December 2: Tinker Creek Greenway from Hollins area to Carvins Cove and back. 5.2 miles.
On a cold winter day, we had this easy trail pretty much to ourselves, and, across the empty boating area, we could have picked any table for lunch.
December 3: Appalachian Trail toward Audie Murphy Monument from Va. 621 and back. 5 miles.
With a bit of a late start, we misjudged the time a little and had to stop short of the destination in order to eat and get back down the mountain before dark.
December 10: Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail. 5.4 miles.
More runners than walkers out on a pretty winter day. We ate lunch at our favorite area for such on this hike—near the abandoned restroom building on a knoll in the abandoned campground. The Greatest Day Hiker Of Them All lamented, as we ate, how sad it is that the old campground has fallen into further and further disrepair over the years, when it could be such an inviting site for families and fun.
December 16: At Carvins Cove, Horse Pen, Gauntlet to just short of Brushy Mountain Trail and back. 6 miles.
Once again, the shortening days of late December brought us up a little short of destination, as we lunched on the side of Brushy Mountain just below the forest road and then retraced our steps.
December 25: Appalachian Trail to McAfee Knob and back. 7.6 miles.
With our all-family Christmas celebrated over the weekend, The Day Hiker and I had Christmas Day to ourselves . . what better way to get out into it than to climb up to the Roanoke area’s signature viewpoint for lunch . . . even if it’s a cold walk to a cold lunch. We got, on this day and throughout this cold month, a lot of great practice with layers—successful to the point that the cries of “It’s freeeeezing,” from The Day Hiker were not heard at all during the month. One key: big poofy mittens over her gloves.
December 29: Star Trail, Mill Mountain Loop Trail and into downtown Roanoke to Athens Corner Grill and back via Roanoke River Greenway. 5.5 miles.
Well, with such a cold month, we did pretty well staying away from an warm, urban, delicious destination until our last walk of the month.
Since Valentine’s Day 2004, Blue Ridge Country Editor in Chief Kurt Rheinheimer and his wife Gail have hiked at least once almost every weekend. Of those bazillion weekends, they have missed just 14, virtually all due to occasional balkiness from Kurt’s old-man knees or achilles. For the first two years (Valentine’s Day 2004 through Valentine’s Day 2006) they didn’t miss a single week, and they have a longer streak now, which Kurt is too superstitious to talk about. They celebrated their 1oth anniversary of hiking with a February 2014 trip to hike the trails of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. They completed the 550 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia in the summer of 2008, and have walked more than 5,100 miles total, mostly in Virginia but including hikes in West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Oregon and … New Zealand! This blog is an ongoing chronicle of those hikes. We hope you enjoy these tales from the trail, and we encourage you to get out there and experience the beautiful Blue Ridge for yourself – happy hiking!
Feedback? Suggestions? They are always appreciated. Feel free to contact us:
