The Adventures of Bushwhack Jack: January 2018

Friday, January 19, 2018

2018-01-15 Rumbling Bald Hike

Rumbling Bald Hike with Mark

Party Rock and Cougar Crag

Rutherford County, NC

Monday, January 15th, 2018

view from Party Rock on Rumbling Bald Mountain

Thanks to Martin Luther King, I had a day off from work on Monday. Mark has been to Eagle Rock, but did not make it to Party Rock or Cougar Crag. So that would be our plan for the day.

Since I have done this hike and written about it several times in the past, I am going to keep this short and just post some of the photos.

View from Party Rock (shortly after sunrise)

Me at Party Rock

(photo by Mark)

Mark at Party Rock

Mark taking a photo at Party Rock

Heading down towards Cougar Crag

view from Cougar Crag

Some Cool Ice viewed from Cougar Crag

view from Cougar Crag

Mark working his way down to Cougar Crag

Mark on Cougar Crag

can you see how the rock is shaped like a Cougar head?

Mark on Cougar Crag

Icy view of Cougar Crag

view from Cougar Crag

Me near the Summit of Rumbling Bald Mountain

(photo by Mark)

Me and Mark enjoying an after hike flight a the Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery

GPS Track of our Hike

Click Here for Interactive GPS Link

My complete set of photos (and a few of Mark's) is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157668644182369

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