Buffalo Mountain 3/24/19

We've been wanting to hike for ages, but weekends get so busy, and then there's the rain that just wouldn't go away all.  It's rained so much this year, the girls were watching ducks swim in a lake across the street!  A lake that wasn't supposed to be there...

We finally found a weekend when we had no other plans, and the weather was actually warm, so we decided we had to go hiking before the rain came back and we lost our chance.  A friend recommended Buffalo Mountain for the views, so that is where we headed.  The drive was only about an hour, and we didn't have any trouble finding the parking lot.  Knowing which trail to follow was a bit tricker, about a quarter mile in we came to an intersection of several trails and the signs weren't too clear on which one led where.  GPS signal was good though, and we were able to figure out which trail to use based on the map on our phones!  We used the GPS map at several different intersections throughout the hike to make sure we took the correct trail.

Ready to head up the trail! 

We followed the White Rock Trail Loop.  

There were several overlooks along the way. 

This one happened to be right where the power lines ran down the mountain...

There was a yellow butterfly making laps around the top of the mountain when we arrived.  It was super hard to focus on it with the zoom lens, but I tried to get some photos! 

My legs definitely let me know that I hadn't hiked in a long time!  We hiked 5.3 miles, with 1,460 ft of elevation gain.  2 weeks later the blister on my heel from all that uphill in my Chacos is still healing...I probably should have worn my hiking boots instead.  This cold rainy spring has kept me from getting my feet used to the Chacos in time for a hike!

Flint Mill Trail : 3/31/2018

The weather was looking warm and dry (finally) on Saturday so we were looking forward to this hike all week.  Coby had done it before, but it was my first time on this particular trail.  He told me it was a tough hike...he wasn't joking!  It was quite the challenge for my worn-out chacos and my tired lungs (I'm getting over a cold).  The trail seemed pretty nearly vertical for a good portion of the hike, and the mud was slick. I slid several times on the way back down but thankfully never fell.  I'll be buying new chacos in preparation for this summer's hiking!

I huffed and puffed my way to the top where we enjoyed the gorgeous view out over Holston Lake.  I took some photos, and then Coby proposed!  I said yes of course and am looking forward to spending my life adventuring with him!  It was pretty special enjoying the view from the top of Flint Mill Rock and talking about the future.  We were lucky and there was no one else around to distract from our moment.

Grandview 3/18/2018

We spent the weekend in Lewisburg to run the Celtic Knot 5k and celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the Irish Pub (after 9 years of St Patrick's days at that pub, how could I spend the 10th anywhere else?!)  The weather was really nasty (freezing rain) for the 5k, but Coby finished in 21:00 and I was about 1 second behind...I just can't outsprint him! 

The weather was gorgeous and warmish today so on our way out of town we stopped to say hi to Pony, and then we decided to stop at Grandview on the New River Gorge to check out the view.  It has been on my list of places to check out since I drive by it every time I go back and forth between Abingdon and Lewisburg, but I hadn't ever gotten around to it!  The trees are all still pretty dead looking, but the view was still pretty awesome and we enjoyed a short hike along the canyon rim before getting back in the car to finish the drive home.  I didn't have my cameras with me, but my phone camera is pretty decent.

Sugar Hollow 3/15/2018

I feel like there has not been nearly enough downtime during my spring break, but the weather hasn't been too great for hiking anyway, so I guess I'll just be glad I got outside at all!  Two mornings ago I was snowed in out in Wise County visiting friends, but yesterday afternoon the temperature climbed into the low 50s, so a friend and I walked a few miles around Sugar Hollow park to get some exercise and enjoy the sunshine. 

There's not a whole lot of green in the park yet.  Daffodils and various trees have started blooming around town since February was so warm, but the trees in the park were still dead-looking.  Some of the grass was green though! 

Steele Creek 1/27/2018

Just an easy walk along Steele Creek Park Lake on the gravel path as we had kids in tow.  The colors were mostly blah grays and browns, but I found that the photos didn't look so bad if I made them black and white and boosted the shadows just a bit.  Despite the past few days being in the 50s, there was still quite a bit of ice on the lake, which made for some cool photos!

It took some editing to get these colors to come out, so this photo isn't entirely real...

but I like it anyway. 

Little Stony : 1/20/2018

The temperature actually made it into the 50s yesterday, so it was a great day for a hike!  Lots of ice out there still since it's been in the single digits quite a bit lately, but it made for some cool photos.  I did this hike in December 2016 when it was about 20 degrees out, but there was less snow & ice that day.  It was nice to get different-looking photos this time even though it is the same season.

into the woods

the lower falls

the upper falls

I like that you can see the frozen falls behind the water coming down in this one.

With all the ice, it was really hard to find a spot to set up the tripod where we could get in a photo with the waterfall in the background.  

The one jumping photo we got wasn't great, but I like this pre-jump photo.  

My new hiking boots got put to the true test in the stream crossing on this trail, I was skeptical, but it turns out I did get my money's worth and they are indeed waterproof!  I'm very glad, because it would not have been pleasant to have wet feet on this hike!

The Channels Natural Area Preserve : 1/7/2018

I bought myself some hiking boots for Christmas and today I got to try them out!  I am happy to say that they fit perfectly with my thick wool socks and kept my feet dry and toasty warm on a cold hike through a bit of snow.

It was a cold and windy afternoon up at the Channels today, but at least the temperature wasn't in the single digits like it has been for the last week!  The hike up was a good 3 mile uphill which helped me stay warm, but once we got into the rock channels and up in the open on top, the wind was brutally cold, which resulted in me not lingering long to take photos!  It will be a great place to go back to on a warmer day though.

The hike wasn't on difficult terrain, as it was all on forest road like this.  There were only a few icy spots, but they were easy to walk around on the edge of the road.  There was a stretch that was steep enough to make my calf muscles start burning, but other than that it was an easy walk. 

I love walking through rhododendron tunnels!

I also enjoy having someone else along to take photos of me so I don't have to do so much back and forth with the tripod...

It's too bad the old fire tower is in bad disrepair and much too dangerous to climb...

The Channels rock formations.  

 Lots of different pathways through them, 

it would be easy to get lost if you don't have a good sense of direction!

Since jumping photos are now a standard part of my adventures, it stands to reason

 that anyone who hikes with me must also take part.  

I'm pretty proud of us for getting the timing perfect on the first try!