Biking on the North Bend Trail - Day 2

Another quick breakfast this morning. I'm riding on the trail about 7am. The trail today is much different. There is tall and wet grass and lots of water on the trail. There are hardly any packed down hard tracks to follow. I have to deal with these new conditions from here until the end of the trail. Not long after starting out, I meet a fellow who warns me about a flooded tunnel ahead, "They have been dealing with that water a long time". He says the tunnel is flooded, about 8 inches of water at either end of the tunnel, extending a quarter of the way into the tunnel. He suggesta a route around the flood which involves getting out on Rt 50 for about 4 miles. I take him up on the route and pedal along in the slow lane for about a half hour. Once back on the trail, I ride through the town of West Union. It is a big town for this area and has a paved route through town. Then it is back to muddy single and two track. From here on the trail is impassable in places. I rode on side roads a coupe of times. Finally, I'm back on the trail and riding intro Salem, the last town on the trail. It has a depot and a couple places to eat and a few more services than most places I have seem. From here it is a short 7 miles to Wolf's Summit and the end of the trail. When I complete the trail I still have 6 miles of road ride to do to get to my vehicle. I'm done by 1:15 and ready for some lunch.

Biking on the North Bend Trail - Day 1

The North Bend Trail is a West Virginia State Park. It follows the rail bed of an abandoned B&O line from Parkersburg to Clarksburg. My WV buddy agreed to shuttle me to Parkersburg so I could ride back to my vehicle in Clarksburg. I spent Sunday night in a tiny Econo Lodge room near downtown Parkersburg. Monday morning I was met by raindrops as soon as I stepped out of the room. My Parkersburg gourmet breakfast buffet consisted of coffee and a muffin. The juice machine was empty and it looked like the bagals were about to mold. I was soon away and walking toward the trailhead. I was able to ride a little on the roads but lack of shoulder and heavy commuter traffic forced me to walk in the wet sand along Rt 47. Finally, I was at the trailhead. A sign with mileages was all that indicated it was a trail. The first 10 miles followed the swollen Little Kanawha River and a procession of river shacks and permanently anchored RV's, many sporting the colors and flag of WVU.

Then the trail headed into more rural area and the scenery improved. Trestles and tunnels make this rail trail unique. I passed one abandoned tunnel and could not decide why it was ever built in the first place. I was able to ride through the first trail tunnel but the next one was loaded with big gravel and my flashlight didn't provide enough light to see but just a few feet ahead. I passed through many small towns, some consisting of just a handful of homes and maybe a church. The first real town I encountered was Cairo. It was adjacent to the main body of North Bend State Park which provides lodging, camping, hiking etc. I walked through town and spoke briefly with a couple about to do the same thing I was but a day later. We exchanged trail information and parted. Throughout the day I put on and took off my rain jacket. It never rained hard but enough to get your attention. Later in the afternoon I passed through Ellenboro and Pennboro. I heard there was a nice B&B there but I wanted to get further along the trail. As I approached Greenwood, I heard thunder. In Greenwood I checked into the tiny Greenwood Motel. As I was filling out the 3x5 index card that served as my registration, the downpour came. That night, since there was no other business, restaurant or convenience store nearby, I called CJ's Pizza in West Union and ordered a take out meal.

More pictures of this ride are at: More Photos

Another Uwharrie Float

Who can argue with another float on the Uwharrie? John and I dropped the kayaks in the water at Lassiter Mill and slowly floated downriver. Level was low but it only hindered us briefly. Today the Mountain Laurel was at its peak. It lines both banks of the river in many areas.

Along the way, we encountered the usual suspects, a couple Great Blue Herons, a Kingfisher, a couple Red Tails, an owl (probably Barred), some long gar, the usual compliment of turtles and a Northern Water Snake.

We lunched on a gravel bar and sampled some Chocolate Indulgence.

Caraway Creek Dam

I stumbled upon this dam on Caraway Creek while doing some work at Mt Shepherd Retreat. The caretaker had told me there was an old mill on the creek which crosses Mt Shepherd property. I was at the creek one afternoon looking for a trail route when I decided to see if I could locate the old mill. After walking downriver about 20 minutes I found myself in the former impoundment area and finally at the dam. it is a massive structure, built without mortar. At the current creek level it is about 14 feet high and probably 250 feet wide.

Uwharrie Fish Weir Re-visited

Since last November when I floated through a fish weir on the Uwharrie River, I've wanted to go back and look at it closer. I finally got the opportunity to do so. River level was down, so the weir would be visible. I tossed the kayak in the river at Ophir Low Water Bridge and paddled upriver. It was slow moving against the current. Several times I was forced to get out and drag my boat through shallow spots. After about 30 minutes, I had arrived. I took some photos and GPS coordinates before floating back to the bridge. The weir looks as if it formed a V shape with the river right being in the main current and probably broken apart by trees swept downriver. The river left side and the bottom of the V appear intact.

The Top of Tennessee - Clingman's Dome

It was a beautiful clear afternoon. I was already on the Clingman Dome Road, after a hike. So, it was just a short drive to the parking area and 1/4 mile trail to the top. The hike is steep but paved. The ghosts of Frasier Firs look down upon you in the area. Once at the top, there is a pow wow going on among thru hikers. Rumor are rampant that Obama will be here tomorrow. The road is scheduled to be closed for a dedication ceremony, so naturally, the Obama conspiracy persists.

I walk the spiral walkway to the obervation tower and see what may be the clearest view I've ever seen from this spot. They say, the view has dimished by 90% of the last hundred years due to pollution. It must have been one hell of a view back then.

Spring Wildflowers in the GSMNP

I had heard the wildflower display in and around the Chimney's Picnic area was as rich as any area in the park. Early Friday morning I headed over there. Driving into the parking area, you could see flowers everywhere. After parking, I walked a nature trail through a sea of flowers. Whites dominated with Fringed Phalcelia and Sweet White Violets forming the base, complimented by Spring Beauties and White Trillium. There were pockets of Foam Flowers, Bishops Cap, Yellow Trillium,

Thomas Divide and Kanati Fork trails

My last day at the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage was this hike on the Thomas Divide Trail exiting on the Kanati Fork Trail. The small group of 9 consisted of 3 Phd botanists. That made for an interesting trip. Two leaders had been guiding at the Pilgrimage for over 40 years and a third fellow who specialized in trees was pushing 50 years at the event.

The first thing we learned on the hike dealt with the dying hemlocks. The adelgid is attacking the trees at there most vulnerable spot, where the needles attach to the branch. This is an evoluntionary defect in the tree. The hemlock never evolved a strong connection and thus is now vulnerable. One of the consequences of the loss of the hemlocks will be rising stream temperatures. Presently, they provide shade and cool ground temperatures. What effect this will have is unknown at this time. About a hundred years ago, the chestnuts which were the dominant tree, died leaving a void which is still being dealt with today. Other species, maples and oaks now dominate but this story is not over yet. The chestnuts may someday return. A 15/16ths disease-free American/Chinese Chestnut hybrid has been developed and could possibly be returned to the eastern forests.

The beech trees we saw on this trip still had last year's leaves. Also and evolutionary tendecy. The trees evolved from tropical ones with year round leaves and has retained that characteristic sill, long after adapting to a colder envirnment.

Moving along, we saw many trout lillies, wild oats, ramps, trailing arbutus, trilliums galore but no sign of the pine sap supposedly seen on this trail.

A stroll on the Boulevard (trail)

My second day of the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage was a hike beginning at Newfound Gap, out a mile of so on the AT, a left turn on the Boulevard Trail, down Alum Cave Trail with a detour to the Jump Off. It was a very cold start, just about freezing. As the day wore on, the temps kept rising until it was hot. We were led by a couple UT botany grads. One is teaching at UT and other in Virginia. Due to the length of the hike, we didn't stop often to look at vegetation. That pace made it difficult for a few folks to maintain the pace. Finally on the last ascent up LeConte, there was a quiet revolt and the group split for a time, but regrouped at the top. Along the way, we visited the Jump Off, a great view of Charlie's Bunion and the Greenbriar valley.

The hike down Alum Cave Trail went quickly. We saw the remnents of what appeared to be a Falcon's lunch - a half eaten bird. It also appeared a recent rock fall had occurred at the bluffs as there were fallen rocks with still living vegetation on them.