The push to the top of Buck Ridge is a grunt, especially after several hours in the car--exactly what I was hoping for. I still hear trucks rumbling down Highway 211 behind me, and in certain places, I see it and the park's famously scenic Skyline Drive cut through the forest. The surrounding hills are a soft brown with leafless trees, but the open plains to the east are already green with spring. My feet crash through oak leaves and crunch on acorn bits. The trail is excellently maintained, free of fallen trees or even protruding twigs, and obvious to follow. Lunch is, of course, peanut butter and jelly.