The start of the Overland Bound TransAmerica Trail (TAT) group met up in Ripley, WV on Sat, June 12. A variety of people, vehicles and capabilities were introduced to each other. Before we set off a briefing was held by our Team Leader (Tango Lima). Each vehicle has a radio for communication, coordination and most importantly safety. Everyone was assigned an operating call sign (Vehicle number). We also had Leader, Scout, and Tail Gunner as rotating roles for the day. We set off in search of adventure and fun. Everyone had their own reason for running the TAT.
Day one and two was easy driving and we arrived at the end of day Two into the Seneca State Forest in WV for a beautiful campsite. Yet, clouds were building…literally and figuratively. About 90 min after arriving it began to rain. And rain…it did. Just 30 min later…the trickling stream became a raging river with flash flooding in the campsite…prompting an emergency bug out to the Ranger Station. Everyone was safe, the rain slowed and a few of us opted to remain overnight on the pavement as the waters were slow to recede.
Days Three, Four, and Five brought us through West Virginia into Virginia, and onward. We had a couple of vehicles depart and picked up a couple of new ones as people participated as much or as long as they could until returning to other obligations. We ended days Five and Six finishing our passage through Damascus, Virginia where we stayed at the Creeper Trail Campground at the top of a beautiful vista. The campsite is named after the popular bicycle trail…Virginia Creeper Trail…which I must come back to check out in the future. We pushed forward on into North Carolina and called it an early day on Day Six at 12 noon, and spent the day in the scenic, yet tourist laden town of Blowing Rock. We all went our own ways to take care of resupply, laundry and rest up…many miles ahead, as we have about 650 miles complete so far. As we prepare to roll out in a southwestern direction, a tropical storm is about to hit the Gulf Coast…and perhaps we will intersect with the remains over the next 2-3 days. We shall see…until then, we’re overland bound.
