A Hike to Sharp Top

I had the BEST day today. Me and some buddies climbed Sharp Top Mountain. 

The foliage on the drive there was magnificent. 

Eventually, Sharp Top came into view., 

Sharp Top (on the left ) and Flat Top (on the right) are together known as the Peaks of Otter. 

When kids are asked to draw a "mountain," they often draw something resembling Sharp Top. It's the quintessential peak. 

After a 3-hour drive I arrived at the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center and took this photo. 

After that I drove to the trailhead and chillaxed until my friends arrived. 

Both of them teach Greek at Liberty University so we have a lot in common! 

Arriving at the summit, it was time for the perfunctory summit picture. 

This view shows Abbott Lake and neighboring Flat Top Mountain. 

Rather than taking the shuttle back to the parking lot, I decided I'd run the descent on the access road. 

Don't punch me in the face because you're jealous. Again and again, I kept thinking just how in my element I was running down the trail, sometimes feeling like my lungs would explode, sometimes taking in the deliriously gorgeous views. 

Sharp Top may not be the most challenging peak on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but you'll be happy you climbed it. I love it when people try new things. Most people who live here have never climbed ANY of the peaks in the Appalachian Mountains. What a shame.

Thanks to Ben and Thomas for hiking the trail with me today. It was awesome seeing you guys again.