Snapshots of Spring

Well, spring has definitely sprung here in Charleston, West Virginia! They may be calling for snow flurries this weekend, but there's no turning back to winter now. I am rejoicing. Can you tell?

These are just some quick snapshots I took of my neighbor's beautiful magnolia tree. She says it hasn't bloomed in many years, but the warm March this year has kept the blooms from freezing. It is very pretty, and especially so on this glorious, sunny, 70 degree day we had today. Everything is greening. Finally.  

Hike a Month: APRIL! Falls of Hills Creek

After visiting the town of Elkins for their annual Ramps and Rails Festival (I had enough ramps to last me all year), we took the scenic route back to Charleston, through the Monongahela National Forest. We stopped to see the Falls of Hills Creek, located in Pocahontas County near the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center.

The initial 1,700 feet of the trail, which leads to the first of the three waterfalls, is handicap accessible. After that, there are a lot of stairs. The trail is short, but, be warned... there are a lot of stairs. I walked the trail in flip-flops (not brilliant).  The whole thing is close to a mile long, and the second and third waterfalls are worth your time and effort.

I've been battling a nasty cold and needed to pick a relatively short/easy hike for May, and I'm not sure this hike actually qualified as "easy" due to the number of stairs. But it was doable, even with a little cough and a clogged up nose. I expect our May hike to be a challenging one! I grabbed some WV hiking guide books at the library today so I can pick a really good trail. Stay tuned.

February Hike a Month: Hawk's Nest Rail Trail

While we experienced temperatures below zero regularly during the month of January, February 1st somehow was a sunny 60-degree day. Even with snow still on the ground from all the wintry weather we've had, I wanted to take advantage of yesterday's warm temperatures to get my Hike a Month in for February. On the very first day of February!

We (Matt went with me) headed to Ansted, WV, just about an hour from Charleston, to hike the Hawk's Nest Rail Trail. Knowing that there would still be some snow on the ground, I didn't want to do a steep hike, and since I'm easing into this hiking thing, I'm not trying to jump into any 10 mile hikes. So I chose the 4 mile (there and back) Hawk's Nest Rail Trail as a my February hike.

While the temperatures hit 60 in sunny spots, the shadowy side of the mountain was considerably chillier. Much of the trail was snow-covered, and some of it was ice covered, with big icicles hanging down over the trail from the rocks above. I was pretty scared of these sections!

We were not adequately dressed for this trek. We were wearing tennis shoes that the snow seeped through. And poor Matt was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, thinking he'd be okay since the temperature at the car felt so warm. I am going to ask for hiking boots for my birthday. I gotta be more prepared.

The Hawk's Nest Rail Trail follows a babbling creek and would be absolutely gorgeous during the spring and summer. We've vowed to go back when the mountain laurel is blooming. But during this February hike, the creek and waterfalls were frozen almost completely. The ice has its own kind of beauty, but I'd love to see the forest in bloom. The trail also features some historical sights; walkers can stop to see a mine tunnel used during the 1920s.

We will definitely be back to hike this flat trail with lovely scenery again. And I'm sure this won't be the only trail we'll walk on in the Ansted area--we also want to do the Hawk's Nest Overlook Trail as well as some of hikes in the New River Gorge. This wasn't the easiest trail head to find, by the way. Get directions before heading here. But going a bit out of your way for this one is well worth it. You're  sure to enjoy this relaxing, laurel-lined trail.

Incline: not much

Terrain: easy-moderate

Scenery: excellent

Hiker traffic: medium

Difficulty: 2 out of 5 (ice made it a harder walk than it would be if dry)

Highlights: railroad & mining history, waterfalls, lovely mountain stream.

Hike a Month January: Kanawha State Forest's Davis Creek Trail

Well, 2014 is here! I realized yesterday that this will be the 10 year anniversary of my high school graduation. And now I feel old and unaccomplished.

But anyway, I've resolved to do at least one hike a month in 2014, an idea I stole from a friend who completed the challenge last year. I started by hiking close to home in January, venturing 9 miles from my house to Kanawha State Forest.

Without a trail map, I was completely guessing at which trail to pick. Since I haven't hiked in more than a year, and since I was hiking alone this day, I didn't want to pick a trail that might be too difficult. I parked and started down the Davis Creek Trail, which seemed like a safe bet because it followed a creek so I couldn't get very lost.

Kanawha State Forest is nothing too spectacular. When you need to get a little fresh air, it's a fine place to go. But for the entire time I was on the 2.5 mile Davis Creek Trail, I could see the pavement road that runs through the park. There were telephone lines running along the trail. I walked past playgrounds and stopped to swing for a bit. When a person hikes here, they won't feel isolated in the wilderness--which can be considered both good and bad I guess. Anyway, I needed to get my January hike in, I had a day off work, and the weather was relatively warm and sunny. So I was thankful for the opportunity--a little hike so close to home.

It felt good to start my hike a month challenge, to commit to my 2014 resolution. The trail was muddy, really muddy, but I had good company in foster dog Fred, the birds were singing, and the sounds of the babbling Davis Creek helped to soothe my anxious psyche. I was glad to get the hiking started and I'm looking forward to February's hike! Now, to pick the trail...

Fred enjoying the great outdoors.

Davis Creek

Very  wet trail. 

Forest

Mountain State Bucket List

Inspired by an article in the Charleston Daily-Mail, I am working my way through a list of 55 Unique things to do in the Mountain State. So far, I have completed:

1. A ride on Cass Scenic Railroad.  
2. Mystify your mind at the Mystery Hole in Ansted. Don't forget to buy a bumper sticker.
3. Stop at any of the state's Tudor's Biscuit World locations at breakfast time. Order a cup of coffee and a "Mary B." (Did this on our first morning in our new home. Except we bent the rule a little because I'm a vegetarian.)
4. Jump off the New River Gorge Bridge...with a bungee cord, of course. Held every October, the annual Bridge Day festivities draw daredevils from around the world to BASE- and bungee- jump from what was once the world's longest steel single-span arch bridge. (Okay, we will never do this. It's just not gonna happen. But we watched other people jump, and that was enough for us.)
5. Catch a West Virginia Power baseball game, and maybe a fly ball, at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.
6. Spend your Sunday evening at the West Virginia Culture Center for a recording of West Virginia Public Radio's nationally syndicated show, "Mountain Stage," then attend the after party at Charleston's Empty Glass bar to rub elbows with some of the country's biggest country, folk and indie rock acts.
7. Take the family to the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, home to owls, bears, mountain lions, raccoons and all kinds of other mountain critters.  
8. After a long day of river rafting, nothing hits the spot like Pies and Pints a restaurant with unique pizzas and brews in Fayetteville. (Okay, we've been to Pies and Pints in Charleston. Close enough, right?)
9. Pick up some West Virginia-made crafts at the Tamarack.
10. Grab a burger and milkshake at Beckley's King Tut Drive-In. Or, better yet, order a pizza. The drive-in was the first Beckley restaurant to sell the dish, in 1957. (Well I ate fried oysters. Mmm.)
11. Get spooked at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, which has been featured on television shows like the Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures" and SyFy's "Ghost Hunters." (See this post for details.)

Here are the things I want to get done before spring this year:

1. Spend a weekend with someone you love at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. Don't miss afternoon tea, a tradition at the historic hotel since the 1930s. The cookies are amazing.
2. Buy your mom something special at the Blenko Glass Co., in Milton. Be sure to wait around for one of the frequent glass-blowing demonstrations.
3. Head to Wheeling at Christmastime for the Festival of Lights at Oglebay Park.  
4. Celebrate the end of winter at the Lampion parade, held during Helvetia's Fasnacht festivities. It's like a Swiss version of Mardi Gras.
5. Tour the Homer Laughlin China Co. factory in Newell and pick up a set of its famous Fiestaware dishes. While you're in the neighborhood, go check out "The World's Largest Teacup" in nearby Chester.
6. Hit the slopes at Winterplace Ski Resort in Raleigh County, which features one of the largest computerized snow production systems in the nation.  
7. See where it all began, at Independence Hall in Wheeling. On June 20, 1861, Francis Pierpont was elected the first governor of the Restored government of Virginia. Two years later, that state became "West Virginia."

So by April, I should be done with 18 of the items on my list! Let's see how we do with this...