WHAT A WEEK!

My posts are backing up on me! After another action packed weekend, I'm finally making time to post the latest happenings.

Friday morning we left Bays Mountain and meandered around Lakeside Trail where we passed by inspection of a very curious doe, then stopping along the way at a few cool sites. The beavers are working overtime now and these pictures do not do justice! We took Food Plot down to the lake, where we came upon what I think was a Maple tree, chewed through on both sides, sap having streamed from its scarrs turned into a very nasty jelly which is probably why the beavers didn't finish this one up. A few yards away lay another downed tree and we believe that the beavers must have gotten hold of a measuring stick for all the sections were close to the same length!

Later we continued along LakeSide trail and took a short cut off trail to an old grave yard. It was a very odd feeling, standing there, a place that very few people knew of. We saw several stones placed in the area, two of which were inscribed, however, only one was ledgable. It was the marker of a three year old child (JWH?) who was born in 1908 yet died in 1911.

April and I broke from the pack on the way back to the dam and headed for a moment of quiet reflection at the ecology ponds before heading back to the parking lot and a quick detour to the lower waterfall from the dam where we took one quick shot. Total hike was 4.4 miles.

Learning to keep my mouth shut...

You would think, after the last hike, I would have done a better job of secretly slipping away. Knowing that today would be the calm before the storm (calling for snow for the next couple days), with temperatures in the upper 70's, I started dressing for a hike on Bays Mountain with Max at my side. NOT!

First it was Evan, "Momma, can I go?". Sure, Evan can handle where I was planning and his company would be nice. "Taylor, Dylan, do you guys want to go?".... their reply..."NO!"
I mutter a thank you under my breath. Then I go break the news to Scott. "Evan, Max & I are going hiking... will be back before we go to Grandpa's." Then he asks... "Where are you going, how long are you going to be there?" So I tell him my plans and in shock, his reply was, "Can you cut it in half (distance), I'd like to go?" Yes, I asked him to repeat.
I slowly see my day drifting away. After a delay of about an hour, we finally make it. Without Max. And unknown to us, Taylor decided to wear flip flops. We made it about a tenth of a mile past the ecology ponds before I finally said enough. I can either continue the hike in disappointment or I can accept the fact the day would not turn out like I wanted and enjoy the rest of the day with my family.

I chose the latter and as we turned back to the Planetiurm, the boys explored the nooks and crannies of the trails, splashing in water puddles and even found a "diamond" of wood in which a beaver had chewed both ends of the tree.

Here, we have Dylan and Evan who love to pose for me and Taylor, our barefoot hiker, prior to changing shoes with Dylan. It really made me want to take my shoes off and feel the mud between my toesies too! But I didn't. Scott was there. :o)

Downhill and fair weather...

Sporting only his briar clippers and a couple of band aids just in case the thorns dare retaliate, on his belt bag, Dad is the lead hiker. He meandered through the winding trails, pausing only briefly for us "young'uns" to catch up, he looks down on us from the top of Cherry Knob with a slight "what's takin' ya so long" smile upon his face. My first thought is "I wonder if they have oxygen tanks at the Planetarium." Then I look behind me to see that not only I, but the rest of the group must be sharing my exact thoughts. And there he stands, on top of that knob, his hands on his hips, a stance to proved to me, age has no limits.

This is our Dad, Rodney Gray. He too has a great love for the outdoors... I must say as I have heard him say before... " Downhill and fair weather love for the great outdoors." He is the one who first introduced me to hiking at Bays Mountain two years ago. He has taken me on some beautiful trails and sites on and off Bays Mountain and I hope to do many more with him by my side.

Photo taken on Laural Run Trail

Pack 348

With the biggest pair of brown eyes peering over my shoulder, I'm asked, will you post about our hike this week? Sure!

My son Evan is a member of Cub Scouts Pack 348 of Colonial Heights. Wednesday, March 24th, they set out on their first hike at Bays Mountain for the year. As a part of an effort to earn their World Conservation Award, they picked up trash from the antennas, along Bays Mountain Road to Cliffside Trail. Joining us was Hunter and his mother April, Cody, Cam and his father Shawn and Evan and I.

The hike was 4.1 miles. We began at the habitats, took LakeSide Trail to Fern trail, to Lake Road a short distance to Azalea Trail toward the antennas where we gazed down on downtown Kingsport. After taking a break for lunch, we began the trip down the mountain, picking up trash and stopped at one tower and many charming overlooks.

To see more pictures taken on this hike, click this link http://app3.sellersourcebook.com/users/9001/baysmountainscoutscleanup.jpg