I leave for Morocco in 1 month, which means it’s time to amp up the cardio training to get ready to hike Mt. Toubkal. It’s fall and the leaves are beginning to change, so Jen and I hit the road early to beat the crowds to the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah’s. Driving further into the country the sprinkling rain turned into more of a downpour, until by the time we pulled up into the parking lot the sky was dark and the rain was so heavy that we were shocked to see cars there at all. Who else could possibly be this crazy?
We heeded Park Ranger’s warnings and avoided the slippery and blustery Old Rag trail and struck for the forested shelter of the Fire and Berry Trails. There were a lot more streams than I remember seeing before, with parts of the trail completely under running water. We hiked eight miles in all, entirely in the rain. It gave us a good chance to test our gear for Toubkal, although I don’t think it rains much in the High Atlas.
Speaking of gear – my Hot Chili tights were soaked, but I stayed warm and dry, and my Mountain Hardware Gear rain jacket with the taped seems and pit zips kept the water beading on the outside and me dry and aerated on the inside.