There Are Bears In These Woods....Just One Highlight Of Rock Creek & Rocky Fork...

Alone you can't beat camping at Rock Creek Recreation Area and hiking at Rocky Fork State Park. Put them together and add a bear that is hard to beat on a mid-week outing.

October 2020

Unlike my first camping trip to Rock Creek, last October, where I used a walk-in site (#34) I reserved a spot this past Wednesday. This site was within the site of my October one, but the main difference this one had electricity. Site Number 32 was on Loop C was excellent and I learned two things. First, the site had access to water from not one but two spots. As for two, the bathroom on Loop C has a shower. Anyway, it was another great camping spot, but it is Rock Creek.

Heading to Erwin...

...& then...

...Rock Creek

Walk-in site #34

Dinner & a Smore

Breakfast time!

Time to go...

For the hike last Thursday, instead of heading up to Rock Creek Falls at the end of the recreation area it was decided to go to Rocky Fork State Park. It is not a secret that it is my favorite state park and what better than a trip of my trail of choice...White House Cliffs Trail. Besides the wonderful view from the peak, some great patches of Mountain Laurel are on the way up and at the top. 

One-year ago on White House

Well, that was the plan but a bear had other options. I spotted it in the wood, just off the trail probably 100 feet away. It was close and didn't move except to look up the tree. I made noise, including a "hey bear" and I got a huff in response. So, it was back the way we came because I realized it was a mama bear and her cubs were up the tree she was looking up and a park ranger confirmed this. I will admit I was more excited than scared...it was my first bear of 2021. I mean what could top that for the rest of the day, but a visit to the Whistle Stop Deli was close. There was a fantastic view of Unaka Mountain too...

Bear right off the trail...

...looking up to her cubs...

...giving me a huff

Calling the formation on top Turtle Rock

Pinnacle Mountain Tower the symbol of Unicoi

Why it is called...

...the Whistle Stop

I Love The Roans, But I Love Black Clouds With Silver Linings Too!

Hello, Petealcoholics the Hiking Machine here and I just got back from shredding trail on the Roans! It just wasn't hiking but camping too. that meant I had an added 30 pounds on my back, but it was no problem because I was heading to Big Roan Ridge on the other side of Grassy Ridge Bald. Because all of those pansies out there were afraid of the rain we got the Balds mostly to ourselves. I have to admit the Lummox got this choice of a campsite right, but a broken clock is even right twice a day. As great as the hike and camping were the look on the Lummox's face when that big black cloud rolled in block his sunrise...nice!. Well, I am going to end on a happy note, so I am out...BITCHES!

The Long Hot Days Of Summer Now Get Shorter & More Color

 

 It's Summer...whether it is astronomical, the heat, or the relentless mowing it is here for a while. However, this weekend at the Cabin there were signs there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Some leaves on the Buckeye Trees are just starting to turn and Saturday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year (now they get shorter), which foreshadows the coming of cooler months in Southwest Virginia. 

Southwest Virginia is green...

...but the Buckeyes give hope

While it was hot most of the time, it wasn't all mowing and weed-eating. Bax and I went out for a couple of hikes. On Saturday, a long one to the other barn and back. Even going in the morning the heat got to Bax. He is a Winter dog. On, Sunday morning (about 7:30am) we kept it short just the small loop up to the main trail junction. 

Out with Bax on Saturday

This gate has been put back up

Bax was hot...

...& tired after Saturday's hike

Bax was back out front Sunday

We put up a new bird feeder as I got another all-metal collapsible No-No Feeder for Dad for Father's Day. This one was the red Cardinal one because I couldn't find the silver one that is already up there (and survived a couple of bear encounters). Turns out this one is a little bigger and better because it has a ring for seed to collect which birds, like Cardinals, like. As always the Cabin is a tonic for the mind, especially in the heat of Summer.

The old (L) No-No & the new (R)