks, and water sources can be a bit scarce.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad I could help you relive your trip. The Sods is a special place. I'll keep an eye out for your video!

I always enjoy a comment on an older video, especially from a fellow appreciator of "bad" weather! Your Christmas trips sound like they are worth cherishing for a lifetime. I would have loved to see the Sods back then. I appreciate you taking the time watch and to share your thoughts. Take care!

Thank you!

I apologize for how convoluted this is going to be, but here goes: DAY 1 Parked at Grindstone Campground. There's a backpacking lot there. Took the Mt. Rogers Trail, going left at the intersection and crossing the road I came in on. On the other side of the road, followed the Fairwood Valley Trail until it intersected the Lewis Fork Trail and crossed the road again. Used the Lewis Fork and Cliffside trails to climb the mountain. Eventually, at the top, reached the Crest Trail and the spine of the mountains. Made camp there. There is a signposted spring nearby. It's the one I'm walking toward at 10:15 in the video. DAY 2 Followed the Crest Trail east to the Scales (there are vault toilets here). From the Scales, took the Appalachian Trail south through the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness. This is a very wet area, and it's where I loaded up on water for the rest of the day. The AT eventually curves to the west and meets up with a mess of trails inside Grayson Highlands State Park. From there, I took either the AT or the Horse Trail north. There's a gate where you exit Grayson Highlands, and I camped somewhere nearby. DAY 3: Continued north using the AT and the Wilburn Ridge Trail. The Wilburn Ridge Trail is the one that takes you OVER the awesome rock formations. The AT goes AROUND them. Reached the AT/Crest Trail again once I finished the climb. There is a well-marked spring south of the AT/Crest Trail. I filled up here for the rest of the day. Took the AT west, past the very popular Thomas Knob shelter (which also has a spring and a privy). There's a spur trail to the summit of Mt. Rogers shortly beyond the shelter. I didn't take it on this trip, but it's a short climb to the summit of the highest peak in the state. There's no view from the top, though. Continued west on the AT until I came out in that huge bald. Camped there. Beware that it's in a gap and could be very windy and/or damp. DAY 4: Returned to the AT. Took it W/NW until it met the Mt. Rogers Trail. Turned right/N on the Mt. Rogers Trail and followed it down the mountain and back to the Grindstone Campground. And that's it! I regret not including a map sequence in the video. That would have made this a little easier, haha. Just know that water sources, good campsites, ponies, and shortcuts are all plentiful. It's a great place for backpacking.

Thank you Ken! I appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad you're enjoying the channel. I'm going to check out yours as well. As to your questions: Yes, bear canisters are required for camping in the backcountry on the Art Loeb (although we didn't see any bears or bear sign, sadly!). I use a BearVault 450, and have packed up to 5 days' worth of food in it. It can be a tight squeeze. Sometimes I've had to repackage food, or leave the first day's food out of the canister, since I'll be eating it before it needs to be stored anyway.

@@beyondthecampfire Thank you for taking the time to reply! You might find this somewhat funny, but I am restoring my old external frame pack (Jansport D3 4400 cu inch). I can see myself strapping the 450 to the top of my pack and strolling down the trail. Once the "restoration" is complete, I plan to load it up and see how it feels. I currently have an Osprey AG 70.

The market is very close to the road crossing, from what I understand. We decided to skip it for some reason, but we were told that it was no more than half a mile from where the trail crosses County Line(?) Road. If I was doing the trail again, I'd definitely check it out.

The trails vary in difficulty quite a bit. If you begin at Grayson Highlands State Park, I'd say the trails are easy to moderate. It's a relatively short hike from the state park up to the ridgeline and the nice views. If you start at the Grindstone campground (where I started in this video), the hike up to the ridge is fairly difficult. I'd recommend the state park.

Hocking Hills definitely has a special place in Miller Family Lore. I always think of you and Dad when I'm there. I still vaguely remember one of the trips we took there when I was a kid. I think we stayed at a KOA. This trip was probably the most relaxed I've ever been in my life. I still think about it all the time. Maybe I need to watch the video again...

@beyondthecampfire Yes we did stay at a KOA not mine nor dad's choice but we at least got a site in wilderness area. So, do you remember sitting down on the curb in the parking lot with shorts on when red ants started biting you and by the time I got to you you were half covered with them! I had to strip you down and dad poured water all over your backside and legs. That's why you always prepare for hikes through the outdoors. Had ointment to put on you too!!!

Thanks! It is a great trail. I'd love to do that Black Balsam section again, at least.

Thank you! That section around Black Balsam (where we were above the clouds) might be the most gorgeous section of trail I've seen east of the Mississippi.

I'll never get tired of sharing them ❤ Thanks for screening with me. I'm really happy with this trip and the footage, although I wish I could have captured the craziness of that first night. Although I suppose you can see it in our thousand-yard stares at lunch on day 2 😂 We earned those views!

Any time! This was a tough trail, but the colors and scenery more than made up for it. I think we hit it at the perfect time.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

If I remember correctly, the canister wouldn't fit inside his backpack, and he didn't want to be too top-heavy. So he carried the canister empty on the outside of his pack and filled it with his food at night. But maybe he'll chime in with a better answer, haha.

Thanks, brother! Haha, we had a long drought between the last video and this one 😉 I'm glad the lack of narration worked for you. I was a little worried at first too, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. This might be my favorite blooper reel. There were a couple borderline OnlyFans ones in there 🤣 I was thinking the same thing about the Scooby Doo line! I can't wait to get out there again. The Tribe needs to be reunited.

Thank you for watching!

Thanks Mom! It's almost tadpole season, so maybe you'll be seeing some soon. And yes, we had a good coyote song that night!