Sleeping Out Under the Stars and Stripes

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SLEEPING OUT UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES Struan Little n the scant time I've been in the chipmunk. Animals are plentiful. The you can bet that the average hiker isn't mighty US, Ihavel become an expert deer are virtually tame. We had the going too far. on the wild areas of the Eastern United experience of a small herd wandering States. This is not because I have be- into our campsite and snuffling around THE AUTHORITIES come a fanatic. It is because I have got our packs. So we fed them apples and I think I blew it a little the first time I out of my car. Sure, it's a scary world bran muffins. looked shocked when at Park Headquaroutsideyoura rair-bagandrontdschbnakes. ters I was told I needed a camping perbutI Ivealwaysbeenanadventurer. And In West Virginia, you can lose the trail mit. I protested. "Why should I have a so, unlike 99% of all Americans, I can becausethebeaversgnaw down thetrees permit - no-one goes camping", I said. tell you a little about hiking in with the markers on them. Beavers do: a Anyway, I got my permit. We set offinto Shenandoah National Park and the wil- wonderfuljob. Nextt to man, theyarethe theback woodsandf fari from the madding derness areas of West Virginia. most environmentally destructive ani- car park found an idyllic spot to camp. mals on earth. They cani flatten a forest, Next morning, I was a little surprised to THE LANDSCAPE dam rivers, and permanently change see a figure crossing the stream and Well, it sure isn'tFiordland but thisarea forested gullies into grassy plains. So wandering into our camp. Friendly, has its own particular charm. The roll- far, I'veonly seen their work and homes. these Americans. Until I got asked for ing forested hills reek of history. You I'd like to meet one face to snout. We my camping permit! A Ranger in the can walk old trails and see the original share: a lot oft the same values. Onlythey middle of nowhere early in the morning. log houses of the "mountaineers" who can't use a chainsaw (yet). He told me that my camp wasn't bad for ekedaj precarious andi isolated living off an amateur. He also told us that it was the land. And a hundred yards outside One ofthe advantages of getting intothe sad thatj people fed the deer because they the park boundaries you can meet their real back country is to see bears. I've got so1 tamethat peoplecamedeer poachdescendants who don't appear to have seen them. I knew they were there ing with baseball bats. I used my foot to benefited much from exposure to mod- because I had to put our Chevy into a rake leaves over the apples and bran ernculture(such: asthe dinner plate). As rapid handbraketurn toavoidathronge of muffins. And then he left, searching for you stroll through fantastic groves of tourists with loosely slung Nikons blaz- that elusive illegal camper. oaks and hemlocks with a panoply of inga away atl bears ina tree. Thesearethe wild colours from crimsons to golds to a only bears Il have seen right next to the THE FUTURE host ofg greens,you canreflectthaty you're road. Istrongly suspect they are enticed All in all, Appalachian hiking is a very standing on the spot that Stonewall there by the Virginia Transportation pleasant experience. But now it looks Jackson used as a short-cut to rush his Department. likelv will need to move further afield to troops to the rescue of Robert E Lee meet thec cast of"Deliverance". Georgia during the Civil War. It's hard to imag- THE HIKERS here I come. So, Happy Trails! ine the Confederate Army grovelling Therei is onevery rare around in the swamps of the Hollyford. species. This is the Hiker Domesticus. h But most important: it doesn't rain. Or Outside of the car atl least when it does,youl know a week in parks and the roadadvance sO you can change your plans. side viewpoints, this Wandering around through the forest species rapidly diswith dashing brooks, graded trails, and appears. Iwondered sunshine filtering its way through the why until I met partrees may not be that wild, but for enjoy- ties ofthem camping ment it beats the pants off the average for the night. The day in a certain mountain range not too basic hiking tent is Chainsaw far from Wellington. And when you are something that was Manual walking you are always close to a shop, last: seeni inl New Zeashould you suddenly wish to weightyour land in the pack with a few souvenirs. Better to Queenstown Motor ssl carry: souvenirs, Isay, than therocksthat Camp. It weighs have mysteriously appeared in my pack about a hundred from time to time. pounds (but has lovely windows) and THE WILDLIFE is too large to fit in- Ofcourseyouncedtobecarefule out here. side a pack. Add to You could be run down by a herd of that several gallons rampaging squirrels. Or savaged by a of water or Coke and