After the hike we camped for the night, waiting for our morning ferry to Cape Lookout – the South Core Banks. Kodak seemed happy to back at the beach.
We drove around looking for a secluded area to camp and found this fresh turtle track, she must have laid her eggs hours before.
This site is perfect, can’t see a camper down either side!
Clay fishes for bait.
Sunset
Kay wanted her picture with her fish – then it jumped (or whatever fish do)
Light painting – two Tacomas with Flippacs.
Hike #20 of #52hikechallenge – Neusiok Trail in the Croatan National Forest. The trail is part of the Mountains to Sea Trail and starts along the banks of the Neuse River.
This Osprey chick was calling for diner and hiding behind a stick…
Mother’s Day – Breakfast in bed. (Uncle Wayne, do you recognize the pan?)
Deb went back to bed to celebrate her day and I went for bike ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is me trying to rescue a snake.
Then some work around the “mountain place” including yard work and finding thsi salamander.
Then it was time to hike. #19 #52hikechallenge – Gragg Prong Falls. Sam and I started last year to hike to these falls, but it was getting woods dark and we didn’t have a place to camp yet so we turned around, really glad we went back, awesome place and great swimming hole when it warms up.
The whole hike is beautiful!
There are a couple of creek crossings, in the end we gave up trying to keep the boots dry!
Hike #17 #52hikechallenge
The Uwharrie Trail to the peak of Little Long Mountain. I had no idea the Uwharrie’s had a bald mountain top, so once I read it, we had to see it.
Clay taking pictures again…
Since Clay just bought gold pans we had to try it.
We found some – 8 “colors” or TINY specks.
One for my mom.
Today was another day in the woods. We started on a section of the Uwharrie River I have wanted to paddle for a while. It needs spring rains to be deep enough to paddle.
After the thunderstorms in the middle of the week, it looked promising, featuring over 12 class I rapids (easiest) and good flow. I don’t have pictures, but we started almost immediately when Sam flipped her boat when she hit a strainer (tree)
A great couple of hours on the water!
Then hike #15 of #52hikechallenge – Birkhead Tract of the Uwharrie Game Land.
What is Clay photographing this week?
An Eastern Fence Lizard.
A day in Uwharrie Forest, starting at the Uwharrie Jamboree celebrating the opening of the OHV trails for the season. Then Clay and I drove around some of the back roads.
Remember my series of Clay bending over playing photographer?
This week it was a snake. Nerodia
Then Hike #13 #52hikechallenge – Uwharrie Trail starting at the Jumping Off Rock trail head.
The Jumping Off Rock
Hike #9 of #52hikechallenge Congaree National Park in South Carolina
How many Capers to wrap around a 150 foot plus tall lob
lolly pine tree that was once the tallest of it’s kind in the state.
I found this turtle shell last week and finally looked at it today…
Clearly a NASCAR/Dale Earnhardt Sr. fan
2017 started with a hike through the trails at Carolina Beach State Park. One of my resolutions this year is the #52hikechallenge – to average one hike a week during the year.
Hike #1 of the year, a big loop hitting almost every trail in the park, 2 hours and 40 minutes and ~6 miles. We had two goals:
Sugarloaf Trail, leading to Sugarloaf sand dune, a 55 foot tall dune used on navigation charts since 1663 for river pilots on the Cape Fear River.
Someone left a rope swing.
and Flytrap Trail, searching for wild Venus Flytraps – thanks to the eagle eyed Clarks for finding a pair of them –
just a cactus, but cool to see it with fruit in the “wild”
On the way back to the start, we saw a bunch of buzzards in the woods – there must be something there – so we investigated….
a fresh coyote
fox
feet and ears
?
We debated why so many remains in one spot. Choice 1 – Park employees dump road kill here. Choice 2 – Park employees kill problem animals and dump here (but if the fox was suspected of rabies, seems unlikely) Choice 3 – We have entered a VERY BAD place.
Before heading home, we headed back to the beach and just watched the ocean. Welcome 2017!
