The Adventures of Bushwhack Jack

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Christmas 2017

Christmas 2017

For our 2017 Christmas break Amy and I drove up to Delaware to visit her Mom's side of the family. I didn't take a whole lot of photos, but here are a few!

Enjoying a flight at the Blue Earl Brewery in Smyrna, DE

Amy with our niece Caroline

Enjoying a flight at the Brick Works Brewery

After our visit to Delaware, we spent a few days visiting my side of the family in Northern Virginia.

Amy and Me with my brother Bill and his family

at the Cupcake Shop in Haymarket, VA

Family Lunch at Two Silos Brewery

Amy takes a swing at Top Golf

Puff under the Christmas Tree

My family planned a surprise to celebrate Amy's recent graduation! The arrange for a Limo to drive us to and from dinner. This would be Amy's first time in a Limo! Thanks Bill and Michelle for arranging this surprise! And special thanks to my Dad for paying for it!

Amy and Me outside our Limo

Inside the Limo

The complete set of photos from Christmas 2017 is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157689539440092

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

2018-01-14 Looking Glass Rock

Looking Glass Rock Hike

With Brenda and Pat

Pisgah National Forest

Transylvania County, NC

Sunday, January 14th, 2018

I decided to join Brenda and Pat for Sunday Morning hike to Looking Glass Rock. I have done this hike several times before, but never during the winter.

It was about 12 degrees starting out which is cold enough that the condensation from my breath was forming ice crystals on my beard

Ice Crystals on my Goatee

photo by Brenda

Fortunately the looking glass rock trail climbs about 1,600 feet over about 3 miles which will quickly warm the body up in even the coldest of conditions.

Brenda along the Looking Glass Rock Trail

With all the ice on the rocks, it was not really safe to try and explore around the overlook area, so we didn't spend a whole lot of time lingering around.

I also believe that this might be a new record for me of least number of photos taken on a hike. But her are a few that I did manage to take.

view from Looking Glass Rock

Looking Glass Rock Cell Phone Selfie

Pat and Brenda on Looking Glass Rock

It has been a while since I have been able to get out for a hike, and this was a nice one to start 2018.

My complete set of photos is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157689504721562

2017-12-16 Amy's Graduation

Amy's Graduation

BS Human Resource Management

Summa Cum Laude

Limestone College

Gaffney, SC

Saturday December 16th, 2017

Amy just before her Graduation Ceremony

Amy gets her diploma

Amy with her parents after her Graduation Ceremony

Amy and me after her Graduation Ceremony

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

2017-12-09 Snow Day

North Carolina Snow Day!

Saturday, December 9th, 2017

Rutherfordton, Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Gerton

We had our first major snow storm of the year come through on Friday. Unfortunately we only got a light frosting here in Spartanburg. So Amy and I decided to head up to North Carolina where they got a lot more snow!

First stop was the Pleasant Hill Cemetery to decorate Amy's Grandparents Grave Site.

Amy decorating her Grandparents Grave

Cousin Brandon's grave site

Next up was a little visit with Amy's parents:

Green Road - Rutherfordton, NC

Amy's Parent's House

Amy's Dad's Woodshed and Shop

Sourwood Knoll

The neighbors house is a bit drafty

Dun Roamin

We finished up the day with exploring around the Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Gerton area.

The Lake Lure Marina

Cute Sign posted by the Ducks and Geese of Lake Lure

Blue Heron

Frosted Flower

Lake Lure

Last bit of Fall Color in the Snow - Bat Cave, NC

Bearwallow Mountain Road - Gerton, NC

Pretty Little Church in Gerton, NC

It was a fun day in the snow!

My complete set of photos is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157690872820305

Monday, November 6, 2017

2017-10-31 Trombatore Trail and Rumbling Bald

Halloween Hike Day!

Trombatore Trail with Brenda

and a Rumbling Bald Solo Hike

Buncombe / Henderson / Rutherford County, NC

Tuesday, October 31st, 2017

Brenda and Me at Blue Ridge Pastures along the Trombatore Trail

I had one more vacation day to use up before October 31st, which I saved it for the last possible day to join Brenda on a little Halloween hike along the Trombatore Trail. I had never done this trail before and I expected that the fall color would be peaking in this area.

Instead of doing it as an out-and-back hike like I was planning, Brenda suggested making it a shuttle hike. So we left her vehicle down at Hickory Nut Gap in Gerton, NC and drove my vehicle up to the Trombatore Trailhead along Bearwallow Mountain Road.

The official trail is about 2.5 miles and ends at a beautiful mountain top pasture called Blue Ridge Pastures.

Blue Ridge Pastures along the Trombatore Trail

From there we continued on via a series of obvious but unofficial trails which took us over to Ferguson Peak.

view from Ferguson Peak

From Ferguson Peak it is pretty much all downhill back down to Hickory Nut Gap for a total one way hike of just under 5 miles.

Trombatore Trail GPS Trail

Click here for Interactive Link

Brenda would only join me for the morning hike, so I was on my own for the rest of the day. I decided to head on over to Rumbling Bald to hopefully catch some of those views with some nice Fall Color.

The Rumbling Bald Trail follows an old Jeep road which has become seriously eroded over the years. It is no longer possible to take a vehicle up this road, but it is still easy enough to follow for a nice hike.

Along the Rumbling Bald Trail

Once of the last vehicles to attempt to actually drive this old Jeep Trail

The turnoff to Party Rock is about 1.2 miles. The trail climbs about 900 feet in elevation over this distance. The views from Party Rock are some of the best around!

view from Party Rock

After enjoying the views from Party Rock, I continued on up the main trail for about a half mile before beginning my bushwhack over to the Cougar Crag Area. Since all the forest undergrowth was burned during last years forest fires this bushwhack is currently about as easy as it gets. I would still only recommend for those experienced with off trail navigation!

The final stretch down to the open rock face and the Cougar Crag outcrop can be a bit tricky!

View from Cougar Crag

view from Cougar Crag

Since this is off trail, these views are rarely seen! The only disappointment was I was really hoping for some better Fall color!

Rumbling Bald GPS Track

Click here for interactive link

I had a little bit of time left, but not enough to get all the way to Eagle Rock and back. So instead I finished up the day with a little stroll around the Lake Lure Marina Area.