Thunder Ridge Wilderness / Cinco de Mayo - May 5, 2012
An enthusiastic group of hikers gathered for the long drive past Buena Vista to the Thunder Ridge Wilderness on a Saturday with rain threatening. As it was SAT testing day at AHS, we assembled in the middle of the parking lot to break into carpools depending on whether folks wanted the optional post hike stop for Mexican food. Leon and Baley drove Maritza Hartnett, as her husband, Jack, needed to be at work at Blue Ridge School late in the afternoon, so did not have the time for the long commute. Jodi Fredericksen and Dave Abdullah joined us again to see a rare part of Virginia before their upcoming move to Delaware for Jodi's grad school. David Ledbetter gave his bike a rest, from training for his upcoming Ride the Rockies, and joined our hike on his way to hear his brother's band play at a winery in Buchanan. Joining us all the way from Augusta, Georgia, was Pat Skelly, whom Ken Moss had notified of our hike, despite not being able to attend himself. We all headed south in 6 cars.
Upon arrival at Petite's Gap, our co-leader Michael Seth was waiting patiently for our arrival while Barbara Martin was waiting at Sunset Field, the beginning of our hike. The weather was ominous, but we set out with several of us sharing gear with others who had been more optimistic about the forecast. With the extensive botanical knowledge of Michael Seth, we began our hike north a few minutes before noon. The fast hikers, Steve Cohen, Briana Taylor, Jodi, Dave, David, and Maritza, led us north on the AT, with Dan Ralston and Bill Holman running sweep. CJ Woodburn spotted a rare yellow lady's slipper, admired by those taking the time to search on the way up to the former WW II defense site on Apple Orchard Mountain. At 4225 ft, it is the highest point on the AT between Chestnut Knob near the Tennessee border and Moosilauke, NH . Here we all indulged in lunch, sitting on the slippery rocks. Dennis Templeton, Dave, and Bill climbed high on the rocks and took some great photos, while we ate lunch, and shared stories and cookies.
Most of the hike after lunch was downhill, passing under the famous guillotine rock. Marian Styles, Paige Madison, Dave Borszich, and Dan Funkhouser enjoyed the rocky trail, as we approached the main event- the hillsides covered in trillium. Stunning, as advertised, they were a pale pink carpet in the woods, truly amazing. Other flowers we saw this day (according to our hike leader Michael Seth) were big flowered trilliums (gandiflora), yellow lady slippers, wild parsnip, golden alexanders, sweet cicely, wood anemone, rue anemone, common violets, birdfoot violets, speedwells, dwarf cinquefoil, goosefeet, wood-bettony, wild geraniums, squawroot, Virginia waterleaf, pussytoes, star checkweed, Canada May lilly, May apples, solomon's plume, solomon's seal, perfolitated bellwort, common fleabane, pink azalia, rhodendron, wild strawberries and spiderwort. Andy Willgruber and Iva Gillet slowed their pace to admire the beauty, while those more wet and chilled kept their pace.
As nature sometimes does, we finished the hike with dripping weather, so while carpoolers huddled under umbrellas and the kiosk, car drivers reversed the shuttle. David Ledbetter headed off to drink wine and listen to music, Briana took a carload of wet hikers straight back to C'ville, as did Leon. The rest of us were eager to warm up inside and out with Mexican food, margaritas and beer, all while watching the Kentucky Derby. It doesn't get any better that this! Good food and good times were had with $1.99 margaritas and beer for Cinco de Mayo at Don Tequila's in Buena Vista. As nature does often, we arrived there wet and cool, but after our meal and the race, it was sunny and warm. We all headed back to our respective homes after a great day of hiking and friendship in one of nature's loveliest spots.
An enthusiastic group of hikers gathered for the long drive past Buena Vista to the Thunder Ridge Wilderness on a Saturday with rain threatening. As it was SAT testing day at AHS, we assembled in the middle of the parking lot to break into carpools depending on whether folks wanted the optional post hike stop for Mexican food. Leon and Baley drove Maritza Hartnett, as her husband, Jack, needed to be at work at Blue Ridge School late in the afternoon, so did not have the time for the long commute. Jodi Fredericksen and Dave Abdullah joined us again to see a rare part of Virginia before their upcoming move to Delaware for Jodi's grad school. David Ledbetter gave his bike a rest, from training for his upcoming Ride the Rockies, and joined our hike on his way to hear his brother's band play at a winery in Buchanan. Joining us all the way from Augusta, Georgia, was Pat Skelly, whom Ken Moss had notified of our hike, despite not being able to attend himself. We all headed south in 6 cars.
Upon arrival at Petite's Gap, our co-leader Michael Seth was waiting patiently for our arrival while Barbara Martin was waiting at Sunset Field, the beginning of our hike. The weather was ominous, but we set out with several of us sharing gear with others who had been more optimistic about the forecast. With the extensive botanical knowledge of Michael Seth, we began our hike north a few minutes before noon. The fast hikers, Steve Cohen, Briana Taylor, Jodi, Dave, David, and Maritza, led us north on the AT, with Dan Ralston and Bill Holman running sweep. CJ Woodburn spotted a rare yellow lady's slipper, admired by those taking the time to search on the way up to the former WW II defense site on Apple Orchard Mountain. At 4225 ft, it is the highest point on the AT between Chestnut Knob near the Tennessee border and Moosilauke, NH . Here we all indulged in lunch, sitting on the slippery rocks. Dennis Templeton, Dave, and Bill climbed high on the rocks and took some great photos, while we ate lunch, and shared stories and cookies. 
Most of the hike after lunch was downhill, passing under the famous guillotine rock. Marian Styles, Paige Madison, Dave Borszich, and Dan Funkhouser enjoyed the rocky trail, as we approached the main event- the hillsides covered in trillium. Stunning, as advertised, they were a pale pink carpet in the woods, truly amazing. Other flowers we saw this day (according to our hike leader Michael Seth) were big flowered trilliums (gandiflora), yellow lady slippers, wild parsnip, golden alexanders, sweet cicely, wood anemone, rue anemone, common violets, birdfoot violets, speedwells, dwarf cinquefoil, goosefeet, wood-bettony, wild geraniums, squawroot, Virginia waterleaf, pussytoes, star checkweed, Canada May lilly, May apples, solomon's plume, solomon's seal, perfolitated bellwort, common fleabane, pink azalia, rhodendron, wild strawberries and spiderwort. Andy Willgruber and Iva Gillet slowed their pace to admire the beauty, while those more wet and chilled kept their pace. 
As nature sometimes does, we finished the hike with dripping weather, so while carpoolers huddled under umbrellas and the kiosk, car drivers reversed the shuttle. David Ledbetter headed off to drink wine and listen to music, Briana took a carload of wet hikers straight back to C'ville, as did Leon. The rest of us were eager to warm up inside and out with Mexican food, margaritas and beer, all while watching the Kentucky Derby. It doesn't get any better that this! Good food and good times were had with $1.99 margaritas and beer for Cinco de Mayo at Don Tequila's in Buena Vista. As nature does often, we arrived there wet and cool, but after our meal and the race, it was sunny and warm. We all headed back to our respective homes after a great day of hiking and friendship in one of nature's loveliest spots.
No comments:
Post a Comment