每年秋天進山賞秋葉是我們的傳統項目，北卡的秋色資源很多，無論是Blue Ridge Parkway，大煙山，還是山裏的小城鎮都是賞秋的好去處。很不幸今年的Hurricane Helene給北卡西部造成巨大的破壞，很多路段、公園都已關閉，預計得花很長時間進行維修。西邊沒法去，於是我們轉戰鄰省維州的Shenandoah國家公園。想想有點慚愧，我們去過美西諸多國家公園，卻從來沒去過相隔僅四小時之遠的Shenandoah。John Denver在他的鄉村之路歌裏唱到：
Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
因此對Shenandoah還是比較向往的。有名的Old Rag Mountain trail是我們此行的重頭戲。國家公園規定每年的3月1日到11月30日，每天僅允許800人進入步道，2月17日發放400張票，5天前的10點則會發放剩餘的400張票，一般情況下這些票都會在開放的幾分鍾內搶光的。光聽聽這個就足夠吊起人胃口，我們兩家朋友幸運地買到上周末的票，於是向維州進發！
Old Rag Mtn的秋色稍微有點過了，很多樹葉子都掉光，但是在這秋高氣爽的完美天氣走在滿地落葉的步道上，心情格外舒暢。山，永遠都比海要更吸引我。
Old Rag 步道全長9.4英裏，大概需要5~6小時完成。前1/4的步道不難，跟普通山路無異。然而從這裏開始以後的1~2英裏是幾乎沒有路的石頭陣地。很多地段僅容一人通過，大家排隊在這裏等候：
Old Rag最為獨特的便是這段沒有現成山路的石陣，手腳並用，貼地匍匐，跳躍式，撐杆式，狗爬式，下蹲式，各式招數且都用上，這個時候是用的臂力、腿勁、核心、平衡，頗是考驗人。
Old Rag山頂海拔3,284 英尺，這個步道的爬升為1,600 英尺（約一千米）。海拔不高，但是這樣的石陣在我們所走過的步道中還是比較獨特的。
上山過程中沒有看到多少紅葉，倒是在下山的後半段有這樣斑斕絢麗的紅葉聊以慰籍。紅葉雖然不多，但接下來的半英裏地的挺拔之樹上的黃葉高遠，純淨，透亮，好讓人喜歡！
看看時間走的路程似乎差不多了，也看到這個國家公園的牌子，但是怎麽這條路怎麽這麽安靜，除了我們四人，再無他人？開始還開心地玩笑說這是我們的專場，但畢竟有些不安：剛才在我們身後的那一大堆人難道都如此之慢，還沒跟上來？
等我們走到一個可以肯定不是我們出發的trailhead的時候，正好在旁邊的石橋有一個穿著鮮亮黃色衣服身材勻稱五六十歲的山地自行車手, 便向他打聽起來。他一聽就說：你們下到了山的另外一邊。這裏離你們的trailhead直線距離不遠，但是沒有公路直接到達，需要向南繞過Old Rag山經過兩三個小村莊才能到達十五多英裏之外的山對麵。我們一聽目瞪口呆！
這位自行車手說他可以開車送我們去山那邊。他笑著說：Otherwise，it would take take forever for you guys to get there. 他叫我們繼續沿著這條路向前走，他馬上騎車回家然後開車過來接我們。
於是我們沿著Weakley Hollow Rd向前走。路上碰上了一對遛狗的老年夫婦於是攀談起來，問起我們從哪兒來，聼我們說Chapel Hill，那位太太很興奮地說她就是UNC-Chapel Hill畢業的，不過那是七十年代很久以前的事兒了。。聽說我們走錯路的adventure，先生說我們不是唯一走錯路的哈，見過很多的。盡管這對好心的夫婦也說可以帶我們去山那邊，我們解釋可能最好等前麵那位先生，要不然他要一直找我們怎麽辦。
正說著話呢，那位自行車手開著紅色的皮卡來了。跟遛狗的夫婦告別我們就這樣坐上了皮卡，跟這位先生聊了起來。原來他叫Tony，自己跟家人常駐馬裏蘭，在這個地方有個度假農場，經常周末過來享受寧靜的鄉村生活。聊起我們所作的工作，他說自己年輕的時候學的是Art History，盡管現在做的事業跟本科專業毫無關係，但Art History還是讓他有著不一般的審美意識和商業獨創性。儅聽說我們來自北卡Chapel Hill，Tony說他是Duke畢業的。Duke！我們驚呼，告訴他我們的女兒在Duke讀書。氣氛越來越活躍話題越來越有意思，Tony說他在Duke還有很多朋友也經常會學校，況且接下來的周一（11/2）他就來Durham看Duke vs UMaine的籃球賽，他的一位好朋友曾經是Cooper Flagg的體能教練因此兩人約好一起來看Flagg的比賽。而今年十七歲的Duke大一新生Cooper Flagg正是大學聯盟炙手可熱的選手。
Tony很有禮貌地問我們來自哪裏，我們說是中國以後，他又問中國哪個地方。我們說了江蘇湖南Tony似乎並不陌生；然後他說：oh還有一個城市叫什麽來著，在中國的中部。朋友因為來自四川，於是笑著說：成都？結果Tony連聲說：對了對了，就是成都！原來Tony的公司跟中國有很多商業往來，他去過中國不少地方，對中國人甚是友好。世界這個地球村很大也很小，我們很多人總能在不同的場合遇上跟我們或許有些關聯的人，這些聯係使得人跟人的關係變得更加有意思。
Tony開車送我們回Old Rag Mtn Trailhead 的路上有一段很長的彎彎曲曲的山路，此時已經是下午五點，我們無法想象，如果沒有Tony的幫忙，我們四人該如何回到遙遠的山那邊！到了停車場以後，我們要給Tony付車費，Tony拒收。他說，你們就當是Pay it forward, 以後去幫助其他人吧。
內心裏充滿了溫暖，感恩，感動，我們跟Tony合影告別。
這一天在Old Rag Mtn的徒步有完美的天氣，絢麗的秋色，獨特的山石美景，真是一個完美的經曆。然而比自然美景更讓人心動更令人久久回味的是我們這一天遇上的人們，不管是那對主動提出送我們的遛狗夫婦還是騎自行車回家接我們送至山那邊的Tony，他們身上的那種善良與溫和，與人交談的自然和淳樸，所體現的人性之善良和溫暖，那種不求任何回報而隻是純粹地幫助他人的善心良意，深深地打動我們。。。
回來以後一查地圖我明白了，我們就是在下圖中藍色和紅色交界的地方走錯了路。誰能想到這一錯轉竟然南轅北轍！
第二天進了Shenandoah 國家公園，沿著Skyline Drive走走停停，根據Ranger的建議，走了幾條普遍受歡迎的步道。如果要把Shenandoah NP和Smoky NP，以及Skyline Drive和Blue Ridge Parkway 作一比較，那我認為Smoky NP/Blue Ridge Parkway還是輕易勝出：北卡大煙山和藍脊公路沿途經典步道更多，瀑布多水量大，有美麗的湖泊，有曲線優美的Linn Cove Viaduct，有層巒疊障仙氣飄渺的藍脊山脈，還有壯美的Grandfather Mountain以及總體難度比Old Rag更難的Grandfather Mountain Trail，一路上的城鎮從Ashville，Boone，Blowing Rock，Banner Elk等等各具風情值得一看。
When we reached a trailhead that was definitely not the one we had started from, we spotted a fit mountain biker in his fifties, near a stone bridge. We decided to ask him for directions. As soon as he heard us, he said, "You've got to the other side of the mountain." He explained that the trailhead we were looking for was not far on the map but there was no direct road. We would need to detour south, pass a few small villages, and go around Old Rag Mountain to reach the other side, which was over fifteen miles away. We were stunned by this revelation!
The biker said he could give us a ride over to the other side of the mountain. He chuckled and added, "Otherwise, it would take forever for you guys to get there." He suggested we continue along the road, and he would quickly ride home, get his car, and come back to pick us up.
So, we walked on along Weakley Hollow Rd. Along the way, we met an elderly couple walking their dogs, and we struck up a conversation. When they asked where we were from, we said Chapel Hill, and the lady got excited, telling us she was a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill—though it was back in the '70s. Upon hearing about our little adventure of getting lost, the husband joked that we weren't the only ones who had made a mistake; he'd seen many others do the same. Despite their kindness in offering to take us to the other side of the mountain, we explained that it was probably best to wait for the man who had offered to pick us up, since otherwise, he might be looking for us the whole time.
Just as we were chatting, the biker, Tony, arrived in a red pickup truck. After saying goodbye to the couple, we got in and started talking to him. It turns out his name was Tony, and he lived with his family in DC/Maryland, but they owned a vacation farm here. They often came on weekends to enjoy the peaceful countryside. When we talked about our work, he mentioned that he had studied Art History in college. Even though his career had nothing to do with his major, Art History had still given him a unique artisitic sense and creativity. When we mentioned we were from Chapel Hill, Tony told us he had graduated from Duke. Duke! We were surprised and told him our daughter was studying there. The conversation became even more lively and interesting. Tony said he still had many friends from Duke and visited the school often. In fact, he was planning to go to Durham the following Monday (November 2) to watch the Duke vs. UMaine basketball game because one of his good friends had been Cooper Flagg's trainer. They had arranged to watch the game together. Cooper Flagg, the 17-year-old freshman at Duke, was already a highly sought-after player in college basketball.
Tony politely asked where we were from, and when we told him China, he asked which part. When we mentioned Jiangsu and Hunan, Tony seemed familiar with those areas. Then he asked, "Oh, and there's another city, what was it called? It's in central China." Our friend, who was from Sichuan, jokingly said, "Chengdu?" Tony immediately said, "Yes, yes, Chengdu!" It turned out Tony's company had many business connections with China, and he had visited several places there. He was very friendly toward the Chinese people. It’s a small world - many times, we run into people in different settings who have some connection to us, and these connections make human relationships even more interesting.
On the drive back to Old Rag Mountain Trailhead, Tony took us along a long, winding mountain road. It was already 5 p.m., and we couldn't imagine how we would have managed without his help to get back to the other side of the mountain! When we reached the parking lot, we tried to offer Tony some money for the ride, but he refused. He said, "Just think of it as 'Pay it forward,' and help others in the future."
Our hearts were filled with warmth, gratitude, and emotion as we took a photo with Tony and said our goodbyes.
The day of hiking at Old Rag Mountain was perfect—the weather was beautiful, the fall colors were stunning, and the mountain rocks were unique. It was truly an unforgettable experience. However, what made the day even more memorable than the natural beauty was the kindness of the people we met, whether it was the elderly couple who offered to help us or Tony, who went out of his way to drive us across the mountain. Their warmth, gentleness, humanity, and natural, sincere way of interacting with others deeply touched us. Their selfless willingness to help, with no expectation of anything in return, left a lasting impression on us.
謝謝！
