I'm so glad I have this place so close by! It's just 3 miles from my house!
Let me tell you about my first hiking trip here today. Wow.
- I looked at the map before I started. It seemed to intertwine with other trails, very similar to the Bull Run Mountain in Broad Run. I was excited to get started. I chose the blue trail.
- All was good and fine until about the first mile. (Kelly K. You are correct!)
After that the greenery kinda invades your path and you feel like you are on more of a deer trail. That's o.k with me at times. I am a very alert and very aware hiker. I listen and follow my instincts. Doesn't mean I don't take dumb chances, just means I am aware I'm doing something dumb. lol. Like today!
- I followed some baby deer for quite a while. They had no clue I was there. I hike like a Ninja! I do. lol... I am sooo quiet. That's how I see all the deer and bear but I know that can work against me sometimes too... Like today! (check my pics for the baby deer. They were 10 feet from me).
- I got to a point in the trail where I had to mark my route... What Was well marked, was then... not marked at all for a couple of turns. I started to become a bit jumpy and with the wind blowing today, it masked the usual sounds of a quiet forest. I was unable to use my ninja skills to tell if there was wildlife close by...so I had my head on a swivel. At this point, I was at the abandoned little barn, Just up from the "thinning pine tree forest". Check pics. I took a path that came out in a sort of clearing that screamed wildlife! Deer everywhere. One jumped out in front of me with his white fluffy tail bouncing across the field and I STG I thought I was going to have a heart attack! OMG. No kidding. I had to stop and make sure I was breathing! That darn wind. I never heard him coming! Now, I'm in a spot that is very sketchy and that wind is not letting me pick up a sign of what's around me..... I was stopping every 15 steps to look and listen before I moved on. No. Kidding. It was just like that. I know. I guess I watch a lot of movies... .But as much as that hinders me it also makes me a better hiker! My ninja skills were at MAX! My heart was pumping dude.
- After a while, I got back to where the path looked more traveled and I continued to see deer until I reached the car again. *I was not happy to hear a shotgun go off as I neared the end of the hike but I was, infact happy that I wore my bright orange top! Holy cow people! Stop shooting into the woods! Dang!
- Well, that was my first time hiking here. Will I come back? You can bet your booties on it! That was pretty freaking awesome. :-) read more