Soup Hike - February 11, 2012

For the 3rd annual soup hike, the weather forecast was more threatening than Nature delivered. A small gathering, by comparison to previous years, our group of 17 assembled at AHS, picked up a few others at Briarleigh Farm, and then proceeded to the intersection of Bacon Hollow Road and Brokenback Mountain Road.

David Ledbetter, Brian Muszynski, and first time hiker Corina Grendron sped ahead with Corina’s co-worker Dan Ralston struggling to keep pace. We proceeded up the infrequently used, winding, gravel road for 2 miles, stopping as needed as the ascent was constant. Michael Seth, Don Davis and Peter Callan talked of their travels for both business and pleasure, as Peter plans an upcoming trip to Bangladesh, then on to Nepal where Iva Gillet, Dan Ralston, and Marit Gay travelled last October.

At the intersection with Wyatt Mountain Rd, we travelled toward Flattop Mtn., though stopped at the small community near Stone Mountain Vineyard. Here Ken and Marie Moss, Briana Taylor, Dave Borszich, and Andy Wilgruber admired a cemetery of the predominant families of Bacon Hollow- Shiffletts and Morrises. Returning back the way we came for a mile, the threat of rain for the day was delivered in a much more lovely form- snow! We walked for about 15 minutes in the fluffy snowflakes and while making the final decent toward Shady Grove, the sun came out.

We convened into 3 cars and returned to Briarleigh Farm for soup, bread, cookies and good times. Don Davis’ corn bread and Marian Styles’ croissants were consumed along with John Shannon’s ever present special bread-of-the-hike. Corina added banana bread, and Leon Gorman and Wanda Hamlin joined us apres hike adding a bottle of wine. My favorite conversation was learning trivial knowledge of terminology of animal groups. Brian started it by commenting on my clowder- that turns out to be a group of cats. Don mentioned seeing a murder- that turns out to be a group of crows. Other popular groups were a crash of rhinos and a bloat of hippos. See the education those of you not present missed??? Hiking is very good for trivia!