Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

Took a walk today

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I've got 90 pages of forest service road maps for Virginia. I'll be out exploring them soon. I read somewhere that there are more forest service roads than paved highways. Western and southwestern Virginia is covered with them.
      I've read that also. The FS manages more roads than the folks doing the interstates and more than any other individual state highway system also.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork

    • Dmax wrote:

      The sign doesn’t really say the trail is closed . The forest service were parked near where I parked. They watched for quite a bit while I slowly worked my way into the trees, hunting the elusive dry land fish. I used the AT to cross the tracks, then back on the hunt....
      Is there a morel to this story?
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • I walked around the neighborhood today, as I do most days.

      I now have 251 miles year to date -- so for the first time in 3 years I'll be out of the 100-250 mile category in our annual survey. Hard to believe, but the last 134 miles have all been done in my 52 house subdivision. Not exciting or scenic, but I guess it's better than sitting on the couch eating cheetos.
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:

      I walked around the neighborhood today, as I do most days.

      I now have 251 miles year to date -- so for the first time in 3 years I'll be out of the 100-250 mile category in our annual survey. Hard to believe, but the last 134 miles have all been done in my 52 house subdivision. Not exciting or scenic, but I guess it's better than sitting on the couch eating cheetos.
      Fortunately my neighborhood has hills. With a pack on at least that helps the legs.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Astro wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      I walked around the neighborhood today, as I do most days.

      I now have 251 miles year to date -- so for the first time in 3 years I'll be out of the 100-250 mile category in our annual survey. Hard to believe, but the last 134 miles have all been done in my 52 house subdivision. Not exciting or scenic, but I guess it's better than sitting on the couch eating cheetos.
      Fortunately my neighborhood has hills. With a pack on at least that helps the legs.
      I measured out 2 loops. One uses all the cul de sacs (3 loops = 4 miles) and is hilly. The other uses none of the cul de sacs (1 loop = 1 mile) and except for one short section is flat. I like to enter even numbers in my day timer. :)
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      I walked around the neighborhood today, as I do most days.

      I now have 251 miles year to date -- so for the first time in 3 years I'll be out of the 100-250 mile category in our annual survey. Hard to believe, but the last 134 miles have all been done in my 52 house subdivision. Not exciting or scenic, but I guess it's better than sitting on the couch eating cheetos.
      Fortunately my neighborhood has hills. With a pack on at least that helps the legs.
      I measured out 2 loops. One uses all the cul de sacs (3 loops = 4 miles) and is hilly. The other uses none of the cul de sacs (1 loop = 1 mile) and except for one short section is flat. I like to enter even numbers in my day timer. :)
      Leave it to an accountant to make sure he has an accurate ledger that is easy to balance. 8)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Originally was going to try to sneak away for a couple days this weekend on the Ozark Highland Trail, but found out that for Saturday my wife had invited my oldest son and fiancee over for lunch. Most of the state parks are closed, so instead I did 10 miles today on the Arkansas River Trail. Other than seeing lots of people, these guys were probably the most interesting thing I saw.
      Images

      • 20200426_142444.jpg

        161.17 kB, 800×388, viewed 336 times
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • All week Kathy and I had been talking about getting out on Saturday for a walk, but the question was where. All of the local parks and trails are more and more crowded the longer this virus thing lasts. Usually when we go off island it's to Harriman State Park, but it's popular normally and we figured it too would be crowded, even though it's something like 56,000 acres. So, where to go? Well, a little west of Harriman is Sterling Forest State Park, and we haven't been there in years and years. We left the house about 8AM and got there about 10AM after a relaxing, easy drive. As we drove Kathy looked at the map and picked out a place to park as well as a hiking loop. We covered 11.5 miles over some very nice trails. Some were flat and easy walking, some were ups or downs over giant rock, and some were just covered in smaller rock with no flat place to put your foot down. We really had the full mix of terrain. We didn't see too many other people except when we were in the vicinity of the visitor's center and fire tower. I guess most people don't like being in the middle of nothing but the woods. Too bad camping isn't allowed because we some some areas that would e just perfect. But I suppose those areas would get ruined if camping were allowed. It was a great day with the temperature around 50 when we started and topping out around 60 in the afternoon and the sky varied from blue and partly cloudy t pitch black clouds with 100% coverage. We didn't see any wildlife to speak of, just squirrels, chipmunks, and heard quite a few wood peckers. All in all it was a nice day in the woods, we even took the time t have 2 hot meals, lunch and dinner, as well as a few water/snack breaks. I don't think we;ll wait as long to go back there again as we did this time,

      The post was edited 1 time, last by LIhikers ().

    • Nice report LI Hikers. Today turned rather grey and dismal here. The local [arks have been slammed. They having been shutting more of them down because of crowding problems, and it only makes it worse at the ones that are left. If they really want to encourage social distancing, I'd say they should be offering people more places to walk, not less.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • IMScotty wrote:

      Nice report LI Hikers. Today turned rather grey and dismal here. The local [arks have been slammed. They having been shutting more of them down because of crowding problems, and it only makes it worse at the ones that are left. If they really want to encourage social distancing, I'd say they should be offering people more places to walk, not lless.
      Same here. But we also have always been able to find a less crowded park or trail. Sunday was the first nice day in weeks so I knew the park was going to busy. But at the park we often go to, there is one loop (a little over a mile) that is across the river from the rest of the trail network. That one is less used. We saw one family who had hauled lawn chairs and cooler out and set up a picnic on the river bank which was a nice idea. There were lots of kayakers on the river. I saw one person interviewed who said kayaking was perfect for social distancing. There is only one person per boat and if anyone gets too close they get whacked with his paddle.

    • max.patch wrote:

      We rented a paddle boat at the Jefferson Memorial (I think -- it's been awhile) in DC and pedaled around for an hour. It was something to do but I don't remember it being particularly fun. This was before kids -- I bet they might like it.
      Growing up we had a 30 acre lake with a boat with dual pedals in the front. For my kids they had to settle for Santa Land for that type of experience.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Took an urban walk yesterday. Boston was amazingly traffic free, I could park anywhere. That never happens. It is weird because the parks and trails out here in suburbia are slammed with walkers, but Boston's public areas were surprisingly quiet. I know that many are staying home from work, but it also appears that many of the residents have also left the city.



      General Joseph Hooker still stands guard by the Massachusetts Statehouse. There is an entrance to the statehouse near this statue called the 'General Hooker' entrance. Believe it or not this 'assault on women's dignity' has some outraged state reps calling for this confederate Civil War hero name to be removed.


      A relief honoring the Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts 54th regiment. They were the first all black regiment to fight in the Civil War. Colonel Shaw was killed in the second battle for Fort Wagner (Charleston, SC). The relief was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the same guy who designed the beautiful Gaudens American Eagle gold coin.


      This is where the famous "Swan Boats" usually give kids rides. Looks like there will be no rides this year. Boston Public Gardens


      The Zakim Bridge from Lovejoy Wharf.

      This is Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill, perhaps the most prestigious address in Boston. Just to the right of me the home of Senator John Kerry and his wife Teresa Heinz is currently listed for sale for 18.5 million. That's a lot of ketchup. Being rich has its privileges. The street is all 'private parking' and the park is all 'no trespassing', even though they are public land. Years ago the city moved a fire hydrant around the corner so that the Kerrys could get another parking spot in front of their house.



      The secret gardens of Beacon Hill. I've always wanted to explore these private alley ways on Beacon Hill to see the secret gardens and patios that are hidden from the public, but I have never been invited in.



      This is perhaps the most picturesque cobblestone street on Beacon hill. I plan on coming back when there is better lighting to try to do this scene justice.

      I got perhaps three miles in walking around the city. This is about the only walking I've done in some time. I'll be back because the hiking here is less crowded than the parks in the suburbs right now.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • Flown into Boston twice. Once for a business meeting in one the suburbs or towns on the outskirts. Second time was when IMScotty drove me up to Hanover, NH.

      When I make it to Fenway, I will have to budget some time to walk around downtown.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • As a hiker and as someone whose first major in college was history (was going to be a teacher at one point) I enjoyed walking the Freedom Trail. And next time I do it I'm going to stop at this local pizza joint that the trail passed by that looked pretty good. (The Freedom "Trail" isn't exactly a trail.) Having worked up an appetite we had lobster for dinner that night at Legal Seafood.

      And since this is a hiking site...After my thru I caught a ride with the guy I finished with to Boston. That night I went to a bar and watched the Red Sox lose to the Athletics in the ALCS. I then went to the Amtrak station where I spent the night before catching the train home in the morning.
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:

      As a hiker and as someone whose first major in college was history (was going to be a teacher at one point) I enjoyed walking the Freedom Trail. And next time I do it I'm going to stop at this local pizza joint that the trail passed by that looked pretty good. (The Freedom "Trail" isn't exactly a trail.) Having worked up an appetite we had lobster for dinner that night at Legal Seafood.


      Max, Concord & Lexington are well worth the trip too, especially on Patriot's Day for the reenactments.
      I'm trying to figure out which pizza place you mean. There are several good places in the North End, but the best of the best Pizza is located in New Haven, CT. I also have to acknowledge great pizza can be found in the NY.

      And since this is a hiking site...After my thru I caught a ride with the guy I finished with to Boston. That night I went to a bar and watched the Red Sox lose to the Athletics in the ALCS. I then went to the Amtrak station where I spent the night before catching the train home in the morning.


      You spent the night in South Station! Not something I would want to do. I'm sure you were not alone.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • IMScotty: very nice. I read enjoyed the pictures and history. Some of those remind me of Richmond. Richmond used to have lots of cobblestone streets, now they only exist down in "The Bottom" on Cary Street. Monument Avenue used to be paved with them from one end of the city to the other, but they took them up in the 70s? And replaced them with regular asphalt. Then there was a big uproar about it and a compromise was met and the asphalt was replaced with asphalt paving blocks. I still miss the rumble of the tires on the cobblestones.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • jimmyjam wrote:

      IMScotty: very nice. I read enjoyed the pictures and history. Some of those remind me of Richmond. Richmond used to have lots of cobblestone streets, now they only exist down in "The Bottom" on Cary Street. Monument Avenue used to be paved with them from one end of the city to the other, but they took them up in the 70s? And replaced them with regular asphalt. Then there was a big uproar about it and a compromise was met and the asphalt was replaced with asphalt paving blocks. I still miss the rumble of the tires on the cobblestones.
      We don't have cobblestones in GR but we do still have a few streets paved with bricks. They rumble too. And one of our better pizza places is Brick Road Pizza.

    • 2 Saturday's ago we enjoyed our walk in Sterling Forest state park that we went back this past Saturday to explore another part of the park. It turns out we did two, 4 mile loops from where we parked. The loop to the south was about half walking on woods roads. The loop to the north was mostly trails but had a short section on an old woods road that had massive stone walls on each side. They must have been 6 to 8 feet thick and 4ish feet high
      Also in that area you could see stone walls in every direction, and some were still in great condition. I can't image how much hard work went into building them. The back of the map said this used to be farm land. Both weeks we past the remains of old, historic furnaces used for the production of iron.
      This is where the links of the chain, that had been strung across the Hudson River during the revolution, were made. At least that's what the map said. I think Sterling Forest is my new favorite place to hike, and there's more areas of the park for us to explore. :)

    • Hiked in Frozen Head SP yesterday and Cherokee NP last week.

      Yesterday was an easy, 3 mile loop. It was a really nice, pretty trail and I discovered some good swimming holes. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people camping in the campground. I thought all campgrounds were closed but found on the website that people with pre-existing reservations can still camp. What the heck?

      While I was hiking, a fast trail runner passed me and my gps watch went crazy. It was measuring distance when I was standing still, said I had hiked 5+ miles (and was quickly increasing), and that I was traveling at 12-13 mph. I wonder if it was picking up the runner’s stuff? I had to stop my watch and delete my hike.

      Last week, I hiked a few trails in Cherokee NP. Two of them had bad blowdowns and I had to turn back. I also hiked on the BMT next to the Tellico Fish Hatchery. It was fun.

      I’m ready for some backpacking.
      Images

      • F14B86E6-5930-41B5-B2F9-AC93E2BC3DC0.jpeg

        139.77 kB, 449×600, viewed 224 times

      • B80064D5-293B-4E50-B90E-F795147F1FA3.jpeg

        348.81 kB, 800×600, viewed 208 times

      • 2DE7B9A7-5FA8-420B-9CA3-1EB451B123E9.jpeg

        432.36 kB, 800×600, viewed 192 times

      • 88E5A567-A526-42FC-BC35-F9F36E2A0CFC.jpeg

        231.16 kB, 449×600, viewed 197 times
      Lost in the right direction.

    • Astro wrote:

      TJ, that waterfall appears to be flowing pretty well.
      I would have been tempted to let GPS to keep going to just how long it would have kept tracking the other guy.
      Yeah, I should have, I would have gotten a lot more credit for my hike! ;)

      I did let it run for a minute or two, thinking it would lose his signal, then worried something might be wrong with my watch and shut it down. The likely cause was the runner. I imagined his data picking up mine...What! Only 3 miles at a snails pace, WTH?
      Lost in the right direction.

    • Yesterday, for the third Saturday in a row, Kathy, me and our dog Tora went north to hike in Sterling Forest state park.
      If you've hiked the AT in NY/NJ you may have gone into the town of Greenwood Lake, or you may have gotten icecream when you crossed route 17A.
      It was overcast and 34 degrees with howling wind when we started. Due to rain the night before there were lots of puddles and mud on the trails but since it's a rocky area many of the puddles could be traversed on the rocks. We picked this part of the park because it's kind of out of the way to get to and so there wouldn't be too many people. Sure enough we only saw 2 other couples all day. We passed an area that had been affected by beaver. A pretty good sized stream had a beaver dam and it turned into a lake complete with a number of beaver lodges.
      We stopped for lunch around 2:15, in a hollow so as to block the wind, and it did. But what the low lying area didn't stop was the snow. Yep we had a snow shower during lunch break on May 9th. The hot meal was good on a cold day and then we got going. On the way back to the car it snowed even harder than during lunch, for a while. In total we covered 8.3 miles and it was 37 degrees when we got to the car. The wind made it feel colder all day.


      There's a couple of things I like about this park. First, there's not too many people once you get away from the visitor center and fire tower, second, I like the way the trails go up and down the hills. Instead of going straight up or down a hill the trail wonders around almost making it like switch backs.

    • The dog and I hit our local trail on Lake Lewisville Texas. We got a late start as we all slept in (Mothers day). We hit the trail around 10:30 and hiked 3 miles out. Stopped and gave dog water there and sat in the shade. Then hiked back. I let him jump in the one old stock pond out there. There was a lot of people near the trailheads. Two horses (It was developed as an equestrian trail). It was close 12:45 PM when we finished. Finding both parking lots almost full when we returned. It was something like 75 degrees, pleasant but getting warm. I came home and did some outside chores, finally showered and about to take a nap. Dog has been sacked out (but following me around, in case I try and go somewhere without him) since I got in the shower. A 6 mile day.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork

    • Another hike at LBJ National Grasslands, north of Decatur Texas. 8.58 miles. This was after 4 inches of rain on Saturday so it WAS a bit muddy. Our dog loved it as there was water/ponds everywhere. not just the usual old stock ponds. 3 and a half hours hiking. We hike around 5 miles on one loop, get back to the truck and eat lunch (he likes fried or roasted chicken, go figure. He also ate some Check Mix today. The afternoon hike was shorter. We did some trail maintenance with some pruners while out. Didn't see any of the cattle that are currently on that section. Even the private ranch we walk the fence line at one point, no cattle on their side either. Lots of people around some of the trailheads. The two USFS camp areas were back open also. First time in about 2 months.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork

    • Yet again, this past Saturday, Kathy and I headed to Sterling Forest state park. The difference this week is that Kathy's sister came with us. We gave her the choice of either a 6, an 8 or a 10 mile loop. She chose 8 and off we went. I enjoyed the fact that we had some steep, but short, hills and the trails weren't as muddy this week as the past few. We did take a break at the old fire tower but there were only a few other people there. We found a nice hill top to have our lunch on and finished the day by missing a turn we wanted so walked the last half mile or so on a road.
      For any of you who are close enough, I recommend this park. There's only 80something miles of trails, but you can put them together to make a lot of different loops. :)

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Yet again, this past Saturday, Kathy and I headed to Sterling Forest state park. The difference this week is that Kathy's sister came with us. We gave her the choice of either a 6, an 8 or a 10 mile loop. She chose 8 and off we went. I enjoyed the fact that we had some steep, but short, hills and the trails weren't as muddy this week as the past few. We did take a break at the old fire tower but there were only a few other people there. We found a nice hill top to have our lunch on and finished the day by missing a turn we wanted so walked the last half mile or so on a road.
      For any of you who are close enough, I recommend this park. There's only 80something miles of trails, but you can put them together to make a lot of different loops. :)
      Loops are always nicer than out and backs.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Did 7 miles today at Burns Park. Forgot my poles so went a slower with the rocks and going up and down hills. Think I might just my poles in my trunk so that does not happen again.

      Not a lot of people out, and did not see any wildlife other than about a dozen squirrels. The little nature exhibit signs with the benches were really grown over. Probably due to lack of visitors and any maintenance.
      Images

      • 20200519_150849.jpg

        190.03 kB, 800×388, viewed 209 times

      • 20200519_150905.jpg

        189.53 kB, 800×388, viewed 249 times

      • 20200519_150841.jpg

        183.15 kB, 800×388, viewed 221 times
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Astro wrote:

      Did 7 miles today at Burns Park. Forgot my poles so went a slower with the rocks and going up and down hills. Think I might just my poles in my trunk so that does not happen again.

      Not a lot of people out, and did not see any wildlife other than about a dozen squirrels. The little nature exhibit signs with the benches were really grown over. Probably due to lack of visitors and any maintenance.
      My Mustang has several treking poles in the trunk. Except I don't take it out to the trailheads now! My truck has my Gossamer poles on the floorboard of the back seat. So, I open it, tell the dog to "stay", get his ramp out (the truck is a F250, 4X4 so it is a leap for him to get in and out), then let him out, ramp back in and Grab the poles! Just have them where you will see them every time you head out.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork

    • max.patch wrote:

      I'm going in a different direction with this post. :)

      I DIDN'T go on a walk today. Sore ankle. I had taken a walk the 23 previous days -- which is probably what gave me the sore ankle. Hopefully start a new streak tomorrow.
      Is that supposed to be some kind of Last Dance tribute. :D
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General