每年秋天进山赏秋叶是我们的传统项目，北卡的秋色资源很多，无论是Blue Ridge Parkway，大烟山，还是山里的小城镇都是赏秋的好去处。很不幸今年的Hurricane Helene给北卡西部造成巨大的破坏，很多路段、公园都已关闭，预计得花很长时间进行维修。西边没法去，于是我们转战邻省维州的Shenandoah国家公园。想想有点惭愧，我们去过美西诸多国家公园，却从来没去过相隔仅四小时之远的Shenandoah。John Denver在他的乡村之路歌里唱到：
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
因此对Shenandoah还是比较向往的。有名的Old Rag Mountain trail是我们此行的重头戏。国家公园规定每年的3月1日到11月30日，每天仅允许800人进入步道，2月17日发放400张票，5天前的10点则会发放剩余的400张票，一般情况下这些票都会在开放的几分钟内抢光的。光听听这个就足够吊起人胃口，我们两家朋友幸运地买到上周末的票，于是向维州进发！
Old Rag Mtn的秋色稍微有点过了，很多树叶子都掉光，但是在这秋高气爽的完美天气走在满地落叶的步道上，心情格外舒畅。山，永远都比海要更吸引我。
Old Rag 步道全长9.4英里，大概需要5~6小时完成。前1/4的步道不难，跟普通山路无异。然而从这里开始以后的1~2英里是几乎没有路的石头阵地。很多地段仅容一人通过，大家排队在这里等候：
Old Rag最为独特的便是这段没有现成山路的石阵，手脚并用，贴地匍匐，跳跃式，撑杆式，狗爬式，下蹲式，各式招数且都用上，这个时候是用的臂力、腿劲、核心、平衡，颇是考验人。
Old Rag山顶海拔3,284 英尺，这个步道的爬升为1,600 英尺（约一千米）。海拔不高，但是這樣的石阵在我们所走过的步道中还是比较独特的。
上山过程中没有看到多少红叶，倒是在下山的后半段有这样斑斓绚丽的红叶聊以慰籍。红叶虽然不多，但接下来的半英里地的挺拔之树上的黄叶高远，纯净，透亮，好让人喜欢！
看看时间走的路程似乎差不多了，也看到这个国家公园的牌子，但是怎么这条路怎么这么安静，除了我们四人，再无他人？开始还开心地玩笑说这是我们的专场，但毕竟有些不安：刚才在我们身后的那一大堆人难道都如此之慢，还没跟上来？
等我们走到一个可以肯定不是我们出发的trailhead的时候，正好在旁边的石桥有一个穿著鲜亮黄色衣服身材匀称五六十岁的山地自行车手, 便向他打听起来。他一听就说：你们下到了山的另外一边。这里离你们的trailhead直线距离不远，但是没有公路直接到达，需要向南绕过Old Rag山经过两三个小村庄才能到达十五多英里之外的山对面。我们一听目瞪口呆！
这位自行车手说他可以开车送我们去山那边。他笑著说：Otherwise，it would take take forever for you guys to get there. 他叫我们继续沿著这条路向前走，他马上骑车回家然后开车过来接我们。
于是我们沿著Weakley Hollow Rd向前走。路上碰上了一对遛狗的老年夫妇于是攀谈起来，问起我们从哪儿来，聼我们说Chapel Hill，那位太太很兴奋地说她就是UNC-Chapel Hill毕业的，不过那是七十年代很久以前的事儿了。。听说我们走错路的adventure，先生说我们不是唯一走错路的哈，见过很多的。尽管这对好心的夫妇也说可以带我们去山那边，我们解释可能最好等前面那位先生，要不然他要一直找我们怎么办。
正说著话呢，那位自行车手开著红色的皮卡来了。跟遛狗的夫妇告别我们就这样坐上了皮卡，跟这位先生聊了起来。原来他叫Tony，自己跟家人常驻马里兰，在这个地方有个度假农场，经常周末过来享受宁静的乡村生活。聊起我们所作的工作，他说自己年轻的时候学的是Art History，尽管现在做的事业跟本科专业毫无关系，但Art History还是让他有著不一般的审美意识和商业独创性。儅听说我们来自北卡Chapel Hill，Tony说他是Duke毕业的。Duke！我们惊呼，告诉他我们的女儿在Duke读书。气氛越来越活跃话题越来越有意思，Tony说他在Duke还有很多朋友也经常会学校，况且接下来的周一（11/2）他就来Durham看Duke vs UMaine的篮球赛，他的一位好朋友曾经是Cooper Flagg的体能教练因此两人约好一起来看Flagg的比赛。而今年十七岁的Duke大一新生Cooper Flagg正是大学联盟炙手可热的选手。
Tony很有礼貌地问我们来自哪里，我们说是中国以后，他又问中国哪个地方。我们说了江苏湖南Tony似乎并不陌生；然后他说：oh还有一个城市叫什么来著，在中国的中部。朋友因为来自四川，于是笑著说：成都？结果Tony连声说：对了对了，就是成都！原来Tony的公司跟中国有很多商业往来，他去过中国不少地方，对中国人甚是友好。世界这个地球村很大也很小，我们很多人总能在不同的场合遇上跟我们或许有些关联的人，这些联系使得人跟人的关系变得更加有意思。
Tony开车送我们回Old Rag Mtn Trailhead 的路上有一段很长的弯弯曲曲的山路，此时已经是下午五点，我们无法想象，如果没有Tony的帮忙，我们四人该如何回到遥远的山那边！到了停车场以后，我们要给Tony付车费，Tony拒收。他说，你们就当是Pay it forward, 以后去帮助其他人吧。
内心里充满了温暖，感恩，感动，我们跟Tony合影告别。
这一天在Old Rag Mtn的徒步有完美的天气，绚丽的秋色，独特的山石美景，真是一个完美的经历。然而比自然美景更让人心动更令人久久回味的是我们这一天遇上的人们，不管是那对主动提出送我们的遛狗夫妇还是骑自行车回家接我们送至山那边的Tony，他们身上的那种善良与温和，与人交谈的自然和淳朴，所体现的人性之善良和温暖，那种不求任何回报而只是纯粹地帮助他人的善心良意，深深地打动我们。。。
回来以后一查地图我明白了，我们就是在下图中蓝色和红色交界的地方走错了路。谁能想到这一错转竟然南辕北辙！
第二天进了Shenandoah 国家公园，沿著Skyline Drive走走停停，根据Ranger的建议，走了几条普遍受欢迎的步道。如果要把Shenandoah NP和Smoky NP，以及Skyline Drive和Blue Ridge Parkway 作一比较，那我认为Smoky NP/Blue Ridge Parkway还是轻易胜出：北卡大烟山和蓝脊公路沿途经典步道更多，瀑布多水量大，有美丽的湖泊，有曲线优美的Linn Cove Viaduct，有层峦叠障仙气飘渺的蓝脊山脉，还有壮美的Grandfather Mountain以及总体难度比Old Rag更难的Grandfather Mountain Trail，一路上的城镇从Ashville，Boone，Blowing Rock，Banner Elk等等各具风情值得一看。
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.
谢谢！
