The Slow and Steady Hiker

11/02/2025

The elder trees were calling so I took a drive up to Robbinsville, Norton Carolina to speak to the trees at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. First I stopped at Yellow Creek Falls past Lake Santeetlah. This is a very short hike all along the creek with a lovely mid sized waterfall. At Joyce Kilmer most of the trees have lost their foliage allowing for an inspection of the old growth forest undergrowth in full sunlight.

10/28/2025

10/06/2025

The second hike this weekend was on a private preserve called Just Love Forest. We hiked to the top of Bhakti Summit on the property for a tour of the green burial grounds. Josh our guide is a knowledgeable young man who is an expert forager and can tell you about all the edible plants and mushrooms. I just don't know how he keeps all the names in his head. He has found previously thought to be extinct plants including a type of Hawthorne off the path on the way to the summit.

10/06/2025

This weekend I did something different for me because I usually hike on my own but instead I joined a guided hike at Panola Mountain State Park.. like Arabia mountain and Stone mountain Panola is a granite outcropping called a pluton but it can only be accessed through a ranger led hike due to the preservation efforts at the park. The hike was a few miles with two wonderful rangers. Elijah led the hike and was very knowledgeable (we are also in the same master naturalist certification course). I really enjoyed learning about the park history, the geology and the various plants and trees.

07/11/2025

Pocket Falls, Georgia

07/11/2025

Approaching Alaska

06/27/2025

High Falls of the Cheat, West Virginia

06/03/2025

A little visit to Ketchikan, Alaska

05/29/2025

Stanley Park in Vancouver

03/31/2025

I visited Old Stone Fort Archeological State Park in Manchester, Tennessee. This park is home to a woodland era rock wall that surrounds what is believed to have been a Native American ceremonial gathering space. Later it was the site of Civil War era mills built along the waterfalls in the Duck River..the trails are easy and scenic. This is a quiet park to enjoy a place of natural beauty and historical significance.

02/24/2025

Escaped to Florida for a few days for the kids mid winter break to commune with the manatees and other natives