Hanging Rock State Park- Hiking Season is here!

We finally had a beautiful weekend and decided to spend a day hiking. It was much needed after what felt like the longest winter ever!  We decided to go back to Hanging Rock, which we hiked a couple years ago. Besides the hike up to the top of Hanging Rock there are several other trails and 5 waterfalls in the park.  The last time we came we only saw three of the waterfalls, so i wanted to come back and see the other two.

First we did the short hike to Hidden and Window Falls. There were actually a ton of people hiking, and hanging out at the falls so we didn't stay long at either fall.  This is Window falls.

This one is Hidden Falls.  Both are nice, small falls that you can walk right up to them and climb the rocks near them.  They are both on the same trail right off from the visitors center. After we hiked back to the parking lot, we decided to hike up Hanging Rock.

This is the view of Hanging Rock from the visitor center parking lot. We hiked all the way to the top! 

Just to give you an idea of where we hiked up to, you can see folks sitting on the 'hanging rock'  here.

My husband and daughter were the only ones brave enough to walk all the way to the edge. My son and i made it about half way out before deciding our knees would turn to jelly if we walked out any further.

We found a spot not quite as scary to sit and relax on.  Directly across from us is Buffalo Mountain in Floyd, Virginia (home).  It's hard to see in the photo, but you can see it in the one below.  We could also see Pilot Mountain to our Left, although i didn't get a photo of it.

That mountain hump right in the center of the photo is Buffalo Mountain, which is just down the road from us.  It's pretty neat to be so far from home, and still be able to see the Buffalo.  It's the highest point in Floyd County and can be seen almost anywhere in the county.   If you take route 8 out of Floyd toward NC, it will take you right to Hanging Rock.

After we hiked back to the parking lot, my kids were tired and of course didn't want to see the other water falls. We did hike out to see the Upper Cascades, which is a super quick kick...but still didn't get to see Tory's waterfall or the Lower cascade which is the whole reason i wanted to come back to Hanging Rock. Looks like we'll just have to come back again next year. :)

Spring at Panther Creek

Ever spring we visit Panther Creek, which is just a few miles from us in Dugspur, VA.  

The creek here is actually Big Reed Island Creek, and the road is called Panther Creek rd. Panther Creek is a smaller creek, that parallels the road for a while then connects up with the Greasy creek, which then connects to Big Reed Island.  The 'thinking rock' is a popular spot among locals. It's easy to climb up on it, it's relatively flat on top and the views of the creek are amazing. 

The area is always pretty, but in early spring Wild Phlox blooms on the rock faces. It's a pretty spectacular drive.  

It's hard to capture it in a photo, but the phlox is different shades of pink and sometimes white and covers the rocks. 

There is a place to pull over and trails that follow another small creek and cascading falls up into the mountain.  It's a really wonderful place to hike, but it's not uncommon to come across rattlesnakes here.  There are lots of native wildflowers that come up in this area, which is why it is one of my favorite places to hike.  This is wild columbine.

Wild Bleeding heart is a favorite that i rarely come across. So it's always a pleasure to see it growing here wild. 

Photographed my first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail of the season here. They were loving the wild Phlox. This is such an beautiful area to drive and hike, but when the phlox is blooming it's truly spectacular. We make point of coming here every spring to see it.

We have lived in Virginia for 17 years now, and we still feel so blessed to be here. i'm still completely fascinated by all the different fauna and flora of the area and never take any of it for granted.  In my humble opinion, there is just no place better than the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Crabtree Falls, VA family hike.

Crabtree Falls is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. It features a series of five major cascades and a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 feet.

i've been wanting to visit Crabtree Falls for a while, and this weekend we finally got a chance to hike it! It's was a little farther than we usually drive for a day hike (over 2 hours) but it was very worth it.

This bridge is the Crabtree falls arch bridge and is near the parking lot. i thought this was so beautiful. We couldn't walk across it though, it was closed for safety reasons. i don't know whether they plan to repair it or what. It didn't say, just said it was closed to foot traffic. 

 The falls are absolutely amazing, and much larger than they look in the photo.  The hike was very strenuous. We just kept going up and up and every time we thought we were at the last falls, we'd seen more.  It's was just breath taking.

 There are several rests along the way. Benches, and overlooks.  It was really busy when we were there. Really more crowded than i like for a hiking adventure, but the falls made it worth it.

There was just no way to get a picture of the entire falls, so i snapped a photo at each of the outlooks.  The path was muddy and slippery in places. It was not an easy hike, yet we saw people of all ages and physical shape hiking to the top.  Lots of people had dogs, and several had babies in back carriers.  So although it's a strenuous hike, it's very doable. Just take it slow and stay on the trail.

There are warning signs all over the trail.  30 people have died at Crabtree Falls since the U.S. Forest Service began keeping records in 1982.  There are many signs reminding of the dangers here.  The hike is safe as long as you stay on the trails.

At the very top is an outlook with spectacular views. You can't see the falls from the top, but it's a nice spot to rest and take it all in. There were a lot of people at the top. Several had brought hammocks and were set up enjoying the views. There is a large open rocky area to sit.  After resting we went back down the same way we came up. i believe you can continue on the trail toward Crabtree meadow, and eventually connecting up with the AT. 

We are really looking forward to this warmer weather so we can get back to hiking and kayaking every weekend!

Climbing the Devil's Marbleyard- Q-band fitness tracker review. #getoutside

This weekend we decided to explore another area of the Appalachian trail.  Devil’s Marbleyard is a boulder field near Natural Bridge Virginia. 

The landscape is covered in huge rocks, many that are the size of cars. Picture really do not do this place justice. Can you see that pink dot in the center of the photo? that's my daughter.  This place is really wild!  We really didn't know what to expect when we decided to come here and hike. Kenan said it was 1.5 miles to boulder field, 3 miles round trip. So i wore, a skirt and crocs which is what i typically wear hiking.

i did not realize we'd be climbing to the top of the boulder field, or i would have dressed much different. There isn't a trail through the boulder field, although there is one off to the side. We chose to climb the boulders. We really had no idea what we were getting into. Can you see the three black dots along the edge of the rocks in the back? i'm the one in the center. i was a bit behind everyone else, trying to scale rock faces in an ankle length skirt. 

The view is absolutely amazing.  This picture is quite misleading, as it looks like the top. However, once you get to this point, there is a whole other  boulder field on the other side.  i truly wanted to cry.

Those trees up ahead? Yeah, that's the top.  

Usually i'm the one to take all the pictures, but i had Kenan hold my camera so i could finish the climb easier. i'm almost at the top here, and my legs have almost turned to jello. i really didn't know if i was going to make it.

Not only did i make it to the top, but my fitness tracker gave me a thumbs up!! i've been wearing it for about a week to track my steps. Since i don't move much in the winter time i'm lucky if i get 50% of my steps in on a regular day. So as silly as it is, i'm very proud of this.

The view from the top, is incredibly beautiful. There were so many trees at the top, that we couldn't really see the boulder field we had just climbed. There were a few cliffs and places that overloaded it, but there were quite a few people up there already occupying those spots, so we didn't bother trying to get closer just for a picture.  Honestly, by the time we got to the top i was just ready to go home.  Rather than climb back down the boulders, we took the trail on our way down. It was challenging as well, because the ground was soft and sandy and very steep.  

So now that we are starting to have a few nice days, we plan to be out hiking every weekend possible. i thought this would be a great opportunity to review my new Q-band fitness tracker!  It has Wireless Bluetooth Synchronization with iPhone & Android Devices. It keeps track of steps, calories burned and a sleep tracker. It uses the i-gotU Life app, it can also sync to Apple Health or Google Fit. i'm still figuring out all the features. It notifies me when i get fb notifications, emails, phone calls etc and also tells me when i've been sitting for too long. lol.   The app is easy to use, and keeps track of steps, calories and sleep. So far it seems to be a pretty good step counter, and i'm having fun keeping track of my steps and creating fitness goals.  My only criticism is that it doesn't keep track of heart rate. This is just the basic model, but they do offer a more advanced model that does have the heart detection.  i may end up investing in that one later on, so far i am really enjoying keeping track of my steps, and it motives me to do more when i'm not being active enough.

This one is  available on amazon for $49.99 shipped free with prime.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MS5I5UU

i'm already getting excited about the spring. We have so many places we want to hike, kayak and camp. Our weather has been unseasonable warm for February, so i'm really getting the spring fever itch.  This year being more active is a huge goal for the whole family. We all spend too much time online, so getting outside and offline is really important.  We hiked parts of the Appalachian trail last year, and plan to hike several different parts this year.

The Devil's Marble yard is definitely an experience!  Make sure you are wearing good hiking/climbing shoes, bring a water and snacks! We were so unprepared for it. The pictures make it look like relatively flat, but rocky terrain. It's actually very steep, with huge boulders and deep crevices. Although you probably won't fall to your death climbing the boulders, breaking an ankle or cracking your skull are real possibilities! My kids absolutely loved it though, and we all had a pretty amazing time. Definitely one of the more challenging hikes we've done, but very worth it!


*i received the Q-band fitness tracker in exchange for my honest and unbiased review, my opinions are my own.

Fall's Ridge Preserve #Getoutside

Spring temps in the Blue Ridge this weekend, so we took advantage and made it out to a new local hiking spot we have never been to. Falls Ridge Preserve  in Christiansburg, VA. 

The area is managed by the Nature Conservancy. The land originally belonged to  Mr. William P. Bradley, a photographer and publicist, who bought the Falls Ridge Preserve area from a local family. Mr. Bradley used the property as a retirement home, eventually deeded Falls Ridge to the Conservancy in 1974.

The area has a very heavy limestone content and the limestone is carried in the creek and then calcifies the organic materials in the water. So, the green rock formations are actually calcified moss and the stone formations provide the solid ground for very cool waterfalls and deep blue reflection pools. It is known as a "travertine" waterfall / pools. 

The waterfall was more impressive than it looks in the pictures, and the Travertine cascades,  cliffs and caves were all really neat. It was totally different from anything we had hiked before.The total height of the cascades is roughly 50-60 feet high. 

The upper cascade  was full of  large boulders and travertine deposits. It really made for an enjoyable hike.  The Chamberlain loop, was a bit challenging if you are out of shape, but was a nice trail and gave a lovely view of  Ellet Valley.  

It was so good to get outside and hike again. We all really enjoyed it.

The caves at the base of the limestone cliffs were really neat. It's hard to gauge the size from this picture, but we could walk inside without having to duck our heads.   The Travertine caves,  looked like a giant face.

i took this photo of my boy while i was inside the cave and he was in the doorway.  Give a little perspective to the size of the cliff face and caves.

It was a fun 3 mile hike. There is a cool old timey limestone furnace, near the falls.  i'd like to come back in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming.  We have hiked trails all over Christiansburg and Blacksburg before, i don't know how we never knew about this one.  The Appalachian Blue Ridge is consistently surprising and awesome.

i'll be posting a lot of #getoutside themed posts this year, as we really try to be more active.  Last year we started kayaking, this year we have plans for kayaking, biking, hiking and more.  The older we get the more we realize the importance of staying active and keeping fit.    So #getoutside and enjoy the week!

Thanksgiving 2016

Playing a little catch up on blog posts again. December already has my head spinning, and i'm feeling completed overwhelmed by all things i still have to do. i know i go through it every year, but it still causes me a bit of panic.

Anyhow, i had started this thanksgiving post on Thanksgiving, but never got around to finishing it.

As always, i pride myself in having a mostly homegrown meal. This year, i don't have leaf greens ready. i was still getting tomatoes, so i was behind in planting my cold crops. Our meal consisted of home grown potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash. We also had green beans that had been canned last year, frozen corn gifted by a neighbor, eggs from my hens, apple sauce i had canned, cherries we picked from another neighbor and fresh tomatoes from my garden! 

As a vegetarian family we don't eat turkey,  So i made a tofu-seitan roast filled with wild rice and portabello mushrooms. i loosely used this recipe by vegan dad. http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/09/hickory-smoked-veggie-turkey-lunchmeat.html

A glimpse of our vegetarian feast.  i turned the pumpkin into Pumpkin pasties, and made cauldron cakes out of the squash. i had a bit of  a Harry Potter theme for our Thanksgiving.

i made hot butter beer for dessert using this recipe. http://thetiptoefairy.com/2014/12/harry-potters-hot-butter-beer/ It was so good!!

Afterward dinner, we took a hike to the top Buffalo mountain. Buffalo mountain is the highest point in Floyd county. It was a beautiful day for a hike and perfect end to our day. 

Natural Bridge is now a State Park!

On Sept. 24th Natural Bridge officially became a State park. To celebrate, admission was free for the day. Natural Bridge is less than 2 hours from our house, but we've never visited it before. It's always been on our bucket list, but the $18 a person admission just seemed too steep for a one mile hike to see the bridge and a rather unimpressive waterfall.Especially with so many other free/inexpensive places to hike just as close by.

This past Saturday my son had a band competition that was near Roanoke, and quite close to the Natural Bridge. So we dropped him off in Floyd to meet up with his band class and then continued on to Natural Bridge.  

In 1774, Thomas Jefferson paid 20 shillings to purchase the bridge from King George III of England, it has remained in private hands ever since. So we are very excited to see it finally become a State park. 

i really had no idea how massive the Natural Bridge is. It is a  the 215-foot high limestone arch. Picture just don't show the size of it correctly. It really is a neat thing to see and very hard to photograph.  Cars actually drive over the top of it.

 Cedar Creek, which still flows under Natural Bridge carved out of the landscape centuries ago. The main trail follows the creek about 1 mile to Lace falls. It's an easy lovely hike with historical signs about different landmarks along the way.

i found the lost river to be fascinating.  All you can see is the small opening of a cave, but you can hear the river flowing. 

They also have a Monacan village set up with information,  demonstrations and lots of things to explore. We really enjoyed our visit, and plan to return again when we have more time so we can hike some of the other trails and possibly visit the Caverns.  With Natural Bridge becoming a State park, the admission price will be lowered significantly to around $8 a person, which is much more reasonable and they have plans to add more hiking trails and who knows what else.

After visiting Natural Bridge we headed to Glenvar, to watch the Floyd County Marching band compete.  It made for a long, but enjoyable day. i felt a little bad that my son didn't get to visit the Natural Bridge with us, but i know that we'll be back now that it's a State park.  i'm really eager to see the improvements they made to the area. 

Camping, Festival Season and #liveinfinitely

This year the kids get out of school the first week of June. We've already started making plans for our summer vacation.  Kenan is taking part in the Michigan glass project in July, and we have a family reunion in WV...but otherwise our summer is pretty open. 

With the garden and animals i  prefer day trips and overnights, rather than week long vacations.  We typically do quite a bit of day hiking on the New River and Appalachian trail, which are very close by. This year we are thinking about a weekend trip to NC to hike the waterfalls in the Pisgah National forest area. We'd do a little overnight camping and day hiking. 

i was recently given the opportunity to try out a double camping hammock by #liveinfinitely , and knew it would be perfect this summer with all of our hiking and camping. 

Kenan and i took a break from working yesterday to take the dogs hiking on our land and relax down at the creek.

We found the perfect location to set up our hammock. It is incredibly easy to hang up. It comes with Poly-Filament Webbed tree straps with incorporated dual looped stainless steel lashing ring and unique triple running stitch to prevent stretching while still allowing simple setup almost anywhere!

Excuse my weird face, i can't take selfies. :) The double hammock is huge, it fits two adults comfortably. It's guaranteed to hold 450 lbs It measures 9' 10" long by 6' 6" wide.  It is actually big enough for two adults to sleep in it.  It comes in several colors, i picked out the gray and blue. Online the color looks more navy blue with bright blue trim, but it's actually a lovely slate gray color with a teal blue trim.  It also comes in green or purple.

When it's not in use it conveniently folds into the included gear pouch measuring 6"x 8" and only weighs 18 ounces which makes it the perfect portable hiking, festivals or backpacking hammock.  You can truly take this anywhere! 

Getting cozy down by the creek. Man, i could get use to this!  Kenan has been coming down here and setting up the hammock every morning and enjoying a little peace and relaxation before starting work.  

Our view laying down.  i love looking up at the tree tops.

The Double camping hammock by #liveinfinitely is really strong and durable. Set up and take down is really quick, so it is perfect to take hiking, camping and use at festivals. The hammock is made from weather resistant nylon. It is quick drying, mildew resistant and machine washable.  They are backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. 

We are still in the process of planning out our summer, but i know we are going to be enjoying our hammock while camping, at the local festivals and even just set up in the back yard!  i am so ready for school to be out, so we can enjoy more family time hiking. It's one of my favorite things to do in the spring/summer time. i'm especially excited to check out some new waterfalls, and set up our hammock in the trees near them and just hang out enjoying the sound and energy of the falls.

 Life is good. :) 

  

disclaimer:  i received this hammock free in exchange for my review, but all opinions stated in the review are my own and were not influenced by the sponsor.  i was not compensated for my review or opinion and only review products that i would actually use myself and feel good about recommending.