The Oasis in the Featured Photo is a large valley at the base of Chestnut Knob Shelter and is especially beautiful if you like Farm Houses, Barns, Pastures, Cattle and such.
Slipper and I are suckers for Farm Houses, and fell in love with this view.
The climb up and across the above photoed bald, is well worth the awaiting view of “GOD’S THUMB PRINT” (the official description used by locals to reference this community… with only 2 roads to service it).
Both Slipper and I agree that after our summit of Mount Katahdin, we will do a return trip to this part of Virginia (just to ride through GOD’S THUMB PRINT … and view all the Farm Houses, of course).
After our lengthy stay over looking this beautiful Valley and collaborating if we should stay there or hike on… we hiked on to Walker Gap (for some much needed water) and decide to stay right there atop the grassy knob (where we are the only Hikers to camp there).
During the night, Tripper suffers from a stomach bug… has zero energy the next morning (from the complications brought on by the stomach bug)… we endure a 5 mile morning hike to a mountainous dirt road… secure a shuttle ride to a Motel in Bland, Virginia for rest and hopefully a rejuvenating rebound from the bug.
We pray for God’s hand to touch Tripper’s intestinal difficulties and we will celebrate another location as GOD’S THUMB PRINT.
