I Do Stuff…

wooden bridge

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What a strange weekend this turned out to be.  For weeks it has been raining on and off here in Northern Virginia, most weekends has been less than stellar when it comes to rain.  Some days it rained for 24 hour straight and days would go by without seeing the sun.  Not having hiked for several weeks I was determined to make a go of it this past weekend.  On Saturday I knew it might rain, but the forecast called for afternoon showers, so it was possible to get a hike in before the rain came.

I first had to stop by work for a few hours.  Rocky Patel was in town and he was doing a BBQ at our Potomac Mills location.  It was also a good excuse to get some food before I headed south on 95 to Prince William Forest.  By about 1 I left and 20 minutes later I was in the park.  I wanted to hike some place different this time and I had a lot of trail to choose from.  With 37 miles of trails there are still a lot for me to hike and explore.  As a matter of fact I have never been to the visitor center or the trails around it.

The visitor center provides a check-in, usually the main gate is not staffed, and has the largest parking lot in the park.  Large open areas with tones of picnic tables provide a great location for families and large gatherings, there is even a baseball field.  Many of the picnic tables are shade covered and provide the ideal setting for a summer afternoon picnic.  Here is where I decided to park and head out from, hiking down part of the Laurel Trail Loop and Birch Bluff Trail, finally ending back near the visitor center.

The trail itself is very much like the rest of the park, a classic piedmont forest trail.  There are trees and wildlife all around that provide both visual and audible stimulation.  With it still being spring and pretty cool out the birds where out in full force and despite my best efforts I couldn’t spot any in the trees, I certainly could hear them however.  One interesting land mark I found was a wooden bridge that lead across the creek connecting to the North Orenda Road.  This spot provided me with a wealth of pictures.  I attempted to shoot from every angle and both sides of the bank, using both my wide angel and zoom lens, in shade and sun.  There was just something about that bride being nestled in the forest that was a perfect setting.  I was fortunate enough to snap a few shots while a couple walked across, not sure if they knew I was there or not.

creek in the forest

When I got back to the visitor center I was not ready to head home, I had hoped the trails were longer.  I did find a small trail tucked in the woods right next to my truck that I hiked, the Pine Grove Forest Trail.  First thing I noticed was the trails surface, it was not dirt or wood but 6000 recycled tires.  Somehow they shredded all these old tires and glued them together to form a 4′ wide trail that snakes through the forest.  The trail was very comfortable to walk on, every step felt like I was walking on a mattress.  If you have joint problems this .2 mile hike is perfect for you.

This short trail highlights the three distinct sections of a piedmont forest and culminates with a large deck over looking a tiny creek.  The deck is on stilts and you feel like you are floating in the tree tops looking down on the forest floor.  The deck does provide a nice places to relax and watch nature with it’s many benches and tables.  I enjoyed some food here while I soaked up the sounds of nature all around me.

Another great hike in the forest.

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My Aunt called me on Wednesday saying she was throwing a BBQ for my Grandmother on Mothers Day and my Mom was going to be there.  So of course I was going to show up for a great chance to see my mother’s side of the family.  It was a wonderful lazy afternoon on a day that finally saw the sun shinning.  Jim cooked hot dogs and hamburger on the grill along with all the sides you would expect at such an event.

bird sitting on his house

As the sun set and the light became soft I took advantage of the remote setting and got some pictures of the many birds around the yard.  Alice’s house in Fredericksburg sits on 7 or so acres of land with dozens of bird houses and feeders.  As you would expect the yard was filled with birds flying around also enjoying the late Spring afternoon.  I framed shots with the a fence, bird house, and feeders in the pictures.  I was even able to spot a rabbit right at the edge of the forest.

As the evening wound down and it was time to leave I decided to stop by the Chancellorsville Civil War Battlefield.  A couple weeks ago I visited the Manassas Battlefield and figured it would be a good idea to stop by this one.  Being far from my house I didn’t know the next time I would be down in the area.  The setting Sun again provided some good opportunities for great photos.  It was just to idyllic not to stop for a few minutes.

The small parking lot marked the site upon which the Chancellor House once stood.  During the last day of the battle the house burned down to the ground as the Confederates over ran the superior numbers of the North.  I was amazed to find out that all five cross roads from the original site are still being used today.  Add a few extra lanes and some black asphalt for color and you take once narrow dirt roads soaked with American blood and turned them into modern roads.   So as the sun set I got some decent shots of the surrounding field and cannons.

Chancellorsville Battlefield

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It has been years, since I was a kid actually, that I have been to the Manassas Civil War Battlefield.  I decided to stop by and walk around on my way home from Nancy’s house.  Normally I would do a hike in the early afternoon, but this time I was hoping to catch some good light as the sunset across the battlefield.

When I arrived I skipped over the visitor center thanks to my National Park Pass and went right to the Brawner House to hike.  When I was looking at the map it seemed like a long hike, I could walk around the park and get a few different views.  The trails are a little hard to follow, the markers are not clear and there is no real “trail” to follow, just open fields.

I was taking the long way around the to get to the Brawner House.  I was hoping to walk through the fields and forest as the sun set and then end up at the house when the sun is just about to set. Part of the trail was closed, so of course I took it.  I just had to see where the trail went and why I was not suppose to be there.  The trail had definitely been closed for a while.  Most of the trail was over grown with several down trees blocking the path.  It looks like the park authority is expanding the open fields in the park.  They have chopped down large sections of forest and it has created a mess for the trail.

Brawner House

This walk in the woods turned out to be a mistake.  Don’t get me wrong, it was fun to explore sections of the park no one has seen for a while.  But when I got back to my truck I found about 12 ticks crawling on me, several of them had started to bit me.  Every where I looked I would find one.  Big black wood ticks and several small deer ticks.  When I was satisfied I had gotten most off me Nancy called me.  When I answered the phone I noticed yet another tick just sitting on my shoulder.  I couldn’t tell you how badly I wanted to get home and take all my cloths off.