Baby Meets CamelBak, Baby Falls in Love

This past weekend, our little family went out to Broad Run, Virginia for a day of hiking at Bull Run Mountain.  This wasn’t 13-month-old Sagan’s first hike.  It also wasn’t his longest hike.  But it will go down as the hike where he fell in love with the CamelBak.

Sagan Loves the CamelBak

It started on the Quarry Trail. I stopped my husband, Ryan, for some water. Once I finished up, Ryan decided to give little Sagan a try.

Ryan Introduces Sagan to CamelBak

Sagan was smitten almost instantly, though admittedly he needed help getting water out. As we climbed up the hill on Ridge Loop Trail, Sagan took another sip.

Another Sip

He also learned to share with his Daddy.

Sagan Gives CamelBak to Daddy

By the time we reached the views at the top of the mountain, Sagan could manage the CamelBak tubing on his own.

Sagan Sips CamelBak at the Top

The CamelBak’s appeal probably stems from its similarity in texture with the pacifier or bottle. But let’s suspend disbelief momentarily. Let’s just pretend that Sagan was destined to love CamelBak from the very day he was born… when his Mommy sipped from a CamelBak Nalgene bottle during labor. : )

Farewell, Jimmie Dog

My most steadfast hiking buddy passed away this morning. His name was Jimmie (after the band Jimmie’s Chicken Shack). He spent 15 years and 4.5 months on this beautiful earth.

I have written before how adopting this small puppy from the Montgomery County Humane Society in 1997 impacted my life (See Happy 10th Birthday, Jimmie Dog). Jimmie’s adoption led to an active lifestyle. Finding adventures for my dog introduced me to my love of hiking and the mountains. His mere presence meant I was never really “alone” on any endeavor so he gave me the confidence (placebo?) to head into the woods alone and find my independence. He is a dog I will remember with gratitude.

The trails Jimmie has hiked over the years can be measured in “hundreds of miles”. Along the way, he has seen some amazing views. The slideshow below is an excerpt of some of the scenery we shared together. (You don’t have to have the attention span for all the slides, but do please note at how many slides there are. Epic!)

Last night, Ryan, Sagan and I took Jimmie across the river to Occoquan Regional Park. Jimmie was too weak to walk, so we drove to the park and we carried him to the shoreline. We sat under a sycamore tree. We watched ducks commute and ospreys tend to their young. We listened to the summer buzz of cicadas and people splashing on the west shore of the river. The sun set and together Jimmie and I took in one final view.

One Last View (Photo by Ryan Somma)

I love you, Jimmie Dog. I wish you happy trails.

More pictures of Jimmie’s Last Outing can be found on my Flickr site.

Family Hike: Mason Neck State Park

In February, we snuck in a family hike to Mason Neck State Park. It’s an 1800 acre park surrounded by the Pohick and Belmont Bays.  My mother likes us to try to tire out her dog, so her dog “Willy” joined us.  On our drive there, we passed by other parks and trails I had no idea existed. I grew up in this area, but there is still so much left for me to explore!

Trail Overview
There are a little more than 8 miles of trail in the park– all flat and easy! Three of the trails (Beach, Dogue and High Point) are handicap accessible. This sets the park up to be very conducive to family hikes. We did have to pay a small vehicle fee of $4, still a great deal for an entire afternoon of fun.

We started at the Wilson Spring Trail, went along the Bay View Trail. Next we took the Beach Trail to Kent’s Creek Trail back to our parking lot. We did a quick loop on the Dogue Trail before heading back home. The only trail we missed was the Eagle Spur Trail.

Bay View Trail – Sagan and I

Bay View Trail – Marsh Walkway

Bay View Trail – Trail

Bay View Trail – Fence and Trail

Beach Trail – Willy and Sagan At River

Sagan Hiking Tip – Don’t Forget to Snack

Flora
Off the Bay View Trail we saw a nice patch of Mountain Laurel that will be worth a revisit come blooming time.  I found sycamores along the shoreline to be as captivating as usual.

Bay View Trail – Sycamore on Shoreline

Fauna
We saw snail shells in the marsh water on the Bay View Trail and plenty of water fowl throughout.  One of the more interesting “fauna spottings” was a replica of a Bald Eagle Nest off the Beach Trail.  Although this particular nest was built by boy scouts, I was still taken aback.  I had no idea bald eagle nests would be so large.

Beach Trail – Replica of Bald Eagles Nest

We very much enjoyed our trip to the park and look forward to the return trips we will most definitely will be taking in the future.

Mason Neck State Park Trail Map Entrance Fee $3 Weekday, $4 Weekend Length: Varies – 8 miles of trail in the park Elevation Gain: Neglible Directions from Occoquan, Virginia Take I-95 North Get off Exit 161 U.S. 1 N toward Fort Belvoir/Mt Vernon Turn right onto VA-242 East Turn right onto Harley Rd. Turn right into the park

Family “Hike” – Luray Caverns

Ryan Somma and I had a bit of our own version of “March Madness” this year. Our work had three big upgrades/migrations all in the same month which has kept us incredibly busy and required our continued attention over the weekends. Our first non-workday in March fell on the 17th when we went out for my birthday hike. Our next day off was on the 22nd when we accompanied AmiExpat’s Christina and her two sons to Luray Caverns.

Located just outside of Shenadoah National Park, Luray Caverns was discovered in 1878. The one hour tour takes you along 1.25 easy miles through the caverns. Strollers are permitted in the caverns. However, there are two sets of stairs. We found our usual Moby Wrap to be a wonderful compliment to the tour.

Family Portrait in Cave (Photo by Christina)

Although the caverns are considered an “active cave”, the formations only grow a cubic inch every 120 years. That means young Sagan’s eyes were seeing beauty that for all intensive purposes is identical to the beauty I saw when I last visited in high school.

I found how slowly the formations grow to be the most thought-provoking aspect of the tour. Some of the formations, like the drapery of Saracen’s Tent, were thin and delicate. Some, like the Double Column or the Giant Redwood, towered formidably over us. Some were yellow, some were orange, some were alabaster white. But all the formations shared a commonality–they were formed slowly, drip by drip, over the course of millions of years. We were witnesses to the power of small, almost invisible, change and what amazing and intricate things can be accomplished with time. I was looking upon stone but I left with a much greater appreciation of the organisms above ground.

Stalagmite (Photo by Ryan Somma)

Dream Lake (Photo by Ryan Somma)

Draperies (Photo by Ryan Somma)

Other Visitors in Luray Caverns (Photo by Ryan Somma)

After the caverns, we visited the Garden Maze. I thought I was being all sneaky by looking at an aerial shot in Google Maps the night before. When we arrived, all the brochures and signs featured a similiar view. It turns out knowing the layout doesn’t really help. You weren’t merely trying to find an exit, you had to first find four hidden stations along the way. Google Maps also didn’t help us avoid misleading signs.

Section of Garden Maze (Photo by Christina)

We Fell For It

We finished our day with a quick and yummy lunch at nearby Artisan’s Grill. We may have only had two days off in March, but with a filled day like this one, we sure did make up for lost time.

More Pictures
Ryan Somma’s Luray Caverns Pictures on Flickr
Christina’s Luray Caverns Pictures on Flickr
My Luray Cavern Pictures on Flickr

Luray Caverns Website: http://www.luraycaverns.com Tickets: $24 per adult, $12 per child (Ages 6 – 12) Elevation Gain: Roughly two flights of stairs Length: 1.25 miles for the caverns

Sagan’s First Appalachian Trail Hike

The best part about my 37th Birthday Hike was including my eight month old son. We drove by the Appalachian Trail when he was 14 weeks old, but this was the first time Sagan actually got to be on the trail!

Sagan at his First Appalachian Trailhead

He rode most of the way in his Moby Wrap. He slept through most of the ascent and the old apple orchard when we hiked southbound. When he woke up, he got to do some [assisted] hiking of his own.

“Hiking” with Daddy

“Hiking” with Mommy

He joined us for our lunch on the trail and took a surprise liking to a kiwi. Sagan kept pulling the kiwi back to his mouth and sucked it like a vampire.

Sucking on a Kiwi

When we arrived at the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter, Sagan was ready for some more walking practice. And by the time we were climbing down the mountain, he was sound asleep in his Moby Wrap again.

Sagan has a lot of “firsts” to come and I’m sure they will weasle a way into my heart.  But “First A.T. Hike”… that memory is already cemented.

Sagan Hikes Southbound

Sagan Hikes Northbound

37th Birthday Hike – Appalachian Trail VA-55 to Jim and Molly Denton Shelter

This year for my annual birthday hike, Ryan Somma and I introduced eight-month old Sagan to the Appalachian Trail! After some research, I found there was an AT crossing just an hour away from our home! The trail crosses VA-55 and under I-66 in Linden, Virginia. We hiked from the VA-55 trailhead southbound in Manassas Gap to the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter and then turned around for a six mile round trip.

Trail Overview
The trailhead at VA-55 is well marked with a nice prominent sign announcing it is the Appalachian Trail. You cross over Goose Creek on a bridge and then you have a nice wooden walkway to keep your feet dry during flooding season. Almost immediately you cross over some railroad tracks and then you begin a pleasant ascent. I say pleasant because I found the grade and the switchbacks to all be quite manageable, even carrying an eight month old. There are rocky portions, but nothing too severe or trecherous. The trail starts to flatten out and you enter a large field reminiscent of Grayson Highlands.

The VA-55 Trailhead

Some Rocky Portions– But Not Too Bad

The Field (Facing Northbound)

The trail reenters the woods, passes close to the homes of some individuals I now envy dearly and crosses over Fiery Run Road. There are some slight ups and downs and a couple of creek crossings before you hit upon the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter. This shelter is nicknamed “The Hiker’s Hilton” and with good cause. It is quite a fancy shelter, featuring large adirondack chairs… and a rain barrell shower!

Wouldn’t Be Nice to Live Here?

Henry on a Creek Crossing

Sagan and Ryan at Jim & Molly Denton Shelter

Family Portrait at Denton Shelter

Flora
I’m sorry to report that I didn’t pay that much attention to the dormant trees we were passing. I know from the Virginia Hiking, Manassas Gap South video that this section homes Sassafras and the field has remnants of an old Apple Orchard. We did document the first spring activity of a couple of trees and were surprised by one lone daffodil who made a home in the middle of the woods.

Seeds Just South of the Field

Lone Daffodil

Fauna
Although we saw a hawk on our drive to the trailhead, fauna sightings were pretty scarce this hike. Ryan did catch a shot of a frog at a creek crossing south of Firey Run Road. Finally, like my 35th Birthday Hike we were serenaded by spring peepers near the end of our journey.

When I lived in Blacksburg, Virginia, I had many nearby Appalachian Trailheads to choose from. My options are more limited here in Occoquan Virginia, but I have to say the trailhead closest to me is most satisfying. There is a whole lot to see in just three miles.

More pictures of our Appalachian Trail Hike from VA-55 to Denton Shelter can be found on my Flickr site.

Appalachian Trail – VA-55 to Jim & Molly Denton Shelter Length: 6 miles round trip Elevation Gain: ~500 feet Directions from I-66 West Bound From I-66, take Exit 13 Turn left off the ramp Turn left onto VA-55 East In roughly 2.5 miles there is a parking lot to your right (at the intersection of VA-725)

Favorite Tree of 2011, Punctuation Category

On Christmas Day I met a retired park ranger and had a most delightful conversation with him.  I knew we were going to get along when I asked him what his favorite type of tree was and he broke his answer down in categories (Flowering tree, general use tree, shade tree, etc).

He’s a wise man.  I would have a similar issue trying to narrow down my favorite type of tree.  I would even be challenged to pick my single favorite tree of 2011.  But if I were to be asked, “What’s your favorite single tree in 2011 that resembled a punctuation mark?” well, then, that’s a question I could provide a definitive answer to!

Ryan, Sagan and I ran across this “Exclamation Point Tree” (or if you would prefer, “Bang Tree”) on the Bull Run Occoquan Trail between Bull Run Regional Park and Hemlock Overlook.

Bang Tree

So there you go! My Favorite Tree of 2011, Punctuation Category.

Some Things That Did Not Get Blogged About in 2011

Well, goodbye 2011! I’ve seen a number of blogs highlight their favorite posts of the year. I’m going to highlight some of the forgotten posts– the ones I never got around to writing.

Billy Goat Trail – A Return Trip

My Birthday Hike this year was on Maryland’s Billy Goat Trail along the Potomac River. Ryan and I thought it would be fun to do a group hike on that trail. As luck would have it, my friend Greg Z organized a group hike that following month. The weather was sketchy at first and we did have to wait out a storm under a bridge, but after that we had the trail almost all to ourselves.

My favorite part– my friend Greg Z told me when some of the people in the group were struggling on the rocks, he watched me get further and further ahead. Apparently he pointed and said, “THAT’s the one that’s pregnant.”

We walked the trail the opposite direction Ryan and I took in March. It was nice to see the trail from a different perspective. Also since it was a month later, we got to see wildflowers bloom!

A Most Pleasant Day

Mother’s Day Weekend, Ryan and I went down to visit our old neighborhood in Elizabeth City. We shared honeysuckle in our yard with some of the neighborhood kids. When Ryan went to shake Khalif’s hand, Khalif would have none of it.

“Nah, man.” Khalif said, “We hug.” And so they did. I believe that was our first neighborhood kid hug.

I was six months pregnant at the time and some of the kids marveled at how fat I was.

“It’s only temporary,” Ryan chimed in. Then when the subject came up again, “The pounds are going to just melt off.” Although he directed his statements to the kids, I know who his real target audience was! He was making sure his wife kept her self esteem in tact. : )

We went by Earth 383 for Free Comic Book Day. A number of the neighborhood kids joined us and Ryan organized a large game of RoboRally.

One family wasn’t present, so the dogs and I walked over to their new home. When I was still a block away, the youngest kids spotted us and started shouting out my name. They ran inside and their older siblings emerged. The 17-year old son who always seemed somewhat indifferent, came running out with the biggest smile and hugged me in the middle of the street. I spent the remainder of our time in Elizabeth City visiting with that family.

The next stop was Ryan’s parent’s house in Virginia Beach. When we returned home, I went swimming in the lake behind their house with my sister-in-law and her fiance. The water was the perfect temperature and it was so pleasant and relaxing to be swimming by manicured back yards along side of ducks and seagulls.

We finished our day with a big family dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant. There, I got my very first Mother’s Day card… that Ryan had secretly gotten his relatives to sign. It was a great day from start to finish.

My Relatives Kick Ass…Literally

In May, Ryan and I got to visit the New York Botanical Gardens and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. That was just an added bonus though. We were really in New York to watch my sister-in-law test for her black belt in Shao-Lin. All the forms she and her classmates had to remember and execute was simply awe-inspiring. That afternoon also brought me the worst heartburn of my entire pregnancy courtesy of a “Magic Bar” I bought as a concession. I still made it through the entire gestation period Tums-Free.

 

Seattle Bug Safari

In May, Ryan and I visited Seattle. Our outings were blogged about except the Seattle Bug Safari. We very much enjoyed our visit there. The employee working that day was extremely friendly and informative. You could also see that they take their Yelp reviews seriously. One of the reviews indicated that people were getting confused and thinking the Gift Shop was the extent of the business. When we arrived, there were signs making it clear the Bug Zoo was in the back.

Annual Black Friday Cookie Decorating

My family held our annual Black Friday Cookie Decorating again this year. Although we were late on the invites, it was heavily attended. When all the sugar cookies got decorated, some enterprising young girls started to decorate the other variety of cookies. Sagan also decorated his first cookie (with Daddy’s help).

 

Bull Run Occoquan Trail – Bull Run Regional Park to Hemlock Overlook

In December, Ryan started playing Skyrim. The scenery in that game is amazing and Ryan found all the walking in the game made him want to get out and do a real hike. So on December 3rd, our family took on a one way trip along the Bull Run Occoquan Trail. We traveled 7.5 miles from Bull Run Regional Park to Hemlock Overlook. This section may not have been as scenic as Skyrim, but it was still gorgeous in its own right. You walk along the water, get to see some rapids, pass by a memorial pet rock pile and see some neat trees along the way. This outing was Sagan’s longest hike to date (post birth).

Hungry Tree – Hemlock Overlook

One of the parks the Bull Run Occoquan Trail passes through is Hemlock Overlook Regional Park which happens to be home to “Adventure Links“, an outdoor adventure program. While in the park, you’ll encounter rope courses and other neat obstacles affiliated with the program.  Adventure Links infrastructure isn’t the only interesting sight, however. Hemlock Overlook is also home to a Hungry Tree.  : )

Tree at Hemlock Overlook Eating a Fence

Geekhiker Sighting – Occoquan, Virginia

To those of you who read my comment feed, the username Geekhiker might look familiar.  He first commented on this blog in May of 2007 (on “Cell Phone…As Versatile As Duct Tape?“) and over the last four years has managed to be the top commenter.  He drew the attention of other commenters.  Ryan was impressed by how consistently Geekhiker could churn out a humourous comment.  And, the very first time I saw my mother use the @username convention, was in a response to Geekhiker (on 200,000 Views). 

My Mother’s First @Username Comment…Sigh, They Grow Up So Fast!

Well you may also have noticed a rapid decline in Geekhiker’s comments this summer.  The day Sagan was born, Geekhiker also experienced a life change.  This summer he embarked on an epic road trip! He’s been traveling around North America, visiting National Parks, hiking, camping and meeting some bloggers along the way.  A few weeks ago, he just happened to be passing through Virginia, so we put him up a few nights!  I had absolutely no idea what he looked like– I didn’t even know his real name! He, on the other hand, was a little more armed with knowledge. He instantly recognized Jimmie and Henry upon arrival! 

If this happened a few years ago, I most certainly would have opted to take him to the Appalachian Trail.  But time is tight nowadays and the mountains (or “hills” as Geekhiker likes to call them) are farther away than I would like.  So Geekhiker got to watch “diapie changes” instead.    Luckily, he is a very laid back houseguest and happy to go with the flow. Along the way, he got to go to Dixie Bones, the Garden Kitchen, Ledo Pizza and…. Taco Bell.  He also got to watch me make broccoli salad for my birth class reunion.  It was riveting.

We did get an opportunity to hike together though!  It was a short hike– between 3-4 miles at the nearby Bull Run Occoquan Trail.  Henry and my Mom’s dog, Willy, were in attendance as was Ryan and little Sagan (his third post-birth hike). The section of trail we did may not have showcased Virginia as much as I would have liked, but we had great conversation and lots of fresh air.

Plus Ryan and I ended up with a great souvenir! I’m usually the one taking pictures, so there are very few shots of Sagan and I together, let alone shots of Ryan, Sagan and I together. Those of you who read Geekhiker’s blog will know that he is a talented photographer. So we ended the day with some top notch photos of our little family!

And for all you Geekhiker fans out there wondering what he looks like… I snagged a picture of my own! 

Geekhiker holds Sagan!

I think the thing that surprised me the most about Geekhiker in real life is his quick wit. I knew he had a smart humor from his comments and posts, but I somewhat expected he had to brainstorm and revise to get the final product. In other words, I thought he had to work for it. But as we shared meals in real life and he rattled off line after line, I realized– it all comes naturally to him!

As his journey winds down, I look forward to seeing how that quick wit of his describes all his adventures.