Guides and Trips
Trips
Coastal Plain Springtime - MST Day 12
It wasn't a very spring-like day, but spring began "bustin' out all
over" here on the NC Coastal Plain about a week ago. Daffodils of many
varieties are in bloom. The shot above was taken on today's
Mountains-to-Sea Trail scouting hike on the approach to the bridge over
the NE Cape Fear River near I-40 exit 408--that's about 20 miles north
of Wilmington, NC.
Not far away,...
Holly Shelter, west end - MST Day 11
Holly Shelter boat launch facility at NE Cape Fear River
It's been a week and a half since my last hike -- been up in Maryland
getting all my teeth ripped out -- finally! But now I'm back in NC and
eager to do some more Mountains-to-Sea Trail scouting. For today's
hike, I extended my coverage westward from where I left off on my Day 5...
Dawson Cabin Rd - MST Day 10
Lone tree stands vigil over a small private cemetery along Dawson Cabin RoadFrosty morning along Dawson Cabin Road
It was a crisp frosty morning and I only had a half day to hike. That
was all I needed to finish up scouting the symmetrical,
county-line-straddling, 57.4 mile 'Topsail Island arc' for the proposed
Mountains-to-Sea Trail -- 28.63 miles through Pender County then 28.77
miles in Onslow County. ...
Camp Lejeune, Stones Crk outparcel - MST Day 9
US 17 corridor thru Camp Lejeune. Note military convoy at left.
Today's 16 mile out-and-back hike was a gem. It took me through the 4.6
mile corridor where US 17 slashes through Camp Lejeune Marine Corps
Base, then along High Hill Road with a delightful 1.5 mile excursion
through an outparcel of Stones Creek Game Land on well maintained foot
trail--not a vehicle track, a...
MST Day 8 - Stones Creek Game Land
Davis Mobile Home Park, North Carolina, United States
Hiking | 14.9 miles
Hiking | 14.9 miles
Stones Creek Game Land - MST Day 8
At 2,978 acres, the Stones Creek Game Land is far from North Carolina's
largest, but it is a little gem--full of diversity and natural beauty.
It contains about half a dozen 'bays' or lakes, and my hiking route took
me past one of these that is half a mile long (view shown above), and I
was able to hike a complete 1.5 mile circuit around...
MST Day 7 - beach to Stones Creek Game Land
North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, United States
Hiking | 15.4 miles
Hiking | 15.4 miles
Beach to Stones Creek Game Land, MST day 7
Intracoastal Waterway from High Bridge on NC 210, N Topsail Beach, NC
In today's installment of my scouting hikes for the Mountains-to-Sea
Trail, I hiked the 5.4 miles of road walk between the beach and the
entrance to the Stones Creek Game Land. The highlight (of today's walk
is crossing the High Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway (shown
above). This is a nice modern bridge,...
Topsail Island beach walk, proposed MST route
1946 rocket observation tower on Topsail Island, part of Operation Bumblebee
Day 6 of scouting a proposed route for North Carolina's 1000 mile long
state park, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail found me walking familiar ground -
my 'home beach,' so to speak. The proposed route follows the beach
strand for more than eight miles between the two bridges that provide
access to the island. Today I hiked the...
On Friday I finally emerged from the north end of the fire zone and into
the only part of the game land where the land wasn't perfectly level.
There were some sand hills here, and in between them the road I walked
was more like a lake in places. There were more than a dozen of these
road-wide 'car washes', and I don't think they ever completely dry up -
at least...
Thursday started out foggy, and sunrise through the woodland was magical.
My faithful hiking companion
Then as the fog dissipated under the morning sun I crossed into the fire
zone. In the heart of it there is not a tree left alive as far as the
eye can see, horizon to horizon. Even the fire resistant Longleaf
Pines died because the fire got down into the peat and killed their
roots. Yet two years...
On Wednesday I hiked outside the fire zone, hiking some really pretty
open pine woods. I'm showing a typical view here at right. There are
two species of fire resistant pine that dominate the landscape here:
The first is the peculiar Longleaf Pine that starts out life looking
like a clump of grass. Then after five or so years, in a sudden burst
of growth, it vaults up through the high-risk fire zone...
MST Day 2 - Surf City to Holly Shelter
Entrance to the 77,120 acre Holly Shelter Game Land at US 17
In my first hike report for North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail
(MST), I started at the Pender/Onslow county line and began heading
'trail-west' (i.e. toward the Mountains). That hike started on the
beach and covered part of the proposed beach walk along Topsail Island
and a bit of walking through mainland Surf City neighborhoods. ...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the first hike
Surf City Pier viewed from the Kinston Ave public access, Topsail Island, NC
The 'trail' I hiked today is not the current 'official' approved route
for the MST (Mountains-to-Sea Trail). But the powers-that-be are
considering these changes. I'm scouting this route in hopes that it
will become the chosen one. It's a delightful choice. Pictured above
is the point where the east-bound MST thru-hiker would first encounter
the 'S'...
Saturday, November 3, 2012:Shortly
after noon today my immediate family gathered at the Oak Pavilion in
Caledonia State Park to celebrate and hike the last mile of my 2012
double/yo-yo pair of thru-hikes: 4368.4 miles in all.We were getting ready to have a picnic lunch before heading out to hike when a SoBo hiker rushes up asking for 'Seeks It'.Lo
and behold it was none other than 'Sharkey' - the only other...
4366.4 / 4368.4
Saturday, October 27, 2012:
Yep, just one trail mile left to hike (both ways). I'm reserving that for a family celebration.
Somehow it seemed like just another day out on the trail, not the last
one. It had its ups and downs (literally), its little annoyances and
its little pleasures. It just didn't feel like a big deal that it was
the last real hike I'll do on the AT for a...
Day 268 - the last long hike
Friday, October 26, 2012:
Yes, it's come to this, and it feels bittersweet. Today's 19.6 mile
hike brings me to within 5 trail miles of the 'finish line'. So all
that I have left is to hike a short leg tomorrow setting up a
'ceremonial' stroll to the finish line in Caledonia State Park - a
stroll short enough that my family can do it with me. ...
Into Pennsylvania
Thursday, October 26, 2012:
And now just 15 miles of trail left to hike. Tomorrow will be my last full hiking day. Wow! What a ride it's been.
Today, though, the ride was all in the fog. It was a dreary drippy
day. Look at the "view" from Pen Mar Park's famous and venerable old
vista point:
For the third day in a row I hiked all day in my crocs. My poor beat-up
...
Maryland's Best Viewpoint
Wednesday, October 24, 2012:
This is Black Rock Cliffs. It may not have the best view in Maryland.
The best view, in my opinion, is of the Potomac River at Weverton
Rocks. But here, much like at McAfee Knob, the viewpoint
is as much a part of the attraction as the distant scene. Here the
rocks have character on their own - photogenic appeal like no other
place in Maryland.
Today I...
Washington's original Monument
Tuesday, October 23, 2012:
Built in 1826, this venerable old monument, resembling a silo/furnace
stack was the first, far predating the famous obelisk on the DC mall.
And this one suffered no damage from last year's 5.6 earthquake.
The view from the top on this mild fall day wasn't bad, either:
It was a 20 mile day, lots of easy trail, and I crossed over I-70 on the
AT-dedicated footbridge - probably the...
Why so sad?
Monday, October 22, 2012:
Ran into this 'Dilbert-style' character today on the trail. He looked
so crestfallen (especially after I made a few minor enhancements [*wink,
wink*]).
Why so sad, little white blaze?
Is it because I'll soon be leaving the trail? Looks like only about 5
or 6 more day-hikes will wrap up my ten month journey - 4368.4 miles in
all, and after today I have only 87.4 of them left...
Harpers Ferry check-in day
Sunday, October 22, 2012:
Here's my official AT thru-hiker mug shot.
... and then ... they gave me TWO mug shots, because I will have
completed two thru-hikes. The first one is my NoBo shot, the other is
SoBo. (Normal yo-yo hikers pass through here on two separate days and
get two mug shots also. I'm just unique in that my two shots are taken
the same day, one as I...
