Adding another comment...your childhood sounds similar to mine...we would leave the house after watching cartoons and eating breakfast and play in the woods all day! I grew up in the Appalachian mountains...not near the AT but we had plenty of mtns to play in...great memories and your share helped bring back those great times! Thanks Laura!
What a beautiful trail! I am so happy to see you out testing your legs. If they were aliens up there, there was no one more I'd rather than meet than you as an introduction to what is good in humanity! You'd be the perfect ambassador with the best sense of humor!❤
Ponies, plants and Peaks oh my! Great video! Love the story of your childhood Saturdays and how you're still in the woods exploring on a Saturday. You made my day!
Loved seeing you this morning…such an inspiration to so many of us! Growing up running barefoot in the woods is one of my fondest memories.💕 You’re going places! Great video
Im from NC about a hour from Asheville, an my sister, cousins and I did the same, weekends we stayed in the woods all day back in the 70’s. To this day I love hiking and being in the woods. It’s my happy place it gives me a peace that’s hard to explain. Happy to see that you’re back out there hiking and feeling better.
I heard ya up here in Maine Laura, the lobstahs on ice! 😂 Congrats on passing 100 miles! 👏 I had the same childhood in Maine. Wild horses couldn't drag me out of the woods at dinner time. I had a Welcome Back Kotter lunchbox. Thanks for the hike! ✌️
Sorry for my run on sentences but Laura at that 8:40 mark when you told your story, I know you resonated with so many of us, including me, it touched my heart to have someone express some of the same feelings I have when out and about in nature, we have many miles on our feet and lots of fireside stories to unfold, true nostalgia came thru, no matter what your journey holds hope to keep seeing your posts as you truly have the gift of connecting with your audience, bless you, and thank you for the beauty of the trail and your wisdom.
I played in the woods in NE PA as a kid- my parents had a small house, I loved it. FF the same amount of time as you…I have already bought my own small house in the woods and I get to be here full time w my dog. Life is good.❤️😎🥾🥾🐾🐾⛺️
I had the same childhood as you!! In the ‘70’s, playing in the woods, building forts! So happy to see you healing and doing awesome! Your videos are so entertaining and funny!!! Can’t wait to see more🤗
You saved me a lot of time. I was headed out there this weekend. I'll push that back a month so the leaves are out. I figured there would be more out now, but your video let me see the reality.
Good morning. Great to see you hiking. I used to love exploring in the woods. Always had to pick up a stick for walking. Have a great day thanks always for sharing
Thanks so much for all your insight during your journey. I am a female solo hiker and completed Georgia. Every time I looked back feeling defeated I thought of your statement. “I was back there” you motivated me to keep moving and hike my own hike and pace. Thx for being real about hiking 😊 keep on moving 👏
my how i needed your words tonight. i too have more years behind me than ahead of me, and i got some not-so-great joint news. i needed a reminder of how lucky i am to just be out in the woods. even if i can’t do the miles or the elevation gain that u want to on any given day. you are a blessing to me! thank you for sharing your journey and your words of gratitude, encouragement, and love.
i really enjoy your prospective of the trails. Seems like a lot of people are just barrelling through and you seem like you're taking your time and appreciating what is there. I like that.
Loved your childhood story! We lived a new neighborhood filled with kids and surrounded by woods. We were in those woods all.the.time. Played in the creek. Swung from a grapevine across a small ravine. Built a fort. Made Sassafras tea. A wholesome and fun childhood that inspired my love of nature (as did my dad!).
Enjoyed your video. We camped in a National Forest between Damascus and Grayson Highlands in April a few years ago. Enjoyed some nice hikes in Grayson Highlands and saw the ponies. Thanks for sharing. We would love to connect with you when you get to Maine and help in any way we can.
I enjoyed reviewing your gear list in the description. Even though you didn’t highlight any of these items in this video it was very interesting and useful to know what gear you are set up to use under different conditions. The Colonel
Before the Grayson Highlands became a state park in 1965, the mountains were covered in farmland grazed by cattle and a few ponies In 1974, Bill Pugh and another pony owner brought 20 ponies to the park to maintain the grassy balds that were no longer being grazed🐎
So glad to see you back out there! I met someone during my backpacking trip this past week who was a negative Nellie about you being able to keep on doing the AT...I told her I am one of your many cheerleaders! HYOH!
I was planning on doing that loop back in September but thunderstorms in the forecast delayed the trip, and never rescheduled. Hope to get out there this year. We used to go camping at Hungry Mother when I was a kid!
Welcome back to the AT. Looks like you are moving right along. Didn’t lose those trail legs. Missed your upbeat and humorous explanations of trail experiences.
Good morning 😊. Welcome back to trail! You look great and did real well today! We picked blackberries as kids also! 😊. Thanks for the memories! ❤️ Love that area in Virginia! Take care & hike on!! 🙏🏕️🧗♀️🥾👍
That was my childhood too, but now, at 46, I’m so tired of hearing family heaping fear-mongering myths of murder and torture to dissuade me from getting back into the woods. Have you had to deal with that? How do you handle it? I’m preparing a collection of actual facts and statistics to combat it but it is so frustrating to get doom and gloom instead of encouragement. Keep adventuring! Keep inspiring!❤
I think it's natural for folks to be a little concerned. I have had a great support system from both family and friends. They are very encouraging, but still concerned when I venture off by myself. I have found that the more I educate them about, and include them in my journey, the more confident they become in my abilities to stay safe out there.
Loved seeing you back on the trail S!! I will be searching this park hopefully to learn the back story of the horses. Even though the fog covered the rock formations they are beautiful.. loved the story of you exploring the woods as a child. I love 80 miles from Atlanta north east,we did the same growing up. Oh do I miss those days. You are living our dreams. Go get'em girl we are going somewhere ❤ be safe and be careful out there.
If you plan to backpack in Grayson Highlands State Park, be advised it cost $7 just to get in and $15 a night for backpackers to park. Be ready or it might upset you. (It did me. A 3 night trip cost $52.) Going in from Elk Garden or Fox Creek is free, of course.
Ha ha ha! LOL 😂🤣 Aliens! 👽 👾 definitely aliens 😂 I had a similar childhood, but in a small rural lake community north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. My lunchbox was plastic, and they would always shatter in the wintertime when it got too cold 🥶 😂 In summer, we would spend the entire day down at the lake swimming, getting water logged and sunburned. Oh, to be a kid again! I'm the same age as you.
You should try and hook up with two sister hike, she is hiking at your pace and would really life the company. Just a a thought, I believe she has just arrived at NOC in North Carolina.
The park is East of Damascus. The trail is Rated Strenuous !!! Ponies were brought into the area to keep grassland down l think 50 yrs ago. They have a Festival each Fall and Some Ponies are Auction Off to keep the population down.Also brought in Longhorn Sterrs several years ago. In 2022 Grayson Highlands was voted the # 1. Day Hike in America by BackPackers Magazine. 9 Lives 🐾 Appalachian Adventure Guides.
Love the Lunchbox Backstory, Laura. I was doing the same up here in Wisconsin. I not exactly sure what my lunchbox theme was. Scooby Doo comes to mind though. 🥪🏕🌄
I agree Saturday's for me were very similar as a child!! Loved this section also and weather was similar the day I went. Really enjoyed it!!
I sure enjoy youtube-ing along with you to places I've never been. ♡
Thank you for following my adventures! 🥾♥️
Adding another comment...your childhood sounds similar to mine...we would leave the house after watching cartoons and eating breakfast and play in the woods all day! I grew up in the Appalachian mountains...not near the AT but we had plenty of mtns to play in...great memories and your share helped bring back those great times! Thanks Laura!
Spent all my free time in the woods as a kid in the late 70’s-80’s! Such fun memories. Sounds like you had a great childhood. Loved Scooby Doo😊
What a beautiful trail! I am so happy to see you out testing your legs. If they were aliens up there, there was no one more I'd rather than meet than you as an introduction to what is good in humanity! You'd be the perfect ambassador with the best sense of humor!❤
Ponies, plants and Peaks oh my! Great video! Love the story of your childhood Saturdays and how you're still in the woods exploring on a Saturday. You made my day!
Loved seeing you this morning…such an inspiration to so many of us! Growing up running barefoot in the woods is one of my fondest memories.💕 You’re going places! Great video
So glad to see you back on the trail. Love Grayson Highlands and the ponies. Enjoy southern Virginia Peaks!
Im from NC about a hour from Asheville, an my sister, cousins and I did the same, weekends we stayed in the woods all day back in the 70’s. To this day I love hiking and being in the woods. It’s my happy place it gives me a peace that’s hard to explain. Happy to see that you’re back out there hiking and feeling better.
I heard ya up here in Maine Laura, the lobstahs on ice! 😂 Congrats on passing 100 miles! 👏 I had the same childhood in Maine. Wild horses couldn't drag me out of the woods at dinner time. I had a Welcome Back Kotter lunchbox. Thanks for the hike! ✌️
🥾🦞♥️
Sorry for my run on sentences but Laura at that 8:40 mark when you told your story, I know you resonated with so many of us, including me, it touched my heart to have someone express some of the same feelings I have when out and about in nature, we have many miles on our feet and lots of fireside stories to unfold, true nostalgia came thru, no matter what your journey holds hope to keep seeing your posts as you truly have the gift of connecting with your audience, bless you, and thank you for the beauty of the trail and your wisdom.
Thank you for following along! 🥾♥️
@@peaks4pounds My pleasure❤
I played in the woods in NE PA as a kid- my parents had a small house, I loved it. FF the same amount of time as you…I have already bought my own small house in the woods and I get to be here full time w my dog. Life is good.❤️😎🥾🥾🐾🐾⛺️
"I'm in no mood to have an alien roll up on me right now", LOL! How could we NOT "stick with you"? :-)
You bring such joy to my world! Thank you for continuing to be a ray of light and positive energy! I so appreciate you!!
Thank you for your support! 🥾♥️
I had the same childhood as you!! In the ‘70’s, playing in the woods, building forts! So happy to see you healing and doing awesome! Your videos are so entertaining and funny!!! Can’t wait to see more🤗
I know it must have felt so good being back out there! Hope you've healed up well!
❤❤❤❤❤ so very glad your are back out there. Love your journey… yay!! 70 here and my favorite thing to do is play in the woods and hike… still.
Good to see you back out hiking. Grayson Highlands is 25 miles east of Damascus on rt. 58 and 15 miles west of Mouth of Wilson. ~ Mt.Goat
Great to see you back out there ! Grayson area is one of our favorites!! We go often! Happy Hiking! 🎉
So good to see you again on trail. Love your videos.
Great seeing you on trail Laura! 🥾❤️🥾
You saved me a lot of time. I was headed out there this weekend. I'll push that back a month so the leaves are out. I figured there would be more out now, but your video let me see the reality.
Nice video! I remember that area from my boy scout days. Hope you have a good hike!
Glad to see you are better. Today's trail was beautiful.
Was up there a number of years ago. Like you I got a bit lost temporarily. Ha! Beautiful place!
Good morning. Great to see you hiking. I used to love exploring in the woods. Always had to pick up a stick for walking. Have a great day thanks always for sharing
Thanks so much for all your insight during your journey. I am a female solo hiker and completed Georgia. Every time I looked back feeling defeated I thought of your statement. “I was back there” you motivated me to keep moving and hike my own hike and pace. Thx for being real about hiking 😊 keep on moving 👏
Congrats on completely Georgia! That is a huge accomplishment! 🥾♥️
Ponies were brought in, in the 70's I believe for mowing duties 😂
Beautiful ponies there. Sorry you didn't have nice views this day. Good to see you out and about. Safe travels.
So very happy to see you back at it and feeling better! I have so missed your videos!! Keep going, my friend…you are going somewhere!!!❤
Your childhood sounds like my childhood. I truly miss those days. ❤
my how i needed your words tonight. i too have more years behind me than ahead of me, and i got some not-so-great joint news. i needed a reminder of how lucky i am to just be out in the woods. even if i can’t do the miles or the elevation gain that u want to on any given day. you are a blessing to me! thank you for sharing your journey and your words of gratitude, encouragement, and love.
Thank you for following along! 🥾♥️
Yay! Glad to see you back on trail and that you are feeling better! Happy Trails! 😊
She isn't and she's not. She went back home after one little day hike.
Good Morning from Maine! Looks like a great place to hike. Good childhood memories. Hike~~On~~>
Enjoyed this hike with you. Thank you.
Keep at it, Peaks! We loved watching you get strong on the AT! :)
Thank you for following my journey! 🥾♥️
Keep up the good work, you are an encouragement to so many ❤
Glad to see you back out there. I also grew up running around in the woods as a kid in the 70s. Thanks for being a great ambassador for the AT.
i really enjoy your prospective of the trails. Seems like a lot of people are just barrelling through and you seem like you're taking your time and appreciating what is there. I like that.
Hiya sweets, haven't seen you in a while, and glad I am
Loved your childhood story! We lived a new neighborhood filled with kids and surrounded by woods. We were in those woods all.the.time. Played in the creek. Swung from a grapevine across a small ravine. Built a fort. Made Sassafras tea. A wholesome and fun childhood that inspired my love of nature (as did my dad!).
Enjoyed your video. We camped in a National Forest between Damascus and Grayson Highlands in April a few years ago. Enjoyed some nice hikes in Grayson Highlands and saw the ponies. Thanks for sharing. We would love to connect with you when you get to Maine and help in any way we can.
So happy to see you back on trail.
I stopped at Hungry Mother State Park years ago. It was one of those places with a name you knew you had to learn the story behind.
Your a inspiration keep trucking girl😊
I enjoyed reviewing your gear list in the description. Even though you didn’t highlight any of these items in this video it was very interesting and useful to know what gear you are set up to use under different conditions. The Colonel
I hiked from highland park to Mt Roger a few years ago. Saw a lot of the wild horses. 😊
Your doing a great job...I love your determination and drive..hike on..
I’ve been there once. A magical place!!
Awesome video. This is exactly what we are doing in may. Just the longer 21.5 mile loop. Hope the camping spots are easy to find. Happy hiking
Looks like a beautiful trail!
Bright Full Moon Blessings! 💛💛💛
Always, always love your videos!!!!
Before the Grayson Highlands became a state park in 1965, the mountains were covered in farmland grazed by cattle and a few ponies In 1974, Bill Pugh and another pony owner brought 20 ponies to the park to maintain the grassy balds that were no longer being grazed🐎
Thank you!
So glad to see you back out there! I met someone during my backpacking trip this past week who was a negative Nellie about you being able to keep on doing the AT...I told her I am one of your many cheerleaders! HYOH!
I was planning on doing that loop back in September but thunderstorms in the forecast delayed the trip, and never rescheduled. Hope to get out there this year. We used to go camping at Hungry Mother when I was a kid!
It is a beautiful area!
Are you flip flopping?! You got this!!
Thank you
Welcome back to the AT. Looks like you are moving right along. Didn’t lose those trail legs. Missed your upbeat and humorous explanations of trail experiences.
Good morning 😊. Welcome back to trail! You look great and did real well today! We picked blackberries as kids also! 😊. Thanks for the memories! ❤️ Love that area in Virginia! Take care & hike on!! 🙏🏕️🧗♀️🥾👍
Glad you are able to get out on the trail, you got this,
That was my childhood too, but now, at 46, I’m so tired of hearing family heaping fear-mongering myths of murder and torture to dissuade me from getting back into the woods. Have you had to deal with that? How do you handle it? I’m preparing a collection of actual facts and statistics to combat it but it is so frustrating to get doom and gloom instead of encouragement. Keep adventuring! Keep inspiring!❤
I get that anytime I let someone know what Im doing hiking the A.T. These people have no clue.
I think it's natural for folks to be a little concerned. I have had a great support system from both family and friends. They are very encouraging, but still concerned when I venture off by myself. I have found that the more I educate them about, and include them in my journey, the more confident they become in my abilities to stay safe out there.
Same childhood. Same woods story. I grew up in East Point 1950s.
Loved seeing you back on the trail
S!! I will be searching this park hopefully to learn the back story of the horses. Even though the fog covered the rock formations they are beautiful.. loved the story of you exploring the woods as a child. I love 80 miles from Atlanta north east,we did the same growing up. Oh do I miss those days. You are living our dreams. Go get'em girl we are going somewhere ❤ be safe and be careful out there.
Love all your videos! Can you do one on hiking apps? I find them confusing. Glad your going back out. Praying for you.
That's a great idea!
Glad to see you out again. Keep at it. You’ll get you trail legs back.
So happy to see you hiking again!
Hope your schedule permits to take us along to trail days. This vlog is my inspiration to get out & hike in a nearby state park - Sleepy Hollow in MI.
I will be at Trail Days! And that is a great state park. I lived in Michigan for years. Happy trails! 🥾♥️
If you plan to backpack in Grayson Highlands State Park, be advised it cost $7 just to get in and $15 a night for backpackers to park. Be ready or it might upset you. (It did me. A 3 night trip cost $52.) Going in from Elk Garden or Fox Creek is free, of course.
Glad you are feeling better. Great video!
Good to see you back out.
So good to see you hiking! Are you planning on getting back on AT when you recover?
Absolutely!
good to see you out there again
Pony’s were brought up there in 1974. To grazed what used to be grazed by cows when it was farmland
Thank you!
great job, great information. thanks for sharing.
They were put there in the 70s to help keep things controlled
Ha ha ha! LOL 😂🤣 Aliens! 👽 👾 definitely aliens 😂
I had a similar childhood, but in a small rural lake community north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. My lunchbox was plastic, and they would always shatter in the wintertime when it got too cold 🥶 😂 In summer, we would spend the entire day down at the lake swimming, getting water logged and sunburned. Oh, to be a kid again! I'm the same age as you.
What memories!
You should try and hook up with two sister hike, she is hiking at your pace and would really life the company. Just a a thought, I believe she has just arrived at NOC in North Carolina.
*Love, not life your company
I'd like to see it when the rhodies are in bloom. Is it near your home?
No, it's about 400 miles north. They should start blooming in a week or two.
Look at you go! I am very proud of you. When you get to NH, I want to take you to dinner.
I look forward to NH! 🥾♥️
Awesome video ❤️
The park is East of Damascus. The trail is Rated Strenuous !!! Ponies were brought into the area to keep grassland down l think 50 yrs ago. They have a Festival each Fall and Some Ponies are Auction Off to keep the population down.Also brought in Longhorn Sterrs several years ago. In 2022 Grayson Highlands was voted the # 1. Day Hike in America by BackPackers Magazine. 9 Lives 🐾 Appalachian Adventure Guides.
Great video l will buy you a lobster dinner when you get to maine
Can't wait! 🦞
Going south, the AT connects with the VA Creeper Trail. I highly recommend taking that into Damascus.
Thanks for the tip!
Ever been nervous on a hike running into bears or bigfoot
Not yet. But I am suspicious of both. 😂
Wondering if you're still working on a thru hike?
I am hiking in sections. Thank you for following my journey! 🥾♥️
You’re a trooper. Well done. Keep fighting forward. ☮️
Love the Lunchbox Backstory, Laura. I was doing the same up here in Wisconsin. I not exactly sure what my lunchbox theme was.
Scooby Doo comes to mind though. 🥪🏕🌄