Kevins Jericho Report

Tim,
The Walls of Jericho trip didn't happen too much as we had planned.
Nicholas weaseled out Friday to spend the weekend with his mom. Even my dog was too sick to go. So I went by myself with the expectation not to spend the night - but I brought a full pack (30 pounds) incase I decided to stay over. I hiked from the Tennessee trail head. It's 4.3 miles from the Walls.
It was a pretty hike even though I couldn't see anything from the overlooks when I started because of the mist and low clouds over the mountains. I walked down about two miles with one rest stop on the way.
It was 50 degrees when I left but seemed to get warmer as I hiked down.
It was 47 when I got back up. The trail is plainly marked and well
maintained. I crossed one horse trail and two small streams. On the way down my toes were jamming against my new hiking boots on the steep trails. The trail is rated moderate and it's a fair rating. After two miles and 600 foot elevation drop I rested with my pack off. I put my pack on and had troubled getting going again (both physically and
psychologically) so I decided to hike back up rather than get any farther down. It would have been a nine mile hike and I've never done that in a day and I wasn't looking forward to spending the night by myself in the woods. I had to rest a few times going back up. It was slow going resting against trees along the way to catch my breath. I took my pack off and had a Cliff bar when most of the 600 foot drop was recovered. I could see the mountains by then because the clouds had lifted.
I saw no cars at the trail head starting out and one car in the lot when I got back about noon. I never saw any other hikers. I swung through the Alabama trail head parking lot driving home and there were about 15 cars in there at noon. It's 3 miles down to the Walls from the AL trail head and the board said to allow six hours and expect a strenuous hike.
I think it was a good hike to get me in better shape. It was only a 4 mile round trip hike in about 2 hours 45 minutes hiking but it was stepper hills than I've done before. And I feel a little defeated since I didn't make it all the way down. It was hard to stay motivated hiking by myself. I kept thinking of all I had to do at home so my mind wasn't on the hike. But after I got home I had a good Easter weekend -planted some herbs and vegetable plants with Tina and went to church on Sunday.
I'll use that 4.3 mile stretch (from TN trail head to Walls) as a measure of my fitness because I plan to do it again sometime when I'm in better shape. Although I think I could do a day hike with a lighter pack from the AL trail head with no problem if I just wanted to see the Walls (which I do).
Let me know when you are planning your next trip and I see if I can join in...