Dogs are packed, my pack's ready, just gotta put my contacts in so we can go! 

3 Reasons why I like dogs in the Backcountry

1. They carry their own food and water, and some of my gear. "Duncan, I swear I won't make you carry 3 six-packs to camp again, OK, buddy?"

2. "Well, I was carrying/consuming the 4th six-pack, and it got kinda dark, and I know camp's around here somewhere, I'll just follow you doggies, alright?"

3. It's bedtime and Alexis is snuggled next to me keeping me warm. Duncan's head is outside the tent door keeping an eye on things for us. It's no wonder he can sleep for 2 days straight when he gets home.

Gear of the week: Duck Tape

I went to Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in VB Saturday. It's a toy store for snobbish outdoors types. I walked out with nothing, I was only visiting to check out the latest trends and fads in high tech gear. They'd do good to stock some good ol' Duck Tape . Originally, it wasn't known as "duct tape", but duck tape was developed because the WWII GI's needed a tough, pliable, waterproof tape (or so I learned on the History Channel). If I'm carrying a pack of any sort, there's a few feet of it inside. My primary use is as a moleskin replacement, and mainly when my sandal straps start tearing the skin on my achilles because I get wet sand in there and it rubs and all... I didn't have this problem so much when I was wearing the Teva's. Works fine on blisters in hiking boots too.

Getting back to the high tech gear, if you must buy some, spend you're money wisely, last year's stuff is just fine, and a lot cheaper, here.

Along Broad Bay, note Spanish Moss 

In Broad Bay 

1st Landing, view from "tower". 

First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park is an amazing place that we visited Saturday. Cypress swamp, dunes, saltwater bay, forest, lake, sandy beaches. 19 miles of trails. I've seen schools of dolphin and small shark feeding in the bay. Birds include Little Green Heron, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker. It's the farthest north location that Spanish Moss will grow.

Saturday we entered the Park on the Cape Henry side (my buddy Ken lives not far from here), we walked along the road and entered the woods at the Long Creek Trail, we took this trail to Osprey Trail, which we followed further east 'til we came to Long Creek again and then began the return trip. Initially this hike takes you past some swampy areas, then over some small hills (which I believe are actually old sand dunes - there are a couple of parallel "ridges" of hills and dunes that you will pass over) , then to a low marshy area, then to Long Creek. You walk along the creek, up and down over the sandy hills, towards Broad Bay. There is a 2 story wooden tower that overlooks marsh, the trail then turns north to go around the marsh. When you are headed east again you will pass White Lake on the left, and soon you will be going over 4 story high dunes with great views of Broad Bay. At low tide the beaches below are great places to hang out. You can go down on Osprey Trail and walk on or just above the beach, depending on the tide. Osprey will go back into the woods eventually, and you can return along the stretch of Long Creek that you bypassed earlier.

I've got a few neat stories about this place, so I'll be talking about it again.

President's Day

Cliff, the dogs, and I went to Chippokes Plantation State Park today. Chippokes is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the country. The 1700 acres were donated to the Commonwealth in hopes that it would become a park and continue to operate as a farm. It has a pre-Civil War mansion that may have escaped destruction because the owner sold his brandy to both sides. You should see the garden in the springtime! Of course, we were there for the hiking mainly.

We parked across from the forestry area, and made our way over to the James River Trail. There was one particularly noisy bull in the pasture that had Cliff and I cracking jokes and Alexis barking. When the trail first approaches the James, it takes you by an overlook over the river, I guess about 50 feet above the water. We goofed off here for a few minutes and started descending to the river, and spooked a flock of turkeys, most of whom took off on foot, but the last couple took to the air. Cliff, who has some Gobbler hunting experience (as do I, but I missed on my one golden opportunity), remarked on how big they were. Up 'til a couple of months ago, the fields were full of feed corn, and the only hunting that takes place is managed deer hunts.

We went to where Chippokes Creek empties into the James, relaxed for a few, and then turned back. We got off the River trail, and on to the horse trail - which is what they call the area where the farmland meets the woods. Since there is 10 miles of this and it just winds back and forth (mainly around wooded feeder creeks to the Chippokes), we cut across the field to the Chippokes Trail. We took the trail to the creek, and here there is a small floating dock, and canoe rentals during the season. We sat on some wooden rails and each of us enjoyed a Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale , which is like liquid pumpkin pie, with alcohol instead of crust (It was also drastically marked down at Total Wine). At this location, years ago, I caught many fish! Fresh and saltwater varieties depending on the tides. Striper, bluefish, largemouth (about a 5 pounder), catfish (which became deep fried catfish steaks), and others. Just a note on this kind of fishing, a bluefish will really mess up your favorite spinner bait, and the cats love any old cheap crankbait you have, in this stained water.

We went back to the truck and went driving until we located a public boat ramp, which is at the nearby Wildlife Management Area (and there is a sign for it on Rt. 10). We may come back, in a canoe!

So far this weekend

Did Newport News Bike Trail on bike with dogs, Saturday morning, temp in 30's, good big dog weather. I have a setup that permits me to hook up the bike to dog's harnesses, one dog each side. They go like hell when they see deer or smell horses. One time they spooked a deer trailside and the chase was on! The deer was running - actually leaping and bounding- thru the woods, and the dogs kept pace on the trail, towing me along for the ride. The deer got a little ahead and cut across, about 10 ft ahead of us, and disappeared into the woods on our left. The bike trail is 5.3 mi., and we did a quick sidetrip to Washington's Hdqtrs. in the Colonial National Historical Park in York County, here there is a stream running across the tour road.

This morning, we went to the Noland Trail, between Warwick Blvd and the James River, in Newport News. Actually we stayed off the trail most of the time and bushwhacked it around Lake Maury. The Noland is a 5 mile walking trail, through rolling terrain, and there are many bridges, overlooks, benches etc. The trail is impeccably groomed, that's part of the reason I prefer crashing thru the woods instead.

100 miler Day 2, June '94, somewhere near Loft Mtn probably. Note dorky glasses, double exposure, Skyline Drive. 

Catnap on the trail. Big Run area, fall 2000. 

Eat. Spit. Be Happy. 

Blackrock Summit, Brown Mountain, Big Run, Skyline Drive

Cliff and I did get up early and head out to Shenandoah. We stopped at Blackrock 1st, since it was early and no one else was there. At 9:30 we were standing on top of Blackrock, with a beautiful view all around, so peaceful, and Cliff's phone rang. It was someone at work calling! Good cell coverage up there, so I called my buddy Ken and talked to him for a minute.

We left Blackrock (total 1 mile trip, parking lot to summit, and back) and drove to Brown Mountain Overlook. Great views of the Shenandoah Valley, Route 340, Big Run, on Brown Mountain Trail. Of course when the trail is on the other side, there are good views of Rocky Mountain Run and the Big Run watershed.

Came down the steep, rugged section of the trail to the Big Run Portal Trail. Down here there is a steel and aluminum bridge that I paced out to be about 55 feet long. We took a break, then headed up the Portal, which is also a horse trail, we did see some riders today. At Rocky Mountain Run Trail I convinced Cliff that our hike would end too early if we went up there, so we kept on going up the Portal, and then Big Run Loop Trail, to Skyline Drive.

The sun was setting during our (about) 4 mile walk North to the Dog Ram. Of course it was awesome. It was pretty dark when we arrived at the truck. We decided to backtrack and went South on Skyline, East on 64. Stopped in Charlottesville for a damn good sandwich, got home near 11. That's what I call a full day. Cliff and I hiked 12-14 miles total (the dogs did a couple more).

The latest...

Just added some more text to last Saturday's post. Cliff and I heading to Shenandoah at 5:30 AM tomorrow.

Cold Harbor, Beaver Dam, Drewry's Bluff

Last week, hiking buddy Steve and I were talking about Cold Harbor, it's a little nice battlefield site off 295. Been a decade or so since I was there last. I recommend checking it out if; you're a Civil War buff in the least; or you want to make a day of checking it out with the other sites (as it's a small piece of a big puzzle, the Richmond National Battlefield Park ); or you're cruising by and see the sign and have 1-1/2 hours to kill; or you live near there.

I got up at 5:30 this AM and was thinking about going to Shenandoah, but I got this Superbowl thing going on tomorrow so I had some coffee, and laid on the couch with the mutts and formulated a loose plan in my mind for a couple of hours (yeah I was being lazy). So I wound up in Cold Harbor about 11 AM on a beatiful morning and the Dog Ram Truck was the only vehicle in the parking lot.

The lot is near the the location of the "Cold Harbor Tavern" where Lee commanded and watched the whole deal take place. We just started walking, turns out we were walking opposite the way it was planned, as far as the way the info markers were laid out. We went across a long field where there was a lot of split rail fencing, 2 crooked parallel lines of it, which a kind NPS Ranger later informed us was where a historic road trace was. We came to an overlook, and the panoramic view was depicted on an info marker, which pointed out various Union and Confederate positions, battles etc. The park boundary was here, but the land around the park is basically beautiful and undeveloped. From there we followed a game trail into the woods to the creek, and taking the creek route back towards the truck, we wound up on the path that you're supposed to take, going backwards, of course.Turns out the creek was where most of the action was locally, the markers will inform you of that, and they do so in the words of the soldiers, at the site of every unit's position.

Beaver Dam was a disappointment, but to be fair, the bridge was closed (there was flood debris in the rail and on the walking surface, looked like it just needed a cleanup), and I didn't find out what was on the other side. Also, looking at the online map, I think there is more to the park on the other side of the road! As with Cold Harbor, many soldiers fell while attempting to maneuver across the creek. Here it appears to be more open and muddy, if I recall correctly one soldier described it as a "valley of blood".

Drewry's Bluff was awesome, 90 ft above the James the Confederates held a dominating position over the Union Navy. And there is a great view of the 295 bridge in the distance, which is one big beautiful bridge, near Petersburg.

So the plan is, to plan a roadtrip to all of the sites, with my buddy Ken who is a Civil War buff.

Hiking buddy Steve. 1st day of the 100 miler. Will add more on this hike, later.

Upcoming Topics

Dogs, backpacking during 9-11, 100 miler on AT.

Hangin' out in the Secret Bamboo Forest 

What's happened lately

Couple of weeks ago, Cliff, I, dogs did a 8-9 mile local circuit around Newport News Park, the golf course (no one golfing due to snow), and the Colonial Nat'l Park. Showed him where the herons nest. You should go there in the Spring when the chicks are hatched - I'll cover that later. We took some Black Sambuca to keep us warm.

Before that, we went to Shenandoah and did the Wildcat/Riprap ckt. One of my favorites to take a pal to (Ralph, Eric, a couple of XGF's, of course Steve S. and now Cliff). Paused to take in the view at Cavalry and Chimney Rocks. Hung out at the big, deep, beatiful, blue-green pool. I forgot the snacks in the truck. Cliff pulled a thigh muscle before we had gone a mile, but didn't want to turn back, we found a stick for him to lean on, way to hang tough. Good thing Monday was a holiday. Drove out thru Swift Run Gap - it was fun - but wished we were in the WRX instead of the Ram.

Also took Cliff to see the Secret Bamboo Forest. The bamboo is 30 ft high and 4+" diameter.

Didn't have much for gear back then. Note cotton pants getting soaked, low-tech pack, cotton sweatshirt. Soaked 2-3 pairs of socks (cheap boots), feet were so cold that they stung with every step, once I reached Skyline Drive, at the end of the circuit. Ever have that feeling, you're losing a tiny bit of warmth in your feet with every cold wet step? Gotta love it. Check out the hemlocks.

Big stinker.

Main objective. Took a break. Saw dead mouse where I rested, it had a bloody nose and was resting on top of the snow, no tracks from predators, strange. Waterfall was beautiful though. 

That day? Here's a clue, I believe the sticker was about expired. Some of my buddies remember the Honda. 

Bear tracks, these were the only prints, besides mine, at the head of the trail that day.