tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62177755874285867902024-03-15T21:08:53.434-04:00Navigate To Your AdventureCelebrating the Adventurers and Independent Thinkers Who Travel by the Human Spirit Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-91284955903204989702024-01-17T06:59:00.002-05:002024-02-12T21:10:40.601-05:00Trail Closures Due to Wet Trails and Freeze-Thaw Cycle Explained<br /><br /><br /><i>It's that time of the year again when we start to see trail closures to wet trails and freeze-thaw cycles. This article was originally published in February 2021. It's an important trail issue that needs to be revisited. There are probably more impacts that are caused this time of year with flow-designed trail systems due to the nature of their design. This article has been updated January 2024. </i><div><i><br /></i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj061BE_bQF8-j2sm5uBHdhI88FShjPHfvOLK2cogeMvVmaEVGclhhKG9lVHfC45grl9ecgiYqZo8WeRvzNZV0ARAfPey7YgtVGpuioOzGE8acnimKwHbAEBn6FLKmyKXI6G80YZaDx0VN4fdBZlw-OW5GKgPTNGbRO0rwPEEyiAE8_5q8502wmvFox4ws/s5727/IMG_20210118_134433.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4299" data-original-width="5727" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj061BE_bQF8-j2sm5uBHdhI88FShjPHfvOLK2cogeMvVmaEVGclhhKG9lVHfC45grl9ecgiYqZo8WeRvzNZV0ARAfPey7YgtVGpuioOzGE8acnimKwHbAEBn6FLKmyKXI6G80YZaDx0VN4fdBZlw-OW5GKgPTNGbRO0rwPEEyiAE8_5q8502wmvFox4ws/w640-h480/IMG_20210118_134433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trail damage due to above-normal wet conditions. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6188727a-7fff-a26b-d1d4-52d278a6eeb8"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Increased numbers of new mountain bike riders and other new outdoor recreational users are exploring their local, state, and national parks because of the pandemic. For some users, this might be their first experience using these public resources and newfound outdoor activities. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bicycle shops have experienced a bike boom due to the pandemic, that they probably haven't seen since the bicycle boom of the ’70s. Finding the bike you want might be impossible due to the increased demand. The lack of availability has also created a robust secondary bicycle market.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my local area, we have some fantastic trails! Urban trails in downtown Richmond, which are part of the James River Park System, and just 25 minutes south of the city, we have an IMBA bronze-level ride center at Pocahontas State Park. Which hosts over 50 miles of trail.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the frustrating issues we are seeing now is an increased number of riders still riding when the trails have been closed due to wet weather, or the freeze-thaw cycle. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Realized that many new riders don't understand the "why" behind the trails being closed this time of year due to wet trails and the freeze-thaw cycle. I am sharing a guest post from Joel, one of our local trail-builders. Joel’s effort to explain the "why" behind trail closures during this time of year was posted to one of the local Facebook pages. At the end of this post, we have provided local resources that communicate the trail status, so you know before you go.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trail conditions in your region are very subjective, due to the surface soil type, drainage profile, and relative rainfall in a given period. Trails that are located on steep contours may drain better due to the gravitational pull of surface and groundwater downward versus trails that are in a flatter area and have greater retention of groundwater. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water will seek dry soil if available, but different soil types present different resistance to movement. Similar to how electricity moves through materials with less resistance, groundwater moves quicker through soils with less resistance than those that are more porous, and less dense. In dense and saturated soils, (clay, loam) water will move slower than it will through rocky and sandy soils. In the Metro Richmond Virginia area, the primary soil types are clay and loam-type soils.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This year the Richmond Metro area experienced record rainfall amounts. This has led to higher groundwater concentrations, raising the water table in our area. You can see this in some trail areas where the ground appears to be leaking water via seeps where water has traveled through voids and seams in the soil substrate. Trail builders encounter these “springs” on trails, and we typically address them via “armoring” techniques – using the rock to harden the surface and other techniques to move water off and away from the trail.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regarding "man-made" trails such as bermed flow style and jump type trails. These trails are fun to ride and are very popular (Park trail counters show this to be true). While not naturally existing on trail surfaces, trail-builders are designing and building jump and berm trails. The trail builder has to build up these features.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Designing and building these features is a bit of art and science within itself. These features usually have shapes and gradients with more surface area than flat ground. The increased surface area and stacked soil lead to more infiltration and moisture retention. So “built” trails may retain water and moisture while other (natural surface) trails do not. Heavy precipitation may also result in runoff, leading to erosion and channeling (also not good). </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the winter, most trees and plants go dormant and don’t provide the added effects of transpiration. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transpiration-</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a process where plants suck up groundwater and hold it or emit it into the atmosphere via humidity expressed from pores in their leaves. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evaporation-</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from solar radiation is also less impactful during the winter due to colder average temperatures and fewer daylight hours. So during the winter, plants are not intercepting as much water, allowing more free water into the soil or surfaces.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is freeze-thaw? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the temperature drops at night and the soil is saturated the water freezes. Ice has more volume than water, so it expands in the same space, heaving up the soil and "unpacking" it, which is referred to as frost heave. When surface temperatures rise above freezing due to solar radiation and/or air temps, that ice thaws and turns back to liquid which is the freeze-thaw situation. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you ride or walk on the ground in this state it turns into a slurry (i.e. a "mess") and destroys the shape that it once had. It’s difficult to predict when trails are safe from freeze-thaw but to avoid damage from freeze-thaw conditions, trail managers will choose to close the trails, and closures may extend well past the last measured precipitation.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usage of trails when in a fragile state will make areas that are already susceptible to damage even worse and require either longer closures or difficult remediation (fix, re-route, armor, or permanent closure).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a mountain bike community, we can help keep our trails open and in good shape by being aware of poor trail conditions and respecting trail closures. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Check local trail conditions here:</span></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="249" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gNgFwzE30vmMh5mA2tncvFSZQ3W-VsRjkMecYccRRH3EmeEJwwz52S8bAsi_zIVTIZkRiTWDUq1bLSHkQc9La5W-NzI43gWte3q2RoZMK1gTZULqqi-s3TItPsP0HB4ljbLjXh1d" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="237" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Morning trail status text</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RVA Trail Report on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RVAtrailreport/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Facebook RVA Trail Report</b> </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and on Instagram </span><a href="https://instagram.com/rvatrailreport?igshid=1is4axloesmr1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>rvatrailreport</b></span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friends of Pocahontas website </span><a href="http://www.fopsp.org/current-info.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>fopsp.org</b> </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or text "POCA" to 804-292-2939 to receive automated daily mountain bike trail conditions and trail closures. This text is normally sent at 6:30 a.m. starting in November and 7:30 a.m. starting in March.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RVA MORE website </span><a href="https://rvamore.org/trailstatus/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>RVA MORE Trail Status</b></span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now It's Your Turn-</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would like to hear how your local trail systems and trail clubs communicate temporary trail closures due to wet conditions. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do they educate new riders about IMBA Rules of the Trail and responsible riding?</span></p><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/00454535843081637464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-31692782439037028442023-12-06T06:20:00.002-05:002024-02-12T21:15:49.997-05:00A Complete Guide of Outdoor Holidays<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJdvEHcDXZ2Ms6vTLYF2MdJddrPjjd3vLLv63KXVWZ6P8YHTckLs8C4LPiJ-vFytGw4x-5HYMu4AnAS9rYhGDtxLbTwXXf33CuF0YFTxwlvgTZ-Rc8u7evauHjb-5B2Vf4boKiU31XWlWwOOpbnk5E_hAYQY5O5_XQZFQyzTZzU8rbVMKjTZVbwzo/s4032/20220807_112032-01-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJdvEHcDXZ2Ms6vTLYF2MdJddrPjjd3vLLv63KXVWZ6P8YHTckLs8C4LPiJ-vFytGw4x-5HYMu4AnAS9rYhGDtxLbTwXXf33CuF0YFTxwlvgTZ-Rc8u7evauHjb-5B2Vf4boKiU31XWlWwOOpbnk5E_hAYQY5O5_XQZFQyzTZzU8rbVMKjTZVbwzo/w640-h295/20220807_112032-01-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><i style="font-family: times; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was initially published in December 2022 and has been updated in December 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Some of the external website links have not been updated with 2024 event information for this update.</i> </p><p>If you are like me and let the daily grind of life get in the way of enjoying the outdoors. Or even take the opportunity to experience new activities. Over the years, being spontaneous in this effort has failed. It seems that I need to take the time to schedule my outdoor activities. </p><p>With a new year around the corner, now is the time to fix this issue. I want to plan and schedule those activities. I felt like I needed to build a list of ideas or a bucket list. The truth was, I just needed something to make the process simple. So, this quest might have started with National Bike to Work Day, or another day I cannot remember. Once I had the date I researched for other National Days. It felt like this was a great way to put a place marker on a calendar for myself. </p><p>As I started to build my list of these National Outdoor Days. I had the idea to make this a yearly guide. A resource that puts all the national, world, or global Days that get us outside to enjoy the great outdoors. While compiling this guide, I started to wonder how these days started in the first place. </p><p>While conducting my research, I found that there was at least one organization that was the catalyst behind those days. Plus, most of these days have environmental, conservation, or stewardship causes behind them. The days are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern. While other National Days are just about getting people outside to enjoy nature. </p><p><b>NOTES ABOUT THIS GUIDE:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>DATES: </b>Some of the national, world, or global days are set as a particular day, week, or month, and it is that day, week, or month every year. Some days are celebrated at different times of the year around the world. This is due to a growing or migratory season. I will do my best to provide the correct dates or note the dates can be different around the world.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>WEBSITE LINKS: </b>Links have been provided that will navigate you from the Navigate to Your Adventure to the organization or government website that provides more information and resources about the day. This might not be the only resource, and Navigate to Your Adventure does not endorse any one particular organization's efforts. There are a lot of groups and organizations that support and are the catalysts in the local area.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>HASHTAGS: </b>I have also provided social media hashtags. If you are into sharing your experience. These are the official hashtags suggested by the sponsoring organization.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>READER INPUT: </b>My intent in this guide, is that it will be a living resource. If you know of a National, World, or Global Day that should be listed. Please leave a comment. If you happen to know of other websites that should be added. Please leave a comment. The goal of this post is to help you to plan and put a day on the calendar. Maybe one of these National Days will be something you do annually with family and friends. Maybe you will find a cause that you are passionate about and want to support. But the goal is to get you outside and explore.</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><b><u>JANUARY:</u></b></p><p>Monday, 1 January 2024</p><p><b>First-Day Hikes: </b>In state parks all across America, plus participating regions in Canada. Join thousands of hikers ringing in the New Year. In all 50 states, plus participating regions in Canada, there are ranger-led programs and self-guided strolls to start your year off right. But First-Day activities are not just limited to hikes. There are First-Day orienteering meets, river floats, wilderness first aid, camp cooking, or a 5k. Bottom-line it's about getting outdoors and having fun. Check out your state parks website for information on First Day events.</p><p>Friday, 5 January 2024</p><p><b>National Bird Day:</b> Hike a birding trail or paddle a migratory waterway to learn about wild bird conservation. But this day is about the negative effects of holding exotic birds captive. For more information about National Bird Day, navigate to <b><a href="https://www.avianwelfare.org/" target="_blank">Avian Welfare Coalition</a>.</b></p><p>Monday, 15 <b> </b>January 2024</p><p><b>Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday: </b>Celebrate one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders with <u>free one-day entry </u>to any national park. Choose from hundreds of volunteer opportunities or retrace Dr. King’s steps on the 45-mile Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. For more information, navigate to <b><a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm" target="_blank">National Park Service Celebrates MLK Day</a>.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>FEBRUARY:</u></b></p><p>2 February 2024</p><p><b>World Wetlands Day:</b> Celebrate wetlands' role in filtering pollution and buffering communities against extreme weather across the globe. Attending a free educational program or posting your own that will take place in a marsh, estuary, lake, or floodplain near you. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/" target="_blank"><b>World</b> <b>Wetlands Day</b></a>.</p><p>16-19 February 2024</p><p><b>Great Backyard Bird Count: </b>The Great Backyard Bird Count is a fun global activity that can be done in your backyard. How to participate? Choose a location, watch birds for 15 minutes at least 1 day over the 4 days, and identify all the birds you see and hear within your planned time and location. Then share your sightings with an online tool. For more information, navigate over to<b> <a href="https://www.birdcount.org/participate/" target="_blank">https://www.birdcount.org</a></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>Thursday, 22 February 2024</p><p><b>World Scouting Day: </b>This day marks the birth anniversary of Lieutenant-General Baden Powell, who is known as the founder of Scouting. The term Scouts Day and Guides Day is a generic term for special days that observe the Scouting movement. There is also Founders Day, World Thinking Day, Saint George's Day, and African Scout Day. Some of these days are also observed on 22 February. If you belong to a Scouting movement check when your country observes its day. For more information, navigate over to <b><a href="https://www.scout.org/" target="_blank">Scout.org</a>.</b></p><p>26 February- 3 March 2024</p><p><b>National Invasive Species Awareness Week: </b>NISAW is an international event to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. For more information, navigate to<b> <a href="https://www.nisaw.org/" target="_blank">nisaw.org</a>.</b></p><p><b><u>MARCH:</u></b></p><p>March 1-2, 2024 (Sundown to Sundown)</p><p><b>Global Day of Unplugging:</b> Formerly National Day of Unplugging. Its goal is to commit to 24 hours of smartphone-free living. Then shift to an off-line activity, in-person interaction, or real-life gathering. You can organize an outdoor activity to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with your community. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.unplugcollaborative.org/" target="_blank"><b>Unplug Collaborative</b></a>. </p><p>Sunday, March 3, 2024</p><p><b>World Wildlife Day:</b> Show your support for the world’s wild animals and plants by increasing awareness of our planet’s endangered species. Sign up for an endangered species program hosted by a state or national park near you, then share what you’ve learned on social media with hashtags #WWD2023, #PartnershipforConveration, #WorldWildlifeDay, #WWD, and #CITES50. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://wildlifeday.org/" target="_blank"><b>Wild Life Day</b></a></p><p>Tuesday, 12 March 2024</p><p><b>National Girl Scout Day:</b> Celebrate the anniversary of the first Girl Scout meeting in 1912. Help inspire your favorite scout to become a National Park Girl Scout Ranger. Volunteers who contribute 10 hours or more. Are recognized with an official certificate and patch. For more information, navigate over to <a href="https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-volunteers/traditions-and-ceremonies.html#:~:text=Girl%20Scouts'%20birthday%2C%20March%2012,18%20members%20in%20Savannah%2C%20Georgia." target="_blank"><b>Girl</b> <b>Scouts</b></a>. What is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?</p><p>Thursday, 14 March 2024</p><p><b>National Wildlife Refuge System Birthday:</b> Celebrate the birthday of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service by fishing, hiking, paddling, or volunteering in one of over 550 National Wildlife Refuges across the country. For more information, navigate to the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/story/refuge-system-birthday" target="_blank"><b>National Wildlife Refuge System</b></a>.</p><p>Monday, 18 March 2024</p><p><b>Global Recycling Day: </b>This will be the 6th Global Recycling Day. This should be an easy day to participate in the effort. For more information, navigate over to <a href="https://www.globalrecyclingday.com/" target="_blank"><b>Global Recycling Day</b></a></p><p>Thursday, 21 March 2024</p><p><b>International Day of Forests: </b>This year's theme is "Forests and Innovation". On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national, and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees. For more information, navigate to <b><a href="https://www.fao.org/collaborative-partnership-on-forests/initiatives/international-day-of-forests/en" target="_blank">Collaborative Partnership on Forests</a>,</b> or <a href="https://wrd.unwomen.org/engage/events/international-day-forests-2024" target="_blank"><b>UN Women</b></a>.</p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u>APRIL:</u></b></p><p>Week of 20-28 April 2024</p><p><b>National Park Week:</b> Kick off the National Park Service’s week-long celebration of America’s history, culture, and natural treasures with 20 April being a <u>free one-day entry</u> to the national park of your choosing. For more information, navigate over to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.htm" target="_blank"><b>National Park Service</b></a>. Follow the National Park Service on Social Media during the week #YourPark.</p><p>Monday, 22 April 2024</p><p><b>Earth Day:</b> Marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement that started in 1970. In 1990 Earth Day went global and 190 countries were involved in this event. You shouldn't have to look hard for an Earth Day event. This year's theme is Planet vs. Plastic. This year there is a poster competition and details can be found at<b> <a href="https://www.earthday.org/your-art-our-earth/" target="_blank">Your Art Our Earth</a></b>. Sharing stories on social media using hashtags #EarthDay2024. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/" target="_blank"><b>Earth Day 2024</b></a>.</p><p>Friday, 26 April 2024</p><p><b>National Arbor Day:</b> It is celebrated on the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates throughout the year based on the best time to plant a tree. Get involved by volunteering to plant and c for trees in these wild lands and your community. For more information, navigate over to <a href="https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/dates.cfm" target="_blank"><b>Arbor Day Foundation</b></a>, or also check your state forestry department. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>MAY:</u></b></p><p>Friday, 17 May 2024</p><p><b>Endangered Species Day:</b> Every year on the third Friday in May, people worldwide participate in Endangered Species Day. This year will be the 18th year of this celebration. The Endangered Species Coalition’s mission is to stop the human-caused extinction of our most at-risk species and restore their habitats. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.endangered.org/campaigns/endangered-species-day/" target="_blank"><b>Endangered</b></a>.</p><p>Friday, 17 May 2024</p><p><b>Bike to Work Day: </b>BTWD is an annual event that promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work. Statistics show that 40% of all trips in the United States are less than two miles away. If the city where you live has a commuting infrastructure. Then plan ahead and take the bicycle instead of the car. There are so many benefits to commuting by bicycle. </p><p>Saturday, 18 May 2024</p><p><b>Kids to Parks Day:</b> Celebrate the 14th annual Kids to Parks Day which is celebrated on the third Saturday of May. The day connects kids and their families to local, state, and national parks to promote discovery and exploration in the great outdoors. Participate in a stewardship, STEM, and history event at a national, state, or local park near you. Or, just visit a park for a day of outdoor fun! Today is all about enjoying nature. For more information, navigate to<b> <a href="https://parktrust.org/kids-to-parks-day/" target="_blank">National Park Trust</a>.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>JUNE:</u></b></p><p>Friday, 31 May through Sunday, 2 June 2024</p><p><b>Bike Travel Weekend: </b>Invite a few friends and plan a bikepacking or touring trip with help from the <a href="https://www.adventurecycling.org/" target="_blank"><b>Adventure Cycling Association</b></a>, or find an overnight trip at <a href="https://bikepacking.com/overnighters/" target="_blank"><b>Bikepacking Overnighters</b></a>.</p><p>Saturday, 1 June 2024</p><p><b>Clean the Bay Day: </b>Since 1989 Virginians have been giving back to their waterways by removing litter and debris. Over the last three decades, there have been 165,500 volunteers engaged with this event and have removed 7.18 million pounds of debris. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.cbf.org/events/clean-the-bay-day/index.html" target="_blank"><b>Clean the Bay Day</b></a>.</p><p>Saturday, 1 June 2024</p><p><b>National Trails Day:</b> The American Hiking Society's National Trails Day is about committing to trail service and leaving your local trails better than you found them. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/" target="_blank"><b>American Hiking Society</b></a>.</p><p>Saturday, 8 June 2024</p><p><b>World Oceans Day:</b> Visit a coastal park, hike a beach trail, volunteer to pick up trash on the shore, or travel to your local zoo or aquarium for this global celebration of healthy oceans. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://worldoceanday.org/take-action/plan-your-event/" target="_blank"><b>World Ocean Day</b></a>.</p><p>27 June 2024</p><p><b>Great American Campout:</b> Also known as the Great American Backyard Campout. This year Clean Earth Challenge to go camping and be a part of a wide-scale effort to clean up the plant. This could be around your campsite or on the trail. Hashtag #ComeCleanForEarth. For more information, navigate to <b><a href="https://www.nwf.org/great-american-campout" target="_blank">The National Wildlife Foundation</a>.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>AUGUST:</u></b></p><p>Sunday, 25 August 2024</p><p><b>National Park Service Birthday:</b> Help the park service celebrate 103 years of preserving America’s wild places with this year’s theme Discovering Something New. Plan a park outing with your family, and share your adventure on social media with the hashtags #NPSBirthday, #FindYourPark, and #EncuentraTuParque. For more information, navigate to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/nps-birthday.htm" target="_blank"><b>National Park Service</b></a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>SEPTEMBER:</u></b></p><p>September is National Wilderness Month. The Wilderness Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, opening a new chapter in American conservation by creating the National Wilderness Preservation System. Today there are 800 wilderness areas spanning 111 million acres.</p><p>Wednesday, 4 September 2024</p><p><b>National Wildlife Day:</b> Explore the wilderness areas in your state to discover the wild creatures in the woods and on the water around you. Learn about America's best wildlife viewing experiences.</p><p>Sunday, 22 September 2024</p><p><b>Car Free Day: </b>A day to get around by bike, train, bus, or walking around. For more information, navigate to <b><a href="https://www.carfreemetrodc.org/" target="_blank">Car Free Metro DC</a>.</b></p><p>Saturday, 28 September 2024</p><p><b>National Public Lands Day:</b> Celebrate the 26th anniversary of National Public Lands Day and the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System and National Wild & Scenic Rivers System with a conservation project at a national park near you. You’ll get a fee-free token in return to use on a future visit. For more information, navigate to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/public-lands-day.htm#:~:text=National%20Public%20Lands%20Day%20falls%20on%20September%2023%2C%202023." target="_blank"><b>National Park Service</b></a>.</p><p>Saturday, 28 September 2024</p><p><b>National Fishing & Hunting Day:</b> Learn about the critical role hunters and anglers play in conservation efforts by attending an educational event at a shooting range, wildlife refuge, fish hatchery, or national forest in your area. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://nhfday.org/about/" target="_blank"><b>National Hunt and Fish Day</b></a>.</p><p>Saturday, 28 September 2024</p><p><b>Bike Your Park Day: </b>For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/bike-your-park-day/" target="_blank"><b>Adventure Cycling Association</b></a> or <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/bike-your-park.htm" target="_blank"><b>National Park Service</b></a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>NOVEMBER:</u></b></p><p>Monday, 11 November 2024</p><p><b>Veterans Day: </b>Honor America’s heroic veterans with an educational visit to one of our nation’s battlefields, military parks, and historic sites. From the Statue of Liberty to the USS Arizona Memorial, daily admission is f<u>ree to all national parks</u> on Veterans Day.</p><p>Sunday, 17 November 2024</p><p><b>National Take a Hike Day:</b> Brush up on hiking skills and Leave No Trace practices, then take off for the trailhead on the American Hiking Society’s last trail day of the year. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://americanhiking.org/national-take-hike-day/" target="_blank"><b>American Hiking Society</b></a>.</p><p>Friday, 29 November 2024</p><p><b>#OptOutside Day:</b> Join REI’s movement to opt out of holiday shopping on Black Friday. Commit to spending the day after Thanksgiving outdoors, enjoying an activity you love, spending time with family and friends, or giving back to nature and your community. For more information, navigate to <a href="https://www.rei.com/opt-outside" target="_blank"><b>Recreational</b> <b>Equipment Inc</b></a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>DECEMBER:</u></b></p><p>Wednesday, 11 December 2023</p><p><b>International Mountain Day:</b> Climb a peak to learn about fragile mountain ecosystems, and take photos of your journey to post on social media and tag #MountainsMatter. For more information, navigate to the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/mountain-day" target="_blank"><b>United Nations</b></a>.</p><div><br /></div><div><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Please leave a comment on an outdoor holiday that needs to be added or a resource link.</div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-7673029402561719092023-10-31T15:24:00.003-04:002024-03-12T18:41:07.654-04:00POSTCARD: Embracing Stillness and Finding Clarity in Nature<p style="text-align: center;"> <i>" Be the person your dog thinks you are"</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>- J.W. Stevens</i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/53293814665/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2023-10-28_10-06-19"><img alt="2023-10-28_10-06-19" height="419" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53293814665_7d69710ac6_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Man's best friend observes our surroundings. Always vigilant!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div>I took this image about two months after returning from a deployment. I had been going 100mph for over 330 days in a world different than my family and friends. Even after returning home, I felt like I needed to keep moving or doing something.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lucky for me I have access to an 8,000-acre state park just out my backdoor. This is a place where I could take our two over-friendly dogs for a walk. Taking the dogs for a walk helped me transition back from the chaos. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think this image captures what I was looking for. I was finally okay to embrace stillness. I didn't have to go 100mph to feel I was doing something productive. Giving myself time to be still allowed me time to reset myself, and being in nature with man's best friend allowed me to find clarity. That clarity allowed me to face challenges, embrace opportunities, and plan a path forward.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe our dogs know what we need, better than we do.</div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;">Navigate over to our related Postcard Series posts at:</i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><br /></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/08/postcard-livadh-lake-sharr-mountain.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard: Livadh Lake Sharr Mountain Range</b></a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/09/postcard-old-bazaar-skopje-northern.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Old Bazaar Skopje Northern Macedonia</b></a><br /></li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">To see more photos in this series, navigate over to </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72157719777005139/with/52770132705/" style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-21393518383129233392023-09-26T22:37:00.007-04:002024-03-12T18:43:37.273-04:00Rapidan Camp || Shenandoah National Park<div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in August 2012, and was updated in September 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness. You will see both Hoover Camp and Rapidan Camp used. Don't be confused by the names, just know it's the same place.</i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJOGUPXiekgGUe5vpFz2qLVvGKgceg3ZHCtPwWuADy42tloG0aPAjf6QlSn3gIPJe5YGTYSJvtDPcGVJoZQAeleGNcHZUHHorMQtasAqzQcu0v-MAGxyDZqY3AxVB9DzJCB6j5cuM2DZXq6kPwWModbj0d3NXjUSYugSOZM8kpi3Wm0CRFvmOXjSEyJY/s1470/Hoover%20Camp%20Main%20BLDG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1470" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJOGUPXiekgGUe5vpFz2qLVvGKgceg3ZHCtPwWuADy42tloG0aPAjf6QlSn3gIPJe5YGTYSJvtDPcGVJoZQAeleGNcHZUHHorMQtasAqzQcu0v-MAGxyDZqY3AxVB9DzJCB6j5cuM2DZXq6kPwWModbj0d3NXjUSYugSOZM8kpi3Wm0CRFvmOXjSEyJY/w640-h426/Hoover%20Camp%20Main%20BLDG.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The main cabin at Hoover Camp is called the "The Brown House".</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div>Late Saturday evening, I decided that I wanted to go to Shenandoah National Park the following morning to do a day hike. I wanted to locate a route around the 10-mile mark. Digging around the house, I grab my collection of PATC maps and guidebooks that cover Shenandoah National Park. PATC guidebook for Circuit Hikes In Shenandoah National Park.<br />
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On page 67 of my <u>outdated</u> copy of the PATC guidebook for Circuit Hikes In Shenandoah National Park. I found the hike I was looking for. A circuit hike of Hoover Camp would provide me a route of 9.9 miles and a projected travel time of 5 hours. Great! Just what I was looking for.<br />
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When I arrived at Shenandoah National Park, I was greeted with fantastic weather. The temperature on the mountain was 61 degrees. That sure did beat the heatwave that we seem to have had for the past several weeks. I start my journey for this day hike at the Byrd Visitor Center. The Byrd Visitor Center and the Big Meadows area are great places to use as a base of operations for day hikes. The Hoover Camp circuit starts on the east side of Skyland Drive across from the Big Meadows Wayside. <br /><br /><div>You will start this hike on the Rapidan Fire Road from the trailhead parking lot. The Rapidan Fire Road is a gravel road that cuts through the Big Meadows. As a side note, you could spend a day just hiking the spider web of trails in the meadow. This is a great place to see deer and all kinds of birds. About a mile down Rapidan Fire Road, you will come upon Mill Prong Spur Trail on your right. Mill Prong Spur Trail would be my return route from Hoover Camp. I follow Rapidan Road as it descends to the Rapidan River Valley.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>NOTE: </b>If you are not wanting to hike a 10-mile circuit. A shorter option is to take Mill Prong Spur Trail 1.8 miles to Hoover Camp. This would then make this hike an out-and-back hike.</div><div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/49968871087/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rapidan Camp"><img alt="Hoover Camp Shenandoah National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968871087_0a19f9126f_c.jpg" title="Rapidan Camp" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The sign is correct and my map was outdated.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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I do a quick map check and see both Rapidan Camp and Hoover Camp listed on my map. I know I need to start back up the mountain. But this is confusing me. Let me explain and I will try to make a long story short. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 1948 the Boy Scouts of America were granted a 20-year lease on the Rapidan Camp to use it as a summer camp. The Boy Scouts renamed the camp "Hoover Camp". The resources I used to plan this hike at the last minute were the PATC Circuit hikes in Shenandoah National Park 13th edition 1990 guidebook and PATC map #10 17th edition 1995. In 2004 after the National Park Service restored the grounds of the camp. The Park Service officially changed its name back to Rapidan Camp. </div><div><br /></div><div>What the PATC map from 1995 showed me was the Rapidan Camp was the location of the camp that the Marines were located at and Hoover Camp was the renamed camp by the Boy Scouts. </div><div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/49968093038/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rapidan Road"><img alt="Hoover Camp Shenandoah National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968093038_bc1cda499a_c.jpg" title="Rapidan Road" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The road looks like it goes up forever!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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Just a little way up the fire road to the left, I see a trail marker that has Rapidan Camp on it. At the end of this side trail, I see a cabin. At this point, I believe I am about a mile east of where I should be at.<br />
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After rechecking my map to see how far up the trail Hoover Camp was. A guy pops around the deck of the cabin. I asked him, was Hoover Camp up the trail? He told me this was Hoover Camp...<br />
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Okay, now I am confused. I know where I think I am on the map... But the signs tell me something different...That's when he tells me that this is part of the Rapidan Camp. The guy cleaning up around the camp is an NPS Volunteer and has been volunteering at Hoover Camp for 9 seasons as an interpreter. As an interpreter volunteer, he shows park users around the camp and provides the history of the camp. <br />
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/historyculture/rapidancamp.htm" target="_blank"><b>Here's a link to the Park Service website about the camp</b></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/49968077253/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hoover Camp Back of main BLDG"><img alt="Hoover Camp Back of main BLDG" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968077253_5eda83dcd1_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The back view of "The Brown House".</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/49968077253/in/photostream/%22%20title=%22Hoover%20Camp%20Back%20of%20main%20BLDG%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968077253_5eda83dcd1_c.jpg%22%20width=%22800%22%20height=%22533%22%20alt=%22Hoover%20Camp%20Back%20of%20main%20BLDG%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><br /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The <span style="text-align: center;">Presidential retreat sits at the junction of Laurel and Mill Prongs. These two creeks create the headwater of the Rapidan River. The President's cabin known as the Brown House has been restored to what the cabin looked like in 1929. </span><br />
<br />The NPS volunteer did a great job giving a tour and talking about the history of the camp and of President Hoover and First Lady Lou Henry Hoover. The guided tour of the camp took about an hour. The camp and the guided tour were definitely a highlight of this day hike.<br /><br /></div><div>After leaving Rapidan Camp I took Mill Prong Spur Trail to get back to Rapidan Road. From there it was about a mile to the start point.<br />
<br />While I did have some navigation issues on the trail with the two different camp names. This day hike turned out to be one of the better hikes that I have taken in the park. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Note: </b>I didn't follow the full route listed in my guidebook. This hike took me about 4.5 hours and was about 9.3 miles (this doesn't count for lunch or the tour) and an elevation gain of 1320ft.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Trail Notes-</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b>Activity: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Route/Place: </b>Rapidan Road, Broyles Gap, Mill Prong Trail, Mill Prong Spur Trail, Rapidan Road/ Big Meadows</div><div><b>Activity Type: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Trail Difficulty: </b>Rapidan Road - Easy.</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Broyles Gap</span>-Easy.</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Mill Prong Trail-Easy.</span><br /></div><div><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Mill Prong Spur Trail-Easy.</span><br /></span></div><div><b>Trail Conditions: </b>The trail is very well maintained. Marked with trail signs and white blazes.</div><div><b>Waterfalls/Steams: </b>Big Rock Falls/ Mill Prong, Laurel Prong, Rapidan River</div><div><b>Trip Results: </b>Successful.</div><div><b>Road Conditions: </b>Road suitable for all vehicles- Access fee.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>What you need to know before you go.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>References: The </b>hike can be found in the <a href="https://www.patc.net/PATC/Home/PATC/Home.aspx" target="_blank"><b>Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC)</b></a> guidebook <i><b>Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park</b></i> 19th edition 2023. The level of detail that the guidebook provides is fantastic The PATC Map 1o which covers the Central District of Shenandoah National Park, is another fantastic resource for this hike. PATC maps are the gold standard for the park. Both of these resources can be found in the <a href="https://www.patc.net/PATC/Our_Store/Shenandoah_National_Park.aspx" target="_blank"><b>PATC store</b></a>, Visitor Center <a href="https://snpbooks.org/shop/books/hiking/circuit-hikes-in-shenandoah-national-park/" target="_blank"><b>gift shops</b></a>, and outdoor retailers.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/fees.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Fees</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/maps.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Map</b></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.southshenandoah.net/feedback/trail-conditions.html" target="_blank"><b>Report a Trail Issue</b></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>
<i>Navigate over to our other </i><i>related articles </i><i>on hikes in Shenandoah National Park</i></div><div>
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<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2016/12/doyle-river-loop.html" target="_blank"><b>Doyle River Loop</b></a></i></li>
<li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2017/05/day-hikes-around-beagle-gap-shenandoah.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Day Hikes Around Beagle Gap</i></b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/10/exploring-south-district-hikes-in.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Exploring South District Hikes in Shenandoah National Park</i></b></a><br /></li>
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<br /></div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Syria, VA 22743, USA38.4912542 -78.420192112.286049743486679 -113.5764421 64.696458656513329 -43.263942099999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-74746894380739338692023-09-22T22:03:00.001-04:002023-09-25T21:02:30.406-04:00Doyles River Loop || Shenandoah National Park<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in October 2016, and was updated in September 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.</i></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108650863/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Jones Run Trail"><img alt="Jones Run Trail Shenandoah National Park" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/5474/30108650863_3960328ba4_z.jpg" title="Jones Run Trail" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jones Run Trail just before the first water crossing.</i><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108650863/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5474/30108650863_3960328ba4.jpg%22%20width=%22281%22%20height=%22500%22%20alt=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108650863/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/5474/30108650863_3960328ba4.jpg%22%20width=%22281%22%20height=%22500%22%20alt=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108650863/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/5474/30108650863_3960328ba4_z.jpg%22%20width=%22360%22%20height=%22640%22%20alt=%22Jones%20Run%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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A trip to Shenandoah National Park was well overdue. For one reason or another, I had not been able to make it to the park. This past October I made it out for a day hike to catch the fall colors. While I might have missed the peak by a couple of days, this trip did not disappoint. </div>
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<div>The plan was to hike the short version of Doyles River Loop. The short version is a 6.5-mile loop with about 1400ft of elevation change. There is a long version of this circuit hike, which will make a loop of almost 8 miles. The trails in Shenandoah National Park are well maintained by the <a href="https://www.patc.net/PATC/Home/PATC/Home.aspx" target="_blank"><b>Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC)</b></a>. This hike can be found in their guidebook <i><b>Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park</b></i> 19th edition 2023. The level of detail that the guidebook provides was all I needed to navigate the trail. The PATC Map 11 which covers the South District of Shenandoah National Park, is another fantastic resource for this hike. PATC maps are the gold standard for the park. Both of these resources can be found in the <a href="https://www.patc.net/PATC/Our_Store/Shenandoah_National_Park.aspx" target="_blank"><b>PATC store</b></a>, Visitor Center <a href="https://snpbooks.org/shop/books/hiking/circuit-hikes-in-shenandoah-national-park/" target="_blank"><b>gift shops</b></a>, and outdoor retailers.</div>
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<div>Parking is located at Jones Run Parking (MP 84). It has been my experience that during peak park usage, you want to get to the trailhead by 9:30. If not, you will find yourself dealing with a full parking lot.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30111851424/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Old growth Tulip Popular"><img alt="Old growth Tulip Popular on Jones Run Trail" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/5666/30111851424_5413268ca8_z.jpg" title="Old growth Tulip Popular" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Old-growth Tulip Popular.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30111851424/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Old%20growth%20Tulip%20Popular%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5666/30111851424_5413268ca8.jpg%22%20width=%22281%22%20height=%22500%22%20alt=%22Old%20growth%20Tulip%20Popular%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30111851424/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Old%20growth%20Tulip%20Popular%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/5666/30111851424_5413268ca8_z.jpg%22%20width=%22360%22%20height=%22640%22%20alt=%22Old%20growth%20Tulip%20Popular%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Following the Jones Run Trail, I was surprised to find old-growth Tulip Popular. They are massive and tower over the forest floor. I found a great spot to have lunch just before where the Jones Run and Doyles River Trails meet.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108592533/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Doyle River Trail"><img alt="Doyle River Trail Shenandoah National Park" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/5795/30108592533_1dbfc6c31d_z.jpg" title="Doyle River Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cedar Mountain in the background of the Doyles River Trail.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108592533/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/5795/30108592533_1dbfc6c31d.jpg%22%20width=%22500%22%20height=%22281%22%20alt=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108592533/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/5795/30108592533_1dbfc6c31d_z.jpg%22%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22360%22%20alt=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30108592533/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5795/30108592533_1dbfc6c31d.jpg%22%20width=%22500%22%20height=%22281%22%20alt=%22Doyle%20River%20Trail%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a></div>
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<div>This image was taken on the Doyles River Trail about halfway up from Jones Run Trail. In the background is Cedar Mountain Elv 3330 ft. On both trails, you will find a couple of waterfalls. The Jones Run Waterfall (42ft) and the Lower Fall (63ft). Also on Jones Run, there are a couple of pools to enjoy in the summertime. </div>
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<div>I probably do this backward from most people. I end up learning about the history of a place after I have been there. Then learn the history of it before I go. This hike was no different. The picture below is Browns Gap Road. Construction of the road started in 1805 and was known as Brown's Turnpike. During the Civil War, this was an important route and was used by Stonewall Jackson to get his troops across the Blue Ridge on many occasions. There is one lone Confederate Soldier buried along the route. </div>
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Browns Gap Road spans across the park. I enjoyed hiking the section of Browns Gap Road so much that I wanted to go back to hike the entire distance of Browns Gap. It is incredible to me that a road that is 216 years old is in such great shape. I named it the Rhubarb Highway because Rhunarb ran down the side of the trail forever. This was one of the most enjoyable day hikes that I had been on.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/30707269136/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Browns Gap Road"><img alt="Browns Gap Road Shenandoah National Park" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/5672/30707269136_dbc6163b72_z.jpg" title="Brown Gap Road" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Browns Gap Road used to take produce out of the valley to Richmond Virginia.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Trail Notes-</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b>Activity: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Route/Place: </b>Jones Run Trail/Doyles River Trail/Browns Gap Road/Appalachian Trail/Jones Run parking milepost 84.</div><div><b>Activity Type: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Trail Difficulty: </b>Jones Run Trail - Easy & Older Kid Friendly.</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Doyles River Trail</span> -Moderate & Older Kid Friendly.</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Browns Gap Road - Easy & Kid Friendly.</span><br /></div><div><span> Appalachian Trail - Easy & Kid Friendly.</span></div><div><b>Trail Conditions: </b>The trail is very well maintained. Marked with trail signs and white & blue blazes.</div><div><b>Waterfalls/Steams: J</b>ones Run Waterfall (42ft) and lower (63ft) & upper falls on Doyles River Trail/ Jones Falls Run & Doyles River.</div><div><b>Trip Results: </b>Successful.</div><div><b>Road Conditions: </b>Road suitable for all vehicles- Access fee.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>What you need to know before you go.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/fees.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Fees</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/maps.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Map</b></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.southshenandoah.net/feedback/trail-conditions.html" target="_blank"><b>Report a Trail Issue</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;">Leave a comment about hikes you have done in the South District. What is your favorite trail or loop? </div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div>
<i>Navigate over to our other </i><i>related articles</i><i> about hiking in Shenandoah National Park.</i></div><div>
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<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2012/08/hoover-camp-shenandoah-national-park.html" target="_blank"><b>Hoover Camp</b></a></i></li>
<li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2017/05/day-hikes-around-beagle-gap-shenandoah.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Day Hikes Around Beagle Gap</i></b></a></li>
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Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Doyles River, White Hall, VA 22932, USA38.1834744 -78.66997519.873240563821156 -113.8262251 66.493708236178847 -43.5137251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-56436522405385229282023-07-31T23:01:00.002-04:002023-07-31T23:02:26.320-04:00DIY Project- MTB Orienteering Map Board<div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in July 2011 and has been updated in July 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The local orienteering club scheduled a mountain bike orienteering event that they will be hosting at the local state park. I am very interested in this event, so I started my research to find out more about the sport. Like any sport, there is always some type of gear that is unique to the sport. Mountain bike orienteering is no different.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the case of mountain bike orienteering, it happens to be a piece of gear called a map board. The map board is attached to your handlebars and holds your orienteering map so you can ride and read your map at the same time. Online you can find these boards for anywhere from $60-$90. Mountain bike orienteering is a niche sport where I live and I might see one event a year. So, the online price for a map board is more than I would like to pay. </div>
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With that, I figured that I could make my own. The hardest part was to figure out what supplies I would need for this DIY project. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Supplies:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Clipboard</li><li>NiteRider light mount</li><li>Tire patches</li><li>Rear Derailleur washer</li><li>1-gallon zip-lock bag</li><li>Binder clips</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPI8cZQi8-C734LhIrAa5cRlW-SW3exJSweQn8LFmONje-vkVSSSBokDlb6v9uGPnb1smBRyl9wX2o7Q-2FPcQqrqwbPMtipwit6MaxIEWRuYKMGQtFir9OzLpJqcxQ_JtHlscoooOtujNRJy42_nNX7L1FFxoa_DOMyEUbXg2zJmuC8-f77KRzF9BcE/s400/100_0866.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPI8cZQi8-C734LhIrAa5cRlW-SW3exJSweQn8LFmONje-vkVSSSBokDlb6v9uGPnb1smBRyl9wX2o7Q-2FPcQqrqwbPMtipwit6MaxIEWRuYKMGQtFir9OzLpJqcxQ_JtHlscoooOtujNRJy42_nNX7L1FFxoa_DOMyEUbXg2zJmuC8-f77KRzF9BcE/w640-h480/100_0866.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Supplies needed for this DIY project.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>The Process:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Once I had all the supplies that I needed for this project. The first place I started was to remove a hanging tap on the chipboard. This item was just an annoyance because it rattled and didn't provide a function.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuvAOjezLBy7YLWZi_yWsCNApBKZlDU0SmZMVTVQlyzQ1-o7sKMifIiHNLQugM9Uh1Ng1tDNoM1y0vOfUP4iLknZoFq-QtO8hn9nykyoi0PJAUXriMk_-RXQA_PNbFAGkT7UYqFUf290MCVOP-HzaIH_ZTF3hlgmK0tdSM4wWbVnGPUKGzaw7U4_eNKk/s640/100_0867.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuvAOjezLBy7YLWZi_yWsCNApBKZlDU0SmZMVTVQlyzQ1-o7sKMifIiHNLQugM9Uh1Ng1tDNoM1y0vOfUP4iLknZoFq-QtO8hn9nykyoi0PJAUXriMk_-RXQA_PNbFAGkT7UYqFUf290MCVOP-HzaIH_ZTF3hlgmK0tdSM4wWbVnGPUKGzaw7U4_eNKk/w640-h480/100_0867.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Remove this tab.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><b>Step #2:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Remove the light mounting shoe from the NiteRider mount. Now, we see that we have a recessed circle.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8jNWIKLW6KE421m4xT4M2ZvUljoQHTjxGQQsBepxl-a4sQuck8VDJ0bTX4v3kHyfmGwWQDsFoaNLgXir4U6KeQ11pe7TLCyk78Kr4anNSIJ-TEzcNrjoPeoYTUtH2shkNtm-q47HJ5FhLIS5hKxckw3y7RPgGV-9rZxFLXziwLDppTVK6R7eZekB1P4/s640/100_0868.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8jNWIKLW6KE421m4xT4M2ZvUljoQHTjxGQQsBepxl-a4sQuck8VDJ0bTX4v3kHyfmGwWQDsFoaNLgXir4U6KeQ11pe7TLCyk78Kr4anNSIJ-TEzcNrjoPeoYTUtH2shkNtm-q47HJ5FhLIS5hKxckw3y7RPgGV-9rZxFLXziwLDppTVK6R7eZekB1P4/w640-h480/100_0868.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Step #3:</b></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">A spacer will needed to fill the recessed circle. I figured that a tire patch would work. While it almost fits the circle I still need another spacer for height.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGQwAQbuA3s0PqlN3Ri-sR4zhRudtyhYzQkAyeIO-Ieiiyr6uMGEKse_XaGahdQD5abJy1QwI3Ua8YtV7pE6Vi4p4B5ZhZm5yhkZVi2D2x3-uVEBcsjA0CQbJHZnQ81X38UdypeDMYT2UI4ZVCZ7xTY166Hs8dtYGjQj46bKNvAno2xAlkcUoZW8jkfo/s320/100_0870.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGQwAQbuA3s0PqlN3Ri-sR4zhRudtyhYzQkAyeIO-Ieiiyr6uMGEKse_XaGahdQD5abJy1QwI3Ua8YtV7pE6Vi4p4B5ZhZm5yhkZVi2D2x3-uVEBcsjA0CQbJHZnQ81X38UdypeDMYT2UI4ZVCZ7xTY166Hs8dtYGjQj46bKNvAno2xAlkcUoZW8jkfo/w640-h480/100_0870.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><i>A vulcanized tube patch will be used as a spacer.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MgwtCnFMCrEeRAVBmlYyAs4d3XJ3AHleDZ03t5uFGrGb1WMTWXyP8yA9C3mpIPVCKZcrruZ512RJU5pR3DZc6zvBwxSb6L5fmuoekLKNpIRC-q9irxgXlem6Q0UwsQKexxwfhGazQ7_iYKYH8hvazL7hHPEtl01OzQKwUbtsRrK2Vv2mjDxxV8RN1Ko/s320/100_0871.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MgwtCnFMCrEeRAVBmlYyAs4d3XJ3AHleDZ03t5uFGrGb1WMTWXyP8yA9C3mpIPVCKZcrruZ512RJU5pR3DZc6zvBwxSb6L5fmuoekLKNpIRC-q9irxgXlem6Q0UwsQKexxwfhGazQ7_iYKYH8hvazL7hHPEtl01OzQKwUbtsRrK2Vv2mjDxxV8RN1Ko/w640-h480/100_0871.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The tire patch is used as a spacer.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br />
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I used a washer from a rear derailleur pulley. Always keep those small parts. You will never know when they can be used.</div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjaGmtHSewHOQ6oXka-yJCgEZw1qqg7IUnwOOw-FjypxF-G_7G96ES14uU6hB5S0NJNww-fkWqLW3GCX6hsjiZy8TEvAQUx8SKHgRb-P9j6ykd9vEVA1msjIc-1UOkZbQPi8TU8oCyiqpDNfOM6_h7_mpnRIuuFw8oCX7AuXMnMEuikX-i-TkHacKDkk/s320/100_0872.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjaGmtHSewHOQ6oXka-yJCgEZw1qqg7IUnwOOw-FjypxF-G_7G96ES14uU6hB5S0NJNww-fkWqLW3GCX6hsjiZy8TEvAQUx8SKHgRb-P9j6ykd9vEVA1msjIc-1UOkZbQPi8TU8oCyiqpDNfOM6_h7_mpnRIuuFw8oCX7AuXMnMEuikX-i-TkHacKDkk/w640-h480/100_0872.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Derailleur is used as a spacer.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Step #4:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Drill a small in the clipboard. For my handlebar set-up, I drilled the hold in the clipboard, so the bottom edge of the clipboard doesn't protrude past the steer tube.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrs_4nMntzboxBcWGMtisDF9jftBCrQEhtsBvoakdXrtV_TbnfJ5fIu_6gVXoZCe6JOa2hAByHlfRHIV4fi8SFqPIlTmHediYPxo7j_-nTT1OMXd5fYWie76GerThGJJNorS76ZqZAlxKnF7cnlY9yDo1gLe6yTnRDu8sty7_PVyzwI_5ijiN2Sj7leU/s640/100_0873.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrs_4nMntzboxBcWGMtisDF9jftBCrQEhtsBvoakdXrtV_TbnfJ5fIu_6gVXoZCe6JOa2hAByHlfRHIV4fi8SFqPIlTmHediYPxo7j_-nTT1OMXd5fYWie76GerThGJJNorS76ZqZAlxKnF7cnlY9yDo1gLe6yTnRDu8sty7_PVyzwI_5ijiN2Sj7leU/w640-h480/100_0873.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The finished product.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<br />This project ended up being more proof of concept than a functional map board. Regarding the NitRider mount, it didn't provide the height that I needed. The map board needs to sit up higher off of the handlebar. In mountain bike orienteering you need to be able to access a cycle computer. This configuration didn't provide the space that was needed to run a computer. Aside from those issues, The concept of the map board works. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I would like to hear if you have tried to make a map board. Did you find a solution to raise the map board tighter?</div><br />Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-20505505962099212202023-07-30T22:58:00.007-04:002024-03-12T18:44:57.117-04:00POSTCARD: Water & Steel || James River Park System<i>"<span style="font-size: medium;"> No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river, and he is not the same man"~ </span></i><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Heraclitus.</span></i><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52770132705/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="James River Downtown RVA."><img alt="James River Downtown RVA." height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52770132705_0c97a0f4cc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Water in a river is always moving, a river is always changing.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I figured this would be another wash-and-repeat workout like any other morning. I stepped on the bridge like I had so many mornings before to take me across the James River. But, I was greeted with this view. It was an awesome start to my day, and I knew I needed to capture the image. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I sit here to write this post, I think about Heraclitus's quote and what he means. What I think Heraclitus was saying. You can only move forward. You are not the same person that you were yesterday because of your experiences. It can also be seen that life is in constant flux.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I look at the image, I see that things are not the same and that the places that I recreate are always changing and provide a different and unique experience. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;">Navigate over to our related Postcard Series posts at:</i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><br /></i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/12/postcard-canal-walk-james-river-park.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Canal Walk James River Park</b></a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/09/postcard-old-bazaar-skopje-northern.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Old Bazaar Skopje Northern Macedonia</b></a><br /></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><i style="font-family: Tinos;">To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72157719777005139/with/52770132705/" target="_blank">Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</a></i></i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><br /></i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
</div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Richmond, VA, USA37.5407246 -77.436048110.166436152563335 -112.5922981 64.915013047436659 -42.279798099999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-88418107834868999582023-07-15T08:04:00.006-04:002024-03-12T18:46:29.052-04:00Virginia Capital Trail || How to use Amtrak to Ride the Trail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div><i style="font-family: times; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was initially published in September 2019 and has been updated in July 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness (Amtrak Screen Shots are current).</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>Like most ideas, it's not important where they came from. But that you follow through with them. I might have been influenced by explorer Alastair Humphrey or Laura and Russ over at The Path Less Pedaled but who knows?</div>
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Sometimes the logistics of conducting our outdoor pursuits can be downright hard. Sometimes you need two cars or a shuttle service or, sometimes you need help getting there from here. Logistics can be even more complex if you are solo. But what if you could get to the trailhead or your starting point by train?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwwsGaW9qgs/XX5NlUyr1UI/AAAAAAAAB58/YJY1P1a_dNAEKtMRV1bhbGBtpk-X3cmRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_105937.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwwsGaW9qgs/XX5NlUyr1UI/AAAAAAAAB58/YJY1P1a_dNAEKtMRV1bhbGBtpk-X3cmRwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_105937.jpg" title="Trainside Service" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waiting for our bikes to be offloaded from the baggage car.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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That's right by train! While Amtrak offered a box service for bicycles, it was limited to certain routes and stations. A new train side service is offered by Amtrak on some of their routes that give the cyclist a different option to explore.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kqunr2aNchk/XX2QgZesW2I/AAAAAAAAB3c/4Ri8CtF-J642snQfXD_CjNMpTYLcpJHTwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bring%2Byou%2Bbicycle.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="900" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kqunr2aNchk/XX2QgZesW2I/AAAAAAAAB3c/4Ri8CtF-J642snQfXD_CjNMpTYLcpJHTwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h201/Bring%2Byou%2Bbicycle.PNG" title="Trainside Service" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The above Amtrak routes offer train-side checked bicycles.</i></td></tr>
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The Virginia Capital Trail is a 51.2-mile trail that links Jamestown, the first capital of the Colony of Virginia founded in 1607, and Richmond, the modern capital of Virginia. The Virginia Capital Trail is also part of the TransAmerica bicycle route (76) and the Historic Coastal Route of the East Coast Greenway. <br />
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As you can see above the Northeast Regional route trains 65, 66, and 67 make it possible to ride the one-way distance (51.2 miles) of the Virginia Capital Trail. By either taking the train from Richmond to Williamsburg or from Williamsburg to Richmond. </div>
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I am going to explain the mystery of using the train to make this type of ride happen.</div>
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I am going to break this trip into three different legs. </div>
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<li> Train station to train station. </li>
<li> Route from the train station to the trailhead.</li>
<li> The Virginia Capital Trail itself. </li>
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There are two Amtrak stations in Richmond. You want to use Main Street Station (RVM) to make this trip. The station in Williamsburg is called the Williamsburg Transportation Center (WBG).<br />
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Train 66 departs Williamsburg at 5:41p.m. and arrives in Richmond at 6:30 p.m. daily.</div>
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Train 65 departs Richmond at 9:34 a.m. and arrives in Williamsburg at 10:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.</div>
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Train 67 departs Richmond at 10:10 a.m. and arrives in Williamsburg at 11:14 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.</div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkN5-kJXMopKcT_Air98tBKlEplbsS5HrF5N2l3MVT6TkTocfYe9tFI5Qosutm5sLL-7lnuOSSWo_fzP-oMx1Q3U0OrZ_ahgluGjTs11kNugGE1xOVMdDVEvpm2U0vlI8yfSA2VSM1_Ay744vAlL2aEoGZzZ-RqbviEy-IvIbhSJb86wsofR7e1ZOrco4/s1495/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.35.20.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1495" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkN5-kJXMopKcT_Air98tBKlEplbsS5HrF5N2l3MVT6TkTocfYe9tFI5Qosutm5sLL-7lnuOSSWo_fzP-oMx1Q3U0OrZ_ahgluGjTs11kNugGE1xOVMdDVEvpm2U0vlI8yfSA2VSM1_Ay744vAlL2aEoGZzZ-RqbviEy-IvIbhSJb86wsofR7e1ZOrco4/w640-h272/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.35.20.png" title="Train side Service" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Amtrak 67 Northeast Regional Train reservation screen</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In the screenshot, above I have selected the 67 Northeast Regional train from RVM to WBG. Next, you have the option to select coach or business class seats. Personally, I selected the coach class. There is plenty of room and the seat is comfortable for an hour's train ride. </div><div><br />
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5-rkd_8d4X4W6mND5i6_xWj6nAYxw7YTCE0x7kdrP69JYhxFAavnB0tLab3eBeMzZ_iiGSInbJjdYF92v_qq7t_gncQm2FoQ72n8_8O24c7HtkVEtmSnM0N_uY1QK9R1Re83NO7DZYHHFykzk_EoyeYGU73QFHNHnGwNNZecOgwxHWezJHJEmQmEGN0/s1507/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.36.18.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1507" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5-rkd_8d4X4W6mND5i6_xWj6nAYxw7YTCE0x7kdrP69JYhxFAavnB0tLab3eBeMzZ_iiGSInbJjdYF92v_qq7t_gncQm2FoQ72n8_8O24c7HtkVEtmSnM0N_uY1QK9R1Re83NO7DZYHHFykzk_EoyeYGU73QFHNHnGwNNZecOgwxHWezJHJEmQmEGN0/w640-h304/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.36.18.png" title="Train Ssde Service" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Select your seat.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Select the SAVER ticket price ($10). CLICK ADD TO CART. The next screen will be additional items and this is where you add the bicycle.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBj3IChX80qPj3g4lcSmILIu1ggv9axuaWCH8oHZwUeZtDhZYP_uLV7cAd9Ij0DnPndpE0d1bZ2-BxbEtAX-xMTmuS8lHakijQ2khEfUS5Yji7Wb78D2i6knf2qvIYNPVfsgfWUzuSl7ibNaWPIgddBUD7biro2fRVbl0WB9QEqi4VV7Z7WnV5KDL5gU/s1507/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.37.13.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1507" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBj3IChX80qPj3g4lcSmILIu1ggv9axuaWCH8oHZwUeZtDhZYP_uLV7cAd9Ij0DnPndpE0d1bZ2-BxbEtAX-xMTmuS8lHakijQ2khEfUS5Yji7Wb78D2i6knf2qvIYNPVfsgfWUzuSl7ibNaWPIgddBUD7biro2fRVbl0WB9QEqi4VV7Z7WnV5KDL5gU/w640-h314/Screenshot%202023-07-15%2007.37.13.png" title="Train Side Sevice" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An additional Item is where you reserve space for your bicycle</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />The reservation for a bicycle costs $20 making the total cost of the train fare $30. Once you have made the payment, you will receive an email with your ticket attached. Make sure you see that the ticket list is both the ticket for yourself and the bicycle.<br />
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<b>NOTE:</b></div><div><b></b>From my research, the bicycle service runs from May to October. Parking at RVM is $5 daily. Parking at WBG is free.<br />
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Mile marker 0 of the Virginia Capital Trail starts in Jamestown. Depending on what route you take from Williamsburg it's a 7.5 to 10-mile ride. The end of the trail is Great Shiplock Park which is 0.9 miles from Main Street Station.<br />
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<b>NOTE: </b></div><div>The security staff was surprised to see us come to the station with bicycles. At first, they said you can't get on the train with bicycles and once I informed them, "I sure can because I have a ticket for the bicycle." They pointed us on the way to get upstairs.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ht4jgJ-189s/XX4qzt7ksuI/AAAAAAAAB30/2jHN60jwmLscwSGXTTU4KM6RH1zmzs8JQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_093956.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ht4jgJ-189s/XX4qzt7ksuI/AAAAAAAAB30/2jHN60jwmLscwSGXTTU4KM6RH1zmzs8JQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_093956.jpg" title="Main Street Station" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The waiting area of Main Street Station, Richmond Virginia</i><br /><br /></td></tr>
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Richard and I were greeted with the grand splendor of this ornate station which was built in 1901. During the wars, 1000 troops a day would pass through the station. It is hard to imagine that because today we were two of the only four people catching the train from Richmond.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lhm4QBNWXAU/XX4tl47AdMI/AAAAAAAAB4A/s-OMT6DRSMotOQPh6MmxFvLavSN77NLSgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_094338-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lhm4QBNWXAU/XX4tl47AdMI/AAAAAAAAB4A/s-OMT6DRSMotOQPh6MmxFvLavSN77NLSgCNcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20190911_094338-01.jpeg" title="Main Street Station" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The ornate details of the station</i><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vyTsrtJeHLE/XX4uHILMvmI/AAAAAAAAB4M/5GXAlTtRE-sD5z9I2s76jSpkjwITbHYeACEwYBhgL/s1600/20190911_094925.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vyTsrtJeHLE/XX4uHILMvmI/AAAAAAAAB4M/5GXAlTtRE-sD5z9I2s76jSpkjwITbHYeACEwYBhgL/w640-h480/20190911_094925.jpg" title="The Shed" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>The old rails that trains came into the station on. Now part of a 100,00 venue called The Shed</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-INEUhkhR6R8/XX4vgA6d5II/AAAAAAAAB4U/Azpvyt9sudclV330gKkw9tqArfSLjcndACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_095215.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-INEUhkhR6R8/XX4vgA6d5II/AAAAAAAAB4U/Azpvyt9sudclV330gKkw9tqArfSLjcndACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_095215.jpg" title="Main Street Station" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The bicycles waiting for the train</i>.<br />
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In the above picture, you can see a long steel plate. The train car that the bicycles go on will pull up in front of that plate. One of the Conductors will check your ticket first to make sure you have the bicycle on your ticket before they load it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bk8duEjYtNE/XX4xByJLmxI/AAAAAAAAB4g/72o95diAeVMt-AVaLrhTj5r6F9E0tyWmgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_100333.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bk8duEjYtNE/XX4xByJLmxI/AAAAAAAAB4g/72o95diAeVMt-AVaLrhTj5r6F9E0tyWmgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/20190911_100333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bicycles being loaded train side and train cars are just for bicycles</i>.<br /><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hikKgg4ttNU/XX4xnIScazI/AAAAAAAAB4o/AyYJLqkQof06i0VjiTKA-BH-gNE6UCrmACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_100932.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hikKgg4ttNU/XX4xnIScazI/AAAAAAAAB4o/AyYJLqkQof06i0VjiTKA-BH-gNE6UCrmACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_100932.jpg" title="Great Ship Lock Park" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>Heading out of Richmond we pass Great Shiplock Park. This is the endpoint of the trail from Jamestown</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></td></tr>
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Our ride on the train was just under an hour. The train offers free WiFi and a cafe car to get snacks. Unlike a plane, there is room between the seats to stretch your legs out. The Conductor will come and get you when the train is nearing the station and you are near the front of the train. This saves some time for the unloading of the bicycles.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_U0wN5RNYCg/XX40C5pbhvI/AAAAAAAAB40/O9F2piUG4-0fMv6Z59-lkEyiKHXA_fsJwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_105937.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling by Amtrak and Bicycle" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_U0wN5RNYCg/XX40C5pbhvI/AAAAAAAAB40/O9F2piUG4-0fMv6Z59-lkEyiKHXA_fsJwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_105937.jpg" title="Williamsburg transportation Center" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waiting to unload the bicycles at Williamsburg Transportation Center</i>. </td></tr>
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Once we unloaded our bicycles and changed to our riding gear we needed to ride to the trailhead. The station is four blocks from Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William & Mary. We had decided to take Jamestown Road which has a bike lane for most of the 7.7 miles to the trailhead.<br />
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On this trip, we were just focused on using the train and riding the Virginia Capital Trail. But realized that we could have made this a multi-day and multi-venue adventure by adding touring Williamsburg, and cycling the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown. Mountain biking at Newquarter and Waller Mill Parks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghDvp-eHNz0/XX43NhfwzoI/AAAAAAAAB5A/FeCiGiwhdhg1ev7YsIZQ2cQonwxaSJ6LwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_114747.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mile Marker 0 on the Capital to Capital Trail" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghDvp-eHNz0/XX43NhfwzoI/AAAAAAAAB5A/FeCiGiwhdhg1ev7YsIZQ2cQonwxaSJ6LwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_114747.jpg" title="Capital to Capital Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mile Marker 0 is just across the street from Jamestown</i>.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nn5F9t8WCK8/XX43kHsgCNI/AAAAAAAAB5I/rs8OLJ531twan-u_Qcy1eGSMsnh7dm9mACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_115209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Billsbury Brewery and Tap house" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nn5F9t8WCK8/XX43kHsgCNI/AAAAAAAAB5I/rs8OLJ531twan-u_Qcy1eGSMsnh7dm9mACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_115209.jpg" title="Capital to Capital Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>Right Around the corner is Billsbury Brewery and Taphouse.</i><br /><br /></td></tr>
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One of the things that we learned on this trip is that heading back to Richmond you will most likely be riding into a headwind the entire route.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ov29HmcJv8M/XX45KGnttXI/AAAAAAAAB5U/EZ87VMm5F9soQdn5rO0E6f3B8DuCvCGIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_123045.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Traveling the Capital to Capital Trail" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ov29HmcJv8M/XX45KGnttXI/AAAAAAAAB5U/EZ87VMm5F9soQdn5rO0E6f3B8DuCvCGIwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_123045.jpg" title="Capital to Capital Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The bike selfie</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WC1qCDS7Qlo/XX45Z_R03uI/AAAAAAAAB5c/3DtYOn6G6g0RJFLQ_IpmbUbOj09WqBGEQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_140308.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Cul's Court House Grill Charles City Courthouse" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WC1qCDS7Qlo/XX45Z_R03uI/AAAAAAAAB5c/3DtYOn6G6g0RJFLQ_IpmbUbOj09WqBGEQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_140308.jpg" title="Cul's Court House Grill" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>At the midpoint of our ride, we catch a light lunch and beer at Cul's Courthouse Grille.</i><br />
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Much much-needed lunch break was taken at Cul's Courthouse Grille located at Charles City Courthouse. Good selection of craft beer from both Richmond and Williamsburg. Very cyclist-friendly place. If you have road shoes make sure to have covers for your cleats. The grille has the original wood floor in the 1872 building. </div>
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The day we took this trip is the 18th anniversary of 9-11. Richard sported his RWB team kit and ran into a group of RWB members doing a 9-11 anniversary ruck to the Virginia War Memorial.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeBl_2Eu7NI/XX4_dT6cp-I/AAAAAAAAB5o/BQsTMMnm2wsLbgzWijECzO8B-ZnT77VAACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_164305.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeBl_2Eu7NI/XX4_dT6cp-I/AAAAAAAAB5o/BQsTMMnm2wsLbgzWijECzO8B-ZnT77VAACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/20190911_164305.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T<i>eam RWB 9-11 Ruck</i>.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bniKfmnbrCY/XX4_vDE69NI/AAAAAAAAB5s/Vg-UWdWlzQ0xOa0y4-WpUNL8N0VBhbDPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190911_163935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="End of the Capital to Capital Trail Great Ship Lock Park" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bniKfmnbrCY/XX4_vDE69NI/AAAAAAAAB5s/Vg-UWdWlzQ0xOa0y4-WpUNL8N0VBhbDPQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20190911_163935.jpg" title="End of the Capital to Capital Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>Richard at the Great Shiplock Park mile 51.2</i><br /><br /></td></tr>
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This was a great trip, and the train just opened up different options for travel and exploring. I hope this post inspires you to use the train to make your cycling adventure.<br />
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<b>Disclaimer: </b></div><div>Use this post as a guide but you need to check train schedules, routes to and from the stations, trailheads, trail conditions, and weather. Also of note, the train can be late or take longer to get from point to point. Amtrak has an agreement to use the same rails as the freight trains so there may be some delays. If you are planning your trip from Williamsburg understand that the train arrives in Richmond in the afternoon. This would put you getting back very late to Williamsburg. Plan for an overnight stay somewhere or a set of bike lights. I used Google Street View to figure out which was the safest route to take from the train station to the trailhead. There are two routes that I felt met this requirement. The Jamestown Rd route that we took and there is the Colonial Parkway route.<br />
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<b>Resource links:</b><br />
<b><a href="http://mainstreetstationrichmond.com/" target="_blank">Main Street Station</a> </b><br />
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<b><a href="https://www.virginiacapitaltrail.org/" target="_blank">Virginia Capital Trail</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="https://www.williamsburgva.gov/502/Transportation-Center" target="_blank">Williamsburg Transportation Center</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.amtrak.com/home" target="_blank"><b>Amtrak</b></a></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>If you have any questions or comments please comment or use the <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/p/contact-us.html" target="_blank">Contact Us form</a> and I will do my best to answer your question. After reading the article, did you take the train? Was this helpful?</div><div><br /></div><div><br />
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Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Virginia Capital Trail, Virginia, USA37.2731642 -76.90533938.962930363821151 -112.0615893 65.583398036178835 -41.749089299999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-16936127186957659802023-06-17T23:10:00.011-04:002023-08-30T20:01:40.754-04:00DANCON MARCH || Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo<div><i>During my deployment, I had the opportunity to participate in two DANCON Marches. Each one was different. While the general details of a DANCON March are the same in this post as in my previous post. The images and my experience of the event are different. I hope you enjoy the post.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52971252876/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52971252876_3140918d98_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Participants check their gear and wait for the start of the event.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple; font-weight: bold;">What is a DANCON March?</span><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">DANCON is short for Danish Contingent. The DANCON March is a tradition that goes back to 1972 when the Royal Danish Army was deployed in Cyprus. There is a DANCON event wherever the Danish Contingent mission takes them. The march has taken place in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, and Iraq, to name a few. </div><div>The march measures the Army's physical preparedness and provides a social event. The march route is located in the countryside close to the Danish Camp. The march serves as a sign of mutual trust between the local residents and the Danish Contingent. Proceeds from each march are donated to wounded Danish Soldiers and veteran programs.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52971257546/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52971257546_eee96b8c27_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Everyone is lined up to start.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DANCON March requirements:</span></div><ul><li>25km route by foot in varying terrain.</li><li>10kg dry weighted pack. In addition to the 10kg is food, water, socks, etc. </li><li>Weapons can be part of the load.</li><li>March must be done in military uniform and boots.</li><li>8 hours to complete</li></ul></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Can I wear the medal on my uniform?</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The short answer for U.S. Military personnel is no. The DANCON medal is only "honorary" and can only be accepted and retained. I cannot speak as to the wear of the medal for other Armies. It's a reminder that you had type II fun and that you did something cool for bragging rights. Not being able to wear the medal shouldn't stop you from doing the march. It's more to it than that. Remember, this is a social event with multi-national troops. It is also a fundraiser for the Danish veteran programs. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52971642560/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52971642560_c7ecf06b8b_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hundreds of Troops are greeted with a sunrise.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Does the medal change for each march? </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, every Danish Contingent designs its own depending on regimental traditions. </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52980111955/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52980111955_0b51b45c5d_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first of fields and wood lines that we would follow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DANCON March Camp Novo Selo</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div>I had completed a <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/06/dancon-march-2022-camp-novo-selo-kosovo.html" target="_blank"><b>DANCON March</b></a> earlier in my deployment, so I knew what I was getting myself into. Because of the July heat. The show time was much earlier. There was a 2-hour window to get everyone checked in. We weighed our packs to meet the official weight and then we checked in. The Danish Army has its process down to a science. During the check-in, it is interesting to see the different uniforms and equipment each army has. We might look different and are equipped differently, but all Soldiers are the same deep down.</div><div><br /></div><div>There were approximately 900 participants in the march hosted by the Danish Contingent. Participants were from the following partner nations. Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States. I am sure I missed a few others.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The last time I did the DANCON I loaded my pockets with candy to hand out to the children in the villages. Because we would start our march this time before the sun had risen, and we would be done before the villagers had woken up to start their day. I didn't bring any candy with me. If your event is during normal daylight hours I highly suggest bringing candy to hand out to the children. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pro-tip: </b>Save some of the candy for your return to Camp Novo Selo. There will be children in the village just outside of camp. You will miss them at the start of the March. If you don't have candy then they will want uniform patches. They can be a little irksome about it. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52967773041/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52967773041_0c96cb6224_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes you have to forge your own path.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>While I knew this event was going to be tuff. I was excited to march into the countryside and walk through small farming villages. As we left camp the march headed east and we were greeted with an amazing sunrise. It became apparent that this march was going to take a different route than before. A little over half of the land in Kosovo is agricultural. Our route takes us along the sides of fields planted with and down rutted tractor paths. <div><br /></div><div><div>As I make my way over the route. Passing people is made difficult due to the volume of participants, the crops, and tractor paths. Once back on the asphalt, you need to make your move.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52967166177/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52967166177_0632818231_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The air quality in Kosovo can be bad. You can see the brown smog in this picture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know how to explain it. The sun in Kosovo just seems to beat down on you. On this day it didn't take long to get hot. There is not much of a way to get relief from the sun. As you can see from the above image, trees are few and far between. It amazes me every time I see the number of troops that participate in this event. They seem to go forever. Along the route will be aid stations that provide food and water. </div><div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52967910609/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52967910609_f07220d10e_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over half of the land in Kosovo is used for agriculture. Most land is used for subsistence farming.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div>I cannot stress enough how different this DANCON was from the first one that I did. We started off as soon as the sun was rising. We didn't go through the villages like I did before but through the fields that feed the people living in Kosovo. The route was about 2km shorter than the last march. </div><div><br /></div><div>But the Royal Danish Army had a little trick up their sleeve! Once we entered back into the gate of the camp we were only a few 100 steps from where we started a few hours earlier. One of the Danish Soldiers cheered us on and told us we had to take the running track around the camp. In a split second, I went from thinking I was done. But, I had further to go. The Danish had played a mind trick on us! It was very disheartening.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52967176327/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52967176327_c82d86c481_c.jpg" title="DANCON March" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The corn as a little longer to grow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
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</div><div><br /></div><div>The finish point check-in didn't go as smoothly as the weigh-in did earlier that morning. It took me almost an hour to check in to get my certificate and ribbon. </div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of things to remember if you are thinking about doing a DANCON March. Each Danish contingent gets to design its own ribbon depending on regimental traditions. The routes can be different and the distance might be a little shorter due to the heat. Because of different factors and manpower. You might have a mass start or a staggered start time. Tickets for the event go fast, so don't wait around to purchase your ticket.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Now it is Your Turn-</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Please leave a comment. I would like to hear about your DANCON March.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Navigate over to our other related articles on the <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/06/dancon-march-2022-camp-novo-selo-kosovo.html" target="_blank"><b>DANCON March</b></a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>To see more photos from the DANCON March, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72177720298455350" target="_blank"><b>Navigate to Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Maxhunaj42.7841557 21.019215442.75874228341695 20.984883124609375 42.809569116583049 21.053547675390625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-68843852060805343852023-06-03T13:12:00.138-04:002023-08-30T20:03:59.960-04:00Finding Time Stewardship || Clean the Bay Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Clean the Bay Day Rotary Park at Pocahontas Island" border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyzhT6SEwrTZWL-EgS2bP6h0GO3dxI-u1tNQs68DuDNDFx1oT1KCrxcsABhu-uOcdrn2crpwPpUwu6zmmyoVX4PRGC3Ep62UwVU0l6kiYsDNgAmP3J7nAxlJibp0xCQCfdTNQ4dBUSFdWODFHQQkt-hEmYbiRqcmpCBqC8f7FgylsvbU7DlhgrS8nl=w640-h312" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clean the Bay Day" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Volunteers cleaning the trailhead</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br /></div><div>June offers many opportunities to get outside and enjoy what the outdoors has to offer. June also provides stewardship opportunities such as Clean the Bay Day and National Trails Day events.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Friends of the Low Appomattox (<a href="https://folar-va.org/" target="_blank"><b>FOLAR</b></a>) hosted Clean the Bay Day as one of their enduring <b><a href="https://folar-va.org/events/stewardship-saturdays/" target="_blank">Stewardship Saturdays</a>.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Over 25 volunteers were in attendance for the event. They provided a couple of hours of manpower to pick up trash and invasive plant removal. Our area of focus for this event was Rotary Park at Pocahontas Island, located in Petersburg Virginia.</div><div><br /></div><div>This section of the <a href="https://folar-va.org/appomattox-river-trail/building-the-trail/" target="_blank"><b>Appomattox River Trail</b></a> is located on Pocahontas Island which is a 70-acre peninsula on the north side of the Appomattox River. Pocahontas Island was listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Some of Petersburg's first enslaved blacks were brought here to work in 1732. The island is known to be home to the oldest African-American communities in the Nation. Today it's a small community of about 70 residences. </div><div><br /></div><div>Evidence has been found of prehistoric indigenous people of North America on the island. This would have dated back to the Archaic period in North America. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pocahontas Island is an underserved community, and providing a service as simple as picking up trash and invasive plant removal can make an impact on multiple levels. I would estimate that we picked up 700-800 lbs of trash in about 2 1/2 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Clean the Bay Day Rotary Park at Pocahontas Island" border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNNIpdIFbZU_dYv5lFCPMY1Zsl3ZVYeL7GwU6z_Feus8O7EwXANqMrZVgajhj_PhHYiAoSekp3_SZjS_sH1t2C-UYu1Bm8uhPsd3bycJuVrInHPHAvnfx_-71w8_2TcA3kRQFbZ6avUmFC4QDLmWIL-ZE0CcRTdabQLD4EoSdkZqA6yaI7PbUGoqRe=w640-h307" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clean the Bay Day" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of two piles of trash collected.<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I have set a goal for myself in 2023 to volunteer once a month with some type of Stewardship project. I enjoy volunteer events like this because I meet and interact with people who are outside of my sphere of influence.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Did you volunteer on Clean the Bay Day or National Trails Day? Please share with us the stewardship projects that you have worked on.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/12/a-complete-guide-of-outdoor-holidays.html" target="_blank"><b>Complete Guide to Outdoor Holidays</b></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2023/04/finding-time-for-stewardship.html" target="_blank"><b>Finding Time for Stewardship</b></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2021/12/appomattox-river-trail-university-blvd.html" target="_blank"><b>Appomattox River Trail University Blvd</b></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Rotary Park at Pocahontas Island, Petersburg, VA 23803, USA37.2391325 -77.3994959.4777663696478172 -112.555745 65.000498630352183 -42.243245tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-36037347139619553402023-04-23T11:57:00.006-04:002023-08-30T20:05:22.352-04:00Finding Time For Stewardship Over the past 25-plus years, I have been involved in recreational conservation and stewardship. Whether it has been building a new trail, rerouting or closing off a trail, or something simple as picking up trash. Looking back, I would say that my exposure to conservation and stewardship was through Scouting. Service projects, merit badges, and rank requirements all had some element of conservation and stewardship in them as a requirement.<div><br /></div><div>It seems that since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the volume of people using public lands. People getting outside in nature has positive effects. But there have also been negative effects that have stemmed from so many people using public lands. It does matter if the public land is a national park, state natural resources, or a local park. All of these public lands have seen the impact of increased use. I believe most of this is from a lack of knowledge. But sometimes I wonder...</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgch5rjGhsfWCGKCH5KuewNdUTE8QpmQ0iLezlxER7W8Jsyab4pzGd3QirV1FL56-pqz0nWdWzvf2PYknDt1lQ7nF5I2NzZMJSCCgk866nLnas9rHzcFEivH26cTBwl7E17yOfhIdwG20jRE_ygRi9IxQCtptpxevFigL4N29lTojarKJ9sEgczRpCp=w640-h640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I set out this year to volunteer my time to support one stewardship event each month. It seemed simple enough to give up a few hours one weekend a month. Participating in trail work, invasive plant removal, and trash pick-up. Plus, it would be a great way to network with other outdoor enthusiasts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">With family commitments, normal life, and taking the time to enjoy my own outdoor activities. I found the simple act, of giving back a few hours each month harder to do than said. I needed to find a simple way, I could do on my own and make a difference. More importantly for me, I could see the result of my effort.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It just so happens that I saw it on the <b><a href="https://lnt.org/" target="_blank">Leave No Trace</a> </b>website. That April was their international #LeaveNoTrash movement. A <a href="https://lnt.org/earthmonth/" target="_blank"><b>pledge</b></a> to pick up 30 pieces of trash this Earth Month. Now, I had something that I could be a part of even if I was doing this on my own. There are also #LeaveNoTrash events.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>NOTE: </b>Sign the pledge and an interactive map will pop up that will show you when and where these events are taking place near you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I have the luxury of being able to work out and train as part of my workday. My plan was to take an active recovery day and incorporate my #LeaveNoTrash pledge. No better time and place to do this was on a Monday after a nice weekend on Belles Isle. <a href="https://jamesriverpark.org/explore-the-park-belle-isle/" target="_blank">Belles Isle</a> sits in the middle of the James River in the heart of downtown Richmond Virginia. This area of the James River Park System is very popular, and I knew that picking up trash would not be an issue.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As I entered the maze of trails on the island, I realized that my 30 pieces of trash goal would be quickly met. So much so that I stopped counting. One location on the island that I wanted to address was an area on the upper part of the island. This spot overlooks a pond on the island. The image above shows that location. The before-and-after images show what a big difference just picking up trash can make. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">That image is a great example of an unhealthy landscape. This is due to not only trash being left behind, but also a result of overuse, an illegal fire, and graffiti on the rocks. Not only does this damage the resources, but it also takes away from other users' experience. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, our public lands are understaffed and lack the resources to conduct general maintenance. Because of this, many public lands have a friends group or volunteer group that helps the park staff with various stewardship projects. Picking up trash or reporting trail hazards is something all of us can fit into our outdoor schedule and it makes a difference. </span></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_FspIXDB1iFx5fCdM2UeJXDvHVk7me4yd9KR03s9jU_J4CM1zKAG1i5V_pm_SLpBCe-nQ70pqbd-CE2luP_G5za6cKYrS9oolcrb8Dd7XPxYFmHTsS22EfGKTps28UkRL91F0w3m3QXJO_3o8SV7SOVuj2UTeVMHU5DEjKvpG46bNx4yZQ__36yn/s4032/20230417_075253.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Kayaker's Enjoying a Early Morning Float on the James River" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_FspIXDB1iFx5fCdM2UeJXDvHVk7me4yd9KR03s9jU_J4CM1zKAG1i5V_pm_SLpBCe-nQ70pqbd-CE2luP_G5za6cKYrS9oolcrb8Dd7XPxYFmHTsS22EfGKTps28UkRL91F0w3m3QXJO_3o8SV7SOVuj2UTeVMHU5DEjKvpG46bNx4yZQ__36yn/w640-h409/20230417_075253.jpg" title="Kayakers" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kayakers Enjoying an Early Moring Float.</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Finding time for stewardship was there all along. I just need to adjust my thoughts on how I incorporate it into my outdoor lifestyle. Plan ahead, pack a few resources, and focus on one effort.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>The results from the LeaveNoTrash pledge reported by <a href="https://lnt.org/" target="_blank"><b>Leave No Trace</b></a>: </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>10,689 people</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>320,670 pieces of trash</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>9,897.4 pounds of trash</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>RESOURCES:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://lnt.org/" target="_blank"><b>Leave No Trace</b></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://jamesriverpark.org/volunteer/" target="_blank"><b>James River Park</b></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Now It's Your Turn:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Please leave a comment on your stewardship efforts. What service project did you help support and what was the result? What group did you help support? How do you manage to find time for stewardship?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0James River, Virginia, USA37.393832391687937 -78.1596116720311339.0835985555090915 -113.31586167203113 65.704066227866775 -43.003361672031133tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-12065845119942412962023-03-13T06:48:00.010-04:002023-08-30T20:11:09.145-04:00Overlanding Vehicles || The Stories Behind the Pictures I grew up when there was no internet, and you explored your neighborhood as far as you could ride your bicycle. On Sunday evenings, I remember watching <i>Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. </i>It was a show about wildlife and nature. The show introduced me to the wilds of Africa and other exotic locales. Watching the show's cast, driving Series Land Rovers and Toyotas across African grasslands. Viewing lions and elephants was an incredible journey if only experienced through television. Likewise, Natural Geographic magazine sparked my curiosity about the world around me. I always enjoyed the issues that had paper maps in them. You could spend hours exploring the map after reading the story.<div><div><br /></div><div>I did end up owning a 1990 Ranger Rover and a 1998 Land Rover Discovery. It was my dream to modify them as overlanding vehicles. But due to the expense of repairing the vehicle the dream never transpired. I still live vicariously visiting Land Rover sites and following adventure travelers on social media. The more obscure and unusual the vehicle, the more I like it. </div><div>
<br />During my military service, I have had the opportunity to travel to Central Asia and Eastern Europe. I have seen some unique overland vehicles during my travels. But it's the stories of those adventure travelers that I meet that are so interesting.<br /><br />I want to share some of those vehicles and the stories behind the photographs. I hope they spark the spirit of adventure with you.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7ed08VAfyo/UjZk23iYT0I/AAAAAAAABA8/K7UWQEV-vjY/s1600/Defender.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Victory Monument Tajikistan" border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7ed08VAfyo/UjZk23iYT0I/AAAAAAAABA8/K7UWQEV-vjY/w640-h480/Defender.JPG" title="Land Rover" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Land Rover-Defender110: Background WWII Monument, Dushanbe Tajikistan.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Victory Monument is a monument that sits in the middle of the busy street of Ayni in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Due to the traffic on Ayni Street, it's not the most accessible monument to visit. While the tall steles tell part of the story of the Soviet Soldiers' victory over the Germans. The main attraction of the memorial is the Soviet IS-2 tank. The tank was part of the 170th Brigade and saw action in Hungary and Austria during WWII. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I made my way back across Ayni Street from the monument. I spotted a Land Rover 110. While I have yet to learn the story behind the Land Rover. My imagination takes me from the memorial. Thinking about the Land Rover's journey to get to Dushanbe. Tajikistan is the poorest country of the former Soviet republics. Many non-governmental agencies are operating in Tajikistan;; most likely,, the white Land Rover belongs to an NGO.</div><div><br /></div><div><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0quDrGr-kjA/UjZl84HokjI/AAAAAAAABBI/3GKXuRn7H-0/s1600/P1010041.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mercedes Benz Unimog" border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0quDrGr-kjA/UjZl84HokjI/AAAAAAAABBI/3GKXuRn7H-0/w640-h480/P1010041.JPG" title="Mercedes Benz Unimog" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Mercedes Benz Unimog</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Making my way back to my hotel I spot a Mercedes Benz Unimog parked in the hotel parking lot. This thing is a beast and looks like a gypsy wagon. I know there is a story of adventure waiting to be told. I keep my eye out and wait for the owners to return. A German couple owned the vehicle and drove this truck from Afghanistan to Tajikistan. The German couple had been traveling in Afghanistan when religious tensions made it too dangerous to cross. They hid their vehicle with a guy who owned a scrap yard and flew home to Germany. Eight months later, they returned to recover their truck to continue their journey. With amazement, I asked them you know there is a war going on in Afghanistan? I know it will be something I will never understand. But traveling in an overland vehicle through a country in an active conflict takes adventure travel to another level. </span><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-ayWhQ-8vI/UjZoFLW8BRI/AAAAAAAABBU/TM3q-oybAmQ/s1600/P1010040.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mercedes Benz Unimog" border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-ayWhQ-8vI/UjZoFLW8BRI/AAAAAAAABBU/TM3q-oybAmQ/w640-h480/P1010040.JPG" title="Mercedes Benz Unimog" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The decal on the side of the door of the Unimog.<br /></i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;">The couple's truck had broken a bolt on the suspension and they were trying to get it repaired. They were also waiting on a visa to enter Uzbekistan. The</span> broken bolt was the main point of discussion about the truck. The sticker on the door of the truck tells me their rig has a story of its own. A little internet research leads me to believe that this vehicle was used for tourism. The Acacus Mountains range in the desert of the Ghat district in western Libya. In that area are thousands of prehistoric cave paintings and it is a <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/287" target="_blank"><b>UNESCO/World Heritage Site </b></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Once they obtained their travel visa the German couple still had an 8000km journey to return to Germany. What I took away from my conversation with this adventurous couple. People, let the fear of the unknown or the fear that adventure travel is too dangerous. We let those fears stop us would-be travelers from ever exploring. </span></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-scZM9765uSk/UjZqqIFXFeI/AAAAAAAABB0/HvQcYB5KlnE/s1600/BENZ+RV.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mercedes Benz Unimog" border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-scZM9765uSk/UjZqqIFXFeI/AAAAAAAABB0/HvQcYB5KlnE/w640-h480/BENZ+RV.JPG" title="Mercedes Benz Unimog" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unimog taking a break waiting for a repair.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />I am not a motorcycle guy and when I saw these motorcycles I thought they were BMW R71s. But they were Urals and they were modeled after the R71s. After the war motorcyclists were attracted to the Ural's reliability and off-road capabilities.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNvM3v4HGVc/UjZoewkUTGI/AAAAAAAABBc/esE0EDdzz3E/s1600/P1010067.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tajikistan MOD Russian Made Ural Motorcycles" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNvM3v4HGVc/UjZoewkUTGI/AAAAAAAABBc/esE0EDdzz3E/w640-h480/P1010067.JPG" title="Ural Motorcycles" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Russian-made Ural motorcycles</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These Tajikistan MOD motorcycles are painted with gloss paint and are used for ceremonial events. These were Russian-built Urals due to current world events. Production of the Ural has been moved to Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ublZigwYUmg/UjZptcsuJTI/AAAAAAAABBo/zW8KRNy0uWc/s1600/Russian+Jeep.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Russian Jeep UAZ 469" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ublZigwYUmg/UjZptcsuJTI/AAAAAAAABBo/zW8KRNy0uWc/w640-h480/Russian+Jeep.JPG" title="UAZ 469" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Russian Jeep, UAZ 469</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The UAZ 469 is a legendary military light-utility vehicle. Used by the Soviet Union and many Warsaw Pact countries. The UAZ 469 saw widespread service in governmental agencies in Eastern Bloc countries. The UAZ 469B is the civilian version, and I cannot tell which version this vehicle is. The UAZ 469 was not sold to the public but found a way into enthusiasts' hands through surplus sales. Very interesting to see such a vehicle and it is an everyday driver.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bM82Qfkr-1F6QLFlplKXC6-BUJSm8-QLxGE_d9kUu4RuWHHyWc4XHgToFGWqm0gzxdOczyGMP5U4gh2TPauac3zDBltcvX-LEifgwUjRSVxytqt6GBW4NtWTGethGq4HGCYg3teN7y6zQCaitEpFVetP_kHiXSt9dCftAvX-KLJUlt2Kq2LkqU-m/s2048/Interational%20Red%20Cross.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="White NGO Toyota Land Cruise" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bM82Qfkr-1F6QLFlplKXC6-BUJSm8-QLxGE_d9kUu4RuWHHyWc4XHgToFGWqm0gzxdOczyGMP5U4gh2TPauac3zDBltcvX-LEifgwUjRSVxytqt6GBW4NtWTGethGq4HGCYg3teN7y6zQCaitEpFVetP_kHiXSt9dCftAvX-KLJUlt2Kq2LkqU-m/w640-h480/Interational%20Red%20Cross.JPG" title="Toyota Land Cruise" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toyota Land Cruiser used by the International Committee of the Red Cross</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Whenever you see natural disasters or humanitarian crises on the news. You see the iconic white Toyota of the United Nations or non-governmental agencies responding. Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings is Toyota's official seller of 4X4 vehicles to humanitarian agencies. TGS makes simple modifications to make the vehicles more capable. The Land Cruiser in the picture above is standard. But you could see modifications such as bull bars, HF radio, spare tires, and fuel cans just to name a few. This was the first time that I had seen NGO White Toyota. You know you are in an austere part of the world when you see a white NGO Toyota. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC provides capacity and support to hospitals along the border with Afghanistan. The ICRC also provides training to enhance the skills of medical doctors.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xSvsNN5-RJI/UjZrVbmv5AI/AAAAAAAABB8/9BSBBCw5QLw/s1600/100_0973.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Swiss Army Pinzgauer" border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xSvsNN5-RJI/UjZrVbmv5AI/AAAAAAAABB8/9BSBBCw5QLw/w640-h480/100_0973.JPG" title="Pinzgauer" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Swiss Army Pinzgauer.</i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Named after the Austrian breed of cattle. The Pinzgauer is a highly mobile off-road vehicle. The Pinzgaur came in both 4WD and 6WD models. I was supporting a Boy Scout Camporee when I found this Pinzgaur in the parking lot of the park.</span></div><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ze19L3fG4gs/UjZsH_1_4QI/AAAAAAAABCE/e5rlUPCm30Y/s1600/100_0974.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Swiss Army Pinzgauer" border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ze19L3fG4gs/UjZsH_1_4QI/AAAAAAAABCE/e5rlUPCm30Y/w640-h480/100_0974.JPG" title="Pinzgauer" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I was a Scout, one of the troops I was in had a school bus to take us on campouts. The Pinzgauer is a lot cooler than our troop school bus. This variant is the 710 model 4x4 and could transport 10 troops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG98C-_KOWkmYeBR8HLeY_HPfqylDMLNG_rp4dvis3T37C9y35s1tnUudI3jaHuhlZiWyEibQuLiV5S8TWOY5khpkVxXz8NS8eoco9PfasDWn_Onl0lpLN1XvpnHyhdrd0ZaYMoz7ltZeMKT3CPoU0Lf2uqWjvUIg1mZWerwsHyjTpEsEyan5dWRu2/s4032/20220910_134627.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ex-MOD Land Rover Defender 90" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG98C-_KOWkmYeBR8HLeY_HPfqylDMLNG_rp4dvis3T37C9y35s1tnUudI3jaHuhlZiWyEibQuLiV5S8TWOY5khpkVxXz8NS8eoco9PfasDWn_Onl0lpLN1XvpnHyhdrd0ZaYMoz7ltZeMKT3CPoU0Lf2uqWjvUIg1mZWerwsHyjTpEsEyan5dWRu2/w640-h296/20220910_134627.jpg" title="Land Rover" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ex-MOD Land Rover Defender 90<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This Defender 90 was the first attraction I saw when I reached the <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1517" target="_blank"><b>UNESCO/ Archaeological</b> <b>Site of Philippi</b></a>, due to a weather delay earlier in the morning. Unfortunately, I was only at Philppi for a very short time. This Defender is a right-hand drive and has a two-color camouflage paint scheme. Most NATO Land Rovers that I have seen are green only or a three-color camouflage. </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuAwuQgtI5qQKsyYwF31lTxipegGwFXGOuFhe2BDdR6PmiXwpe1u09oqqa6Exj6BNai8E4QBYNzQ4QFglWZDmd87HNc8bQUGewI_YyH1xZjcRNL8iEzO24koZJKncaUbTB28unE6j_2LBm5FYJx35IHUk71r4mRHW4jFFuVinVnROL52lF9S3vKbM/s4032/20220910_134645.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ex-MOD Land Rover Defender 90" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuAwuQgtI5qQKsyYwF31lTxipegGwFXGOuFhe2BDdR6PmiXwpe1u09oqqa6Exj6BNai8E4QBYNzQ4QFglWZDmd87HNc8bQUGewI_YyH1xZjcRNL8iEzO24koZJKncaUbTB28unE6j_2LBm5FYJx35IHUk71r4mRHW4jFFuVinVnROL52lF9S3vKbM/w640-h296/20220910_134645.jpg" title="Land Rover" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passenger side view of tools and equipment on the roof rack.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is an odd bit of gear on the roof rack and it was hard to determine if it was an overland rig or a work vehicle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3_zQe-0YUFl8kwG2bKrFs5IZM1KHbFrqF3wKs452zyWiHgIFkEBKRaaSLKBAkM-zflRPhljnpF7ScUaQAm9XU7I9ocQBbsTFS3BQ8Lbvm-5ndVV-pmhPSWdDF6kdpGVco_gGIXDS3gzcb67jAeHya6rze5l18jzolk14PZW4rYUaHsC_2-o7bWTd/s4032/20220528_135530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="EX-Army Mercedes-Benz Truck" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3_zQe-0YUFl8kwG2bKrFs5IZM1KHbFrqF3wKs452zyWiHgIFkEBKRaaSLKBAkM-zflRPhljnpF7ScUaQAm9XU7I9ocQBbsTFS3BQ8Lbvm-5ndVV-pmhPSWdDF6kdpGVco_gGIXDS3gzcb67jAeHya6rze5l18jzolk14PZW4rYUaHsC_2-o7bWTd/w640-h295/20220528_135530.jpg" title="Mercedes-Benz overland rig" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Named after the Laubrosch European Tree Frog.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was exploring Matka Canyon located west central of Skopje, Northern Macedonia. I spotted this Mercedes-Benz overland rig. It's an ex-military truck that has been converted into an overland camper. Large diamond-plate storage boxes have been added for additional storage. On the rear of the camper, bike racks had been added. Laubrosch is a green European tree frog that seems to be a fitting name for this green beast of a rig. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This family of overlanders had found a nice spot for the day to enjoy the Teska River and the mountains around Matka Canyon. This area is a popular destination due to its close proximity to Skopje. There are numerous outdoor activities and cultural things to do and see. The canyon is Northern Macedonia's foremost area for alpine hiking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOLCBwjCufHp2KKx3LOed_6IluYopj-jTRgmhQF2obxv8AXRkoCe2yCO1LXnLqyQbtHMVk3u7kOHq7exvHzRUPsjIbNlFZRCK5degrIS4irl0JDeuyhM7PL4aUdjY-dVV7sq6LtEQ0Unyl3OfwOP8phNU3YrImwSeJ_LypPkrlzXJdrqR309QTyZD/s4032/20220716_200942.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOLCBwjCufHp2KKx3LOed_6IluYopj-jTRgmhQF2obxv8AXRkoCe2yCO1LXnLqyQbtHMVk3u7kOHq7exvHzRUPsjIbNlFZRCK5degrIS4irl0JDeuyhM7PL4aUdjY-dVV7sq6LtEQ0Unyl3OfwOP8phNU3YrImwSeJ_LypPkrlzXJdrqR309QTyZD/w640-h296/20220716_200942.jpg" title="Toyota Land Cruiser" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78 on the streets of Munich Germany. At first, I saw the Land Rover badge on the grill and thought to myself this can't be a Land Rover. The truck has heavily modified body parts, making it unique from its original design. The rear of the vehicle was built with storage and a sleeping area. I wish I could have found the owner to learn more about this truck. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPARCMSG0KorHxRb4gOj14oYvGsGb8vQ-7JzOdnVOGPr8RNGSHq7X0lkMeuGPmYmQUiGBKmGf_DA8YgiIsrYFPfwhPjjF1iQTWZGeT-vfuXeAhO87hXb42EJW0rFeAQfIzSwoTMnbD23VuZsiZFyugzd4aOEWC8DS1dzq1JVZTDgznafJNNc3dZyUT/s4032/20220815_181628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lade Niva Legend" border="0" data-original-height="1860" data-original-width="4032" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPARCMSG0KorHxRb4gOj14oYvGsGb8vQ-7JzOdnVOGPr8RNGSHq7X0lkMeuGPmYmQUiGBKmGf_DA8YgiIsrYFPfwhPjjF1iQTWZGeT-vfuXeAhO87hXb42EJW0rFeAQfIzSwoTMnbD23VuZsiZFyugzd4aOEWC8DS1dzq1JVZTDgznafJNNc3dZyUT/w640-h296/20220815_181628.jpg" title="Lade Niva" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Whenever I see a Lada Niva, I think of the one scene in the Jason Bourne movie where Bourne is looking for the girl in the Russian apartment. Now called the Lade Niva Legend, it has been in production since 1977. It is a series of vehicles (hatch-back, compact wagon, pick-up). It was originally built for a rural market. In other countries around the globe, it is known by other names and it competes with the Suzuki Jimmy. I saw a lot of the Lada Niva while I was in Tajikistan.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's just interesting to see different 4X4s, everyday drivers, and overlanding vehicles around the world. Each one is as different as its owner as well as its capabilities. </div><div><br />
<b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I would love to hear about your favorite Overlander and the stories behind it. If you happen to know of an Overlander blog that has great adventures and stories. Please share their blog or website in the comments.</div><div><b><br /></b></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-7118633067327588512023-01-14T22:33:00.009-05:002023-09-25T21:02:52.861-04:00Day Hikes around Beagle Gap || Shenandoah National Park<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33733827750/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Lower%20Meadow%20Bear%20Den%20Mountain%20at%20Bagle%20Gap%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3953/33733827750_62b96434a4.jpg%22%20width=%22500%22%20height=%22281%22%20alt=%22Lower%20Meadow%20Bear%20Den%20Mountain%20at%20Bagle%20Gap%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in May 2017 and was updated in January 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.</i><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Near-perfect conditions will be how I remember this day in early April. The view was clear down to the Shenandoah Valley, and you could see back to Charlottesville, Virginia. This was a daughter and
Dad day hike and she had asked to keep it shorter than the <b><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2016/12/doyle-river-loop.html" target="_blank">Doyle River Loop</a> </b>we did back in October.<br />
<br />My plan was to enter the park from the South District and drive north around 5-7 miles, this would put us at Beagle Gap. From there we would be able to complete two short day hikes. We would be able to return to our vehicle, drop off or pick up gear that we might need between hikes, and also use the port-a-pots if needed. So, Beagle Gap ends up being a perfect trailhead location that gets us on the trail and not spending a lot of time driving up the Parkway to get to a trailhead.<br />
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Beagle Gap sits between Bear Den Mountain and Little Calf Mountain. What's cool about this area is that both sides of Skyline Drive are meadows. The meadow area is what is left of the Royal Orchard.<div><br /></div><div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33733827750/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lower Meadow Bear Den Mountain at Bagle Gap"><img alt="Lower Meadow Bear Den Mountain at Bagle Gap" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3953/33733827750_62b96434a4_z.jpg" title="Meadow" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lower meadow of Bear Den Mountain overlooks the town of Waynesboro Virginia.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33733827750/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Lower%20Meadow%20Bear%20Den%20Mountain%20at%20Bagle%20Gap%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/3953/33733827750_62b96434a4_z.jpg%22%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22360%22%20alt=%22Lower%20Meadow%20Bear%20Den%20Mountain%20at%20Bagle%20Gap%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><br />
Our first leg of our day hike would take us up to the top of Bear Den Mountain via the Appalachian Trail. This area of the trail is not in Shenandoah National Park but in the Appalachian Trail Park. At the top of Bear Den Mountain is the location of two radio antenna farms. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276060554/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Illegal Camp Fire Site"><img alt="Illegal Camp Fire Site Bear Den Mountain" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/2860/33276060554_c76a460509_z.jpg" title="Illegal Camp Fire Site" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illegal campfire.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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On our way up to the top of Bear Den Mountain was a side trail that took us to some rocks. As you can see in the picture above someone made an illegal campfire. They did a good job of covering up the spot... But as you can see, the small tree did sustain some damage. This was a very bad spot for a campfire due to all the pine needles. Last year the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/87927/rocky-mount-fire-virginia" target="_blank"><b>Rocky Mount Fire</b></a> took place on 16 April 2016 and was the 2nd largest fire in the park's 90-year history, which burned 10,326 acres. I am sure that fire was caused by humans. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276064734/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Family Picnic Site"><img alt="Family Picnic Site of what use to be the Royal Orchard" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/2940/33276064734_590d32b2f3_z.jpg" title="Family Picnic Site" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picnic site of the family that had owned the Royal Orchard.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276064734/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Family%20Picnic%20Site%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2940/33276064734_590d32b2f3.jpg%22%20width=%22500%22%20height=%22281%22%20alt=%22Family%20Picnic%20Site%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276064734/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Family%20Picnic%20Site%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/2940/33276064734_590d32b2f3_z.jpg%22%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22360%22%20alt=%22Family%20Picnic%20Site%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Back in the mid-'90s, you could see down in the valley from this location, but the trees have grown over the years and have blocked the view. This spot is just off the Appalachian Trail and the radio towers are located behind me in this picture. There are about four old tractor seats at this location, which makes it a great place to take a lunch break. The owners of what was the Royal Orchard used to come to this spot for family picnics and to watch fireworks. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276065184/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Steel Table"><img alt="Steel Table at the Royal Orchard site Bear Den Mountain" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/2902/33276065184_f21d057b91_z.jpg" title="Steel Table" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to make lunch.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276065184/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Steel%20Table%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/2902/33276065184_f21d057b91_z.jpg%22%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22360%22%20alt=%22Steel%20Table%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><br />
I don't know how many times you are going to find a half-inch steel table in the mountains, but we found one here and we used it as a table to make our lunch. My daughter likes backpacking meals and she has a fun time helping to prepare our meals. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33307184023/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Apple Tree Blossom"><img alt="Royal Orchard apple tree Shenandoah National Park" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/2893/33307184023_1f8516b881_z.jpg" title="Apple Tree Blossom" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appletree bloom</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33307184023/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Apple%20Tree%20Blossom%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/2893/33307184023_1f8516b881_z.jpg%22%20width=%22360%22%20height=%22640%22%20alt=%22Apple%20Tree%20Blossom%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The old apple trees from the <span style="text-align: start;">Royal Orchard</span> are just starting to bloom on our visit. I think today we forget that people lived and farmed in what is now Shenandoah National Park. The landscape has reclaimed most of these homes and farms but if you keep an eye out you can find what still remains of them.<br />
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The second leg of our hike takes us up to Little Calf Mountain. Just before getting to this point, we met our first thru-hiker of the season. He had started out on his thru-hike on 10 February and had just entered the South District of the park. If you have a new PATC map of this section. the trail on the map does not match what is on the ground. This is not a big issue but just something to keep in mind. This also goes with some of the tracklogs and other online maps. Again not a big problem.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276068794/in/album-72157675968212756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Little Calf Mountain"><img alt="Little Calf Mountain Shenandoah National Park" height="360" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/2876/33276068794_90f7cb9ecc_z.jpg" title="Summit of Little Calf Mountain" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summit of Little Calf Mountain.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/33276068794/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Little%20Calf%20Mountain%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/2876/33276068794_90f7cb9ecc_z.jpg%22%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22360%22%20alt=%22Little%20Calf%20Mountain%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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<br />At the summit of Little Calf Mountain, there is another meadow and this too is a great place for lunch and a view back to Bear Den Mountain. From Little Calf Mountain, I wanted to make our way to Calf Mountain Shelter because I knew there was a spring there, and I wanted to use my Sawyer Mini filter to get some mountain spring water. Always filter water from any water source in the park. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking the way to the spring at Little Calf Mountain Shelter.</td></tr>
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The spring is in better shape than the sign... Depending on the time of the year and rainfall you will reach water running across the trail. This is not the spring, but surface water. The spring has a white PVC pipe at the source.<br />
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Pictured below is a benchmark that marks the boundary of the Appalachian Trail Park. I think by the end of the day we still hiked as far as we did in October... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AT Survey Marker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div dir="rtl"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Whether you just hike Bear Den Mountain or Little Calf Mountain, both provide short family hikes that give you a great place to stop and have lunch</span><span style="font-size: medium;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Trail Notes-</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>Activity: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Route/Place: </b>Appalachian Trail/ Beagle Gap Area.</div><div><b>Activity Type: </b>Day Hiking.</div><div><b>Trail Difficulty: </b>Bear Den Mountain - Easy & Kid Friendly.</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Little Calf Mountain -Easy & Kid Friendly.</div><div><b>Trail Conditions: </b>The trail is very well maintained. Marked with trail signs and white blazes.</div><div><b>Waterfalls/Steams: </b>None.</div><div><b>Trip Results: </b>Successful.</div><div><b>Road Conditions: </b>Road suitable for all vehicles- Access fee.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What you need to know before you go.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/fees.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Fees</b></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/maps.htm" target="_blank"><b>Shenandoah National Park Map</b></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.southshenandoah.net/feedback/trail-conditions.html" target="_blank"><b>Report a Trail Issue</b></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;">Navigate over to our other </i></span><i>related articles</i><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"> on hikes in Shenandoah National Park.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/10/exploring-south-district-hikes-in.html" target="_blank"><b>Exploring South District Hikes</b></a><br /></span></span></li><li><span><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2016/12/doyle-river-loop.html" target="_blank"><b>Doyle River Loop</b></a><br /></span></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Leave a comment about your hike around Beagle Gap. Or share your favorite hike in Shenandoah National Park. </div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/34118560145/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Appalachian%20Trail%20survey%20marker%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2853/34118560145_c88236d01a.jpg%22%20width=%22281%22%20height=%22500%22%20alt=%22Appalachian%20Trail%20survey%20marker%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20data-flickr-embed=%22true%22%20href=%22https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/34118560145/in/album-72157675968212756/%22%20title=%22Appalachian%20Trail%20survey%20marker%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22https://live.staticflickr.com/2853/34118560145_c88236d01a_z.jpg%22%20width=%22360%22%20height=%22640%22%20alt=%22Appalachian%20Trail%20survey%20marker%22%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E" target="_blank"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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</div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Beagle Gap, White Hall, VA 22943, USA38.0729143 -78.793077599999999.7626804638211553 -113.94932759999999 66.383148136178846 -43.63682759999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-37267190239572641572022-12-19T22:21:00.003-05:002023-08-30T20:25:41.618-04:00Military Veterans and Gold Star Families Lifetime Pass to Our National Parks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Military Veterans and Gold Star Families Lifetime Pass" border="0" height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CrymCAWk7pc/Y3loDaoo5gI/AAAAAAAACuE/o9xk_iXLLzQ2mfISS2Dn-Tl5rNx7E3n-QCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h296/1668900878033332-0.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lifetime Pass" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lifetime pass is just one way the nation shows its gratitude and support to the Armed Forces.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Military Interagency Pass was established in the 2004 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. It was one of five America the Beautiful Park Passes. An annual free park pass, the Military Interagency pass, gave access to more than 2,000 recreation destinations. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Passed in December 2021, The Alexander Lofgren Veteran in Parks (VIP)Act authorized lifetime access to federal lands to veterans and Gold Star families. This is in addition to the free military pass. To learn about the tragedy of Alexander Lofgren. Hear <a href="https://youtu.be/TF-0z-Bfh88" target="_blank"><b>Emily Henkel's</b></a> own words recount the accident that took the life of her partner Alexander in Death Valley National Park.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the years I have used my Military Interagency pass to access one of my favorite National Parks. As of Veteran's Day, 11 November 2022. You can now get the lifetime pass. I have provided the links to each federal land agency. Not every agency has updated its website with the current information. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm" target="_blank"><b>National Park Service</b></a> (NPS)</li><li><a href="https://www.fws.gov/service/federal-recreational-lands-passes" target="_blank"><b>US Fish and Wildlife Service</b></a> (FWS)</li><li><a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5368791" target="_blank"><b>US Forest Service</b></a> (USFS)</li><li><a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/passes" target="_blank"><b>Bureau of Land Management</b></a> (BLM)</li><li><a href="https://www.usbr.gov/recreation/beautiful.html" target="_blank"><b>Bureau of Reclamation</b></a> (USBR)</li><li><a href="https://www.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/News-Release-Article-View/Article/2412091/army-corps-of-engineers-extends-america-the-beautiful-military-recreation-pass/" target="_blank"><b>US Army Corps of Engineers</b></a> (USACE)</li><li><a href="https://www.doi.gov/tourists/get-a-pass" target="_blank"><b>US Department of the Interior</b></a> (DOI)</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>108 Nationa Parks charge entrance fees. This is a list of those parks and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/entrance-fee-prices.htm" target="_blank"><b>entrance fee prices</b></a>. This should help provide a better understanding of the value of the lifetime pass. I am also providing the link to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm" target="_blank"><b>who is</b> <b>eligible as a veteran and Gold Star Family</b></a> for the pass and what forms of identification are required. </div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to obtaining the pass at contact stations. You can also purchase your Military Veterans and Gold Star Families Lifetime Pass at the <a href="https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes" target="_blank"><b>USGS Store</b></a>. The pass will not be available for immediate download. They will be shipped to your address. Please note there is a $10 processing fee if you purchase through the USGS store. </div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-38302252456780691472022-10-13T14:55:00.006-04:002023-12-17T20:15:05.435-05:00Accursed Mountains || Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, Kosovo<div class="separator"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52341736657/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52341736657_28650998dd_z.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" width="403" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>The immense granite walls of the Accursed.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We may never know if it was a tall tail, a myth, or the legend of an army that was the reason for the name of the Accursed Mountains. But what I do know is that this part of the Accursed Mountains in western Kosovo is just breathtaking. Known as the Albanian Alps, the Accursed Mountains make up the Southernmost subrange of the Dinaric Alps. </div><div><br /></div><div>Established in 2012, the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park is located in the districts of Gjakova and Peja in the far western portion of Kosovo. The western edge of the park is bordered by Albania and Montenegro.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52359972308/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" height="369" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52359972308_26cf5562af_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rugova Canyon is considered to be Europe's longest and deepest canyon that follows the Drini River.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the most popular attractions in Kosovo is the Rugova Canyon also known as Rugova Gorge is considered to be Europe's longest and deepest canyon. In 1985 the gorge was declared a protected monument of natural heritage. The immense granite walls of the canyon tower are 2000 ft (609 meters) above the Drini River. The infamous M9 road traverses the Drini River and Rugova Gorge for 13 miles (23km).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52342995354/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52342995354_a631baee6d_c.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking back down the Rugova Gorge to the City of Peja.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The area is very popular with hikers, climbers, skiers, and cavers. Unlike my other post on Navigate to Your Adventure. I normally have first-hand experience in the area that I am writing about. This is not the case with this post. This was a unique experience because I never put foot on the ground in the national park or the Accursed Mountains. What I did get from my journey was the opportunity to capture great images of the Accursed Mountains, the Rugova Gorge, and Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52342936803/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52342936803_dffe129f29_c.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What an adventure it would be to drive up that mountain trail.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many times the images we see online of amazing places are normally from the same vantage point. We are drawn to these wild places by the images others have posted online. We want to create the same experience that others had instead of creating our own.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52342692886/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52342692886_803bb2f854_c.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The rugged beauty is amazing.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It happens to be the last-minute opportunity the day I travel to this area of Kosovo. I really had no idea what I would experience or what I would see. The images I took that day are from a vantage point that most adventure travelers probably will never get the opportunity to absorb the pure rugged beauty of this area the same way I did. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52342934988/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52342934988_903473155e_c.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" /></a><i> Alpine meadows in the Accursed Mountains are where only a few 100 inhabitants live today.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I<span style="font-size: medium;"> probably will never have an opportunity to experience the Accursed Mountains as I did on that day. While that gives me an emptiness that I will not be able to fill. It does allow my mind to wonder and dream up what adventures that await me. I hope the images do the same for you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52342993914/in/album-72177720301933271/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park"><img alt="Accursed Mountains, Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52342993914_cee3769fea_c.jpg" title="Accursed Mountains" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A vehicle parked just off of a rugged mountain road sits as hikers forage for wild mushrooms.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div>I know I have missed a lot about this area. Please leave a comment on the things you experienced and explored in the Accursed Mountains and the National Park.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Navigate over to our related post:</i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/08/postcard-livadh-lake-sharr-mountain.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Livadh Lake Sharr Mountain</b></a><br /></li></ul><div><i>To see more photos of the Accursed Mountains, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72177720301933271" target="_blank">Navigate to Your Adventure on Flickr</a></i></div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Peja42.6592868 20.288735814.349052963821151 -14.867514199999999 70.969520636178842 55.4449858tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-63761502821222854222022-09-27T15:29:00.007-04:002023-12-17T20:14:25.219-05:00GORUCK Challenge Class 800, Richmond VA 2013 | AAR<div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: justify;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated in September 2022 for accuracy and comprehensiveness. </i><i> </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hardest Thing To Do Is Sign Up!</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div>I had been looking for an endurance type of event to give myself a goal to work toward. Something that was going to be physically challenging and that would push me to my limits. I wasn't interested in mud runs or obstacle course types of events. I was looking for something with more purpose. What that meant I had no idea.<br />
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I soon found an event called GORUCK Challenge, and that was what I was looking for. What's a GORUCK Challenge? Well, it's just best that you go <a href="https://www.goruck.com/goruck-challenge/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. Because that is where I started. The challenge is not a race but a team event. The challenge is led by a current and former Special Operations Cadre. Their job is to test your limits and push you past those limits. The cadre takes a class of individuals and turns them into a team while building a bridge between the civilian and military worlds. <div><br /></div><div>One of the interesting aspects of a GORUCK Challenge is the event course is unknown. The cadre will only provide a starting point in the host city the week of the event. This is a good thing because part of not knowing the course adds to the mental stress of the event. The GORUCK Challenge is designed to be both mentally and physically challenging. Plan for the event to last 10-12 hours with a course distance of 15-20 miles. For any type of special operations training, 90% of it is metal, and 10% is physical. GORUCK calls the physical part "Good Living."<div><br /></div><div>I had plans to do the event with my stepson. He had just finished his commitment with the Marines. As it turned out he couldn't make it. Since I couldn't find someone else to go with me. I signed up to go at it on my own. Do the challenge with a buddy. You will walk away with a stronger bond and friendship. If you are going to the event solo, then you will have a team of friends for life. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WeWAeohY6ok/UlII5B22N6I/AAAAAAAABC8/QtiChnjh9po/s1600/IMG_20131004_121555_690.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="GORUCK Tough Class 800" border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WeWAeohY6ok/UlII5B22N6I/AAAAAAAABC8/QtiChnjh9po/s400/IMG_20131004_121555_690.jpg" title="GORUCK Loadout" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Loadout for the GORUCK Tough.</td></tr>
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Let's talk about gear. GORUCK provides a required gear list for each event. You don't have to purchase a GORUCK pack to do this event. If you have a military type of day pack it will be fine. I used what I had on hand. <div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pack- <a href="https://www.kelty.com/strike-2300/" target="_blank"><b>Kelty Strike</b></a>.</li><li>Hydration Blatter-<a href="https://sourcetacticalgear.com/product-category/tactical-hydration-bladders/" target="_blank"><b>Source Reservoir</b></a>. </li><li>Headlamp-<a href="https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Headlamps/TIKKA" target="_blank"><b>Petzl Tikka</b></a>.</li><li>First Aid Kit- <a href="https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/ultralight-watertight/ultralight-watertight-3.html" target="_blank"><b>Adventure Medical UL/WT .3</b></a>. </li><li>Food</li><li>ID and $20</li><li>PT/runner belt</li><li>Gloves </li><li>Pair of socks</li><li>Glow stick</li></ul>Oh, I almost forgot the most important piece of gear of all bricks! If you weigh in under 150lbs you will carry 4 bricks. If you happen to weigh 150 lbs plus, then you have to carry 6 bricks. I didn't weigh my pack because I had to carry 6 bricks plus water and everything else that I listed. If I had to guess my pack weight of 45-47lbs.</div><div>
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The only item that I carried and didn't use was socks. Even though I had placed the socks in a zip-lock bag they still ended up wet. I don't think there is a Challenge event in that you will not get wet. So plan accordingly!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pro Tip: </b>To help protect and keep things dry. I suggest using a 4-liter dry bag instead of a zip-lock bag. To protect your cell phone use a small Pelican case. As for gloves, I think the most important aspect is to have a pair that fits like a second skin. I use and have had good results with Mechanix The Original® tactical gloves.<br />
<br />After starting the GORUCK Challenge with 17 individuals. Class 800 finished as a team 9 hours and 26 minutes after we started. I am sure that this event challenged us in different ways. People learned that they can push past their limits and at times they have to pull from the strength of others. </div><div><br /></div><div>I feel that I came away with something different than most. One of the points that we stopped at during the night was the <a href="http://www.vawarmemorial.org/" target="_blank"><b>Virginia War Memorial</b></a>. This was purposely placed in the course to help bridge the gap between the civilian and military worlds. For us to individually reflect on the sacrifices that had been made by those American names that were on the wall. I remember at this point, the night air became cool and crisp. The sounds of the city became still as we took time to read the names on the glass walls of the memorial. I was looking for the name <b><a href="http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ddbooker.htm" target="_blank">Staff Sergeant Darryl Booker</a> </b>a friend of mine who was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. While I couldn't find his name on the wall that night. I knew he was there with me if only in spirit. A powerful emotion came over me I knew that I needed to live my life to the fullest since he was not able to live his. I hope I have not let him down.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loIUXDheRO8/UlITnvXX9kI/AAAAAAAABDM/6yNsudevFnM/s1600/GORUCK+Class+800.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="GORUCK Tough Class 800 Richmond Virginia" border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loIUXDheRO8/UlITnvXX9kI/AAAAAAAABDM/6yNsudevFnM/w640-h480/GORUCK+Class+800.jpg" title="GORUCK Tough" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group photo of Class 800 in front of the Virginia State Capitol </td></tr>
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<br /><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div>Have you done a GORUCK Challenge or another GORUCK event? I would like to hear about your experience. Do you have other gear tips?</div><div> </div><div>
<i>Check out our related GORUCK post at: </i><br />
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<li><i><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2018/04/goruck-constellation-12-hour-richmond.html" target="_blank"><b>Goruck Constellation 12-hour Richmond</b> </a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2019/05/goruck-star-course-washington-dc-2019_19.html" target="_blank"><b>Goruck Star Course Washington DC 2019</b></a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/03/keep-blisters-at-bay-to-stay-in-fight.html" target="_blank"><b>Keep Blisters at Bay to Stay in the Fight</b></a><br /></li>
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<br /></div></div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-45062651918821489592022-09-18T09:36:00.005-04:002023-12-17T20:12:30.170-05:00POSTCARD: Old Bazaar|| Skopje, Northern Macedonia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52360051499/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Old Bazaar, Skopje Northern Macedonia"><img alt="Old Bazaar, Skopje Northern Macedonia" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52360051499_7a75ca552d_c.jpg" title="Old Bazaar" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The largest Bazaar in the Balkans.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Over the past eight months, I have had the unique opportunity to visit and explore parts of the Balkans and Western Europe. I often need help with how I can share those experiences here on Navigate to Your Adventure. Trying to keep with the theme of outdoor adventure for the blog has been a little hard to do. I must remind myself that exploring a country or culture doesn't have to be some distance trail or mountaintop view.</p><p>The reminder I needed is just under the title of the blog. Which is "Celebrating the adventurers and independent thinkers who travel by the human spirit."</p><p>My travels have taken me to Skopje several times, and it has only been for short periods each visit. I see something new and different each time I have been there. On this journey, I detour and go through the Old Bazaar to navigate my way to the city's center. I wished I had the time to stop and check out the different shops and goods that the vendors had to offer. Definitely, this was a missed experience. </p><p>My Postcard series has been a way for me to take a photo that captures my experiences at that moment. It has also enabled me to develop my mobile phone photography skills. I knew when I saw the umbrellas over the market street. The photograph would capture the essence of the Old Bazaar. It also inspires you to explore and seek the experience that awaits you.</p><p>The Old Bazaar has been the center of trade since the 12th century. This area has been fought over and ruled for different periods. It has seen Roman, Byzantine, and Serbian rule. During Ottoman rule, the bazaar was Skopje's leading economic and merchant center. The Old Bazaar has also been heavily damaged by earthquakes and fire. The Old Bazaar has been rebuilt many times, and remnants of past architectural styles can still be seen today. The bazaar is recognized and protected as a cultural heritage of particular importance for the country with permanent protections. The Old Bazaar is the largest in the Balkans.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72157719777005139" target="_blank"><b>Navigate to Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></span></p><p><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></p><p>Have you been to the Old Bazaar? What things did you see or enjoy finding that should be shared? Please leave a comment on your experience. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Skopje, North Macedonia41.9981294 21.425435513.687895563821158 -13.730814500000001 70.308363236178849 56.5816855tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-15822317104175979842022-08-30T00:50:00.003-04:002023-12-17T20:12:14.556-05:00Where Planning Becomes Reality<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-djnXV51hG_0/Yv56ZKHJK1I/AAAAAAAACpw/DRz8oZqdbTEoIqcGA8oIEihOrLjKNR4YwCNcBGAsYHQ/w424-h640/1660844641769625-0.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="424" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Where planning becomes a reality.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Recently on a visit to Munich Germany. I had the opportunity to visit a store of the largest independent outdoor retailer in Germany. Out of all the gear and gadgets that could have lured me out of my sense and money. I was totally mesmerized by their map and outdoor book section.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most outdoor retailers in the United States have a minimal magazine, outdoor book, and map section. At best, most of these sections could fit in a small car's trunk! But this store was on hold another level. Plus there was a small staff of experts to help with tour planning and equipment rental.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While I couldn't capture the entire department in pictures. What stood out to me was the planning table. Pictured above, the table must have been 10-12 feet long. A series of maps laid under glass. On the side of the table were little cubby holes that held the map sectionals. Reference the main map to find the sectional you need for your particular excursion. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At this point, my mind drifted to what adventures and epic getaways could be dreamed up. Reading Guidebooks and pouring over maps to find the details is something that I enjoy. For me, this is part of the journey. It's not the same experience in the digital form. You have to be able to unfold the map and highlight a route. You have to make your own notes in the margins of the book. You have to be able to capture the plan. More importantly, you have to make it your own. You cannot live someone else's experience. You have to get out there and do it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While my trip to Munich didn't lead me to a trip to a mountain hut or summit. It led me to urban hiking and exploring the maze of trails in the parks and urban greenways throughout the city. This in itself was an amazing experience.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Now It's Your Turn-</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I invite you to leave a comment. Do you have a collection of guidebooks and maps? Do you use only digital resources? Let me know how you dream up your adventures.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Navigate over to our related post at:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2019/12/outdoor-personal-reference-library-from.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Outdoor Personal Reference Library</b></span></a></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-85428074683777900932022-08-21T15:11:00.005-04:002023-12-17T20:11:56.888-05:00DIY Fork Bike Light Mount<div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">Editor's note: This article was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated in August 2022 for accuracy and comprehensiveness. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times;">I</span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>have been looking more into adventure travel by bike. This might be an all-day ride, a light tour, an S24O, or even a full-on bikepacking trip. If heading out on the road, I figured that I needed to add some lights to my bikes. This is for safety and it happens to be the law where I live.</div>
<br />The Commonwealth of Virginia code states that cyclists must have a white front light and a rear blinking red light if they ride on a public road between sunset and sunrise with a posted speed of 35mph or higher. Go <a href="https://www.virginiadot.org/programs/bikeped/laws_and_safety_tips.asp#Safety%20Considerations" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> for more bike laws in Virginia. With increased traffic and distracted drivers, it just makes good sense to ride with lights any time of the day when on the road riding. <br />
<br />When I ride, I like to move my hands around the handlebar. I feel that I cannot do that with a handlebar full of stuff. I also want a light mount that looks like it is part of the light system and not something I cobbled together. <div><br /><div>
With more time wasted on the internet than I like to admit. I found all types of setups, but nothing suited my taste until I found the <a href="http://www.problemsolversbike.com/" target="_blank"><b>Problem Solvers</b></a> website. They had an excellent little <a href="http://problemsolversbike.com/blog" target="_blank"><b>Blog</b></a> section that showed you how to well "solve" stuff.<br />
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Now, there were a couple of ways that I could have gone about this project. I could have used a <a href="https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/gino-light-mount/" target="_blank"><b>Gino</b> <b>Light Mount</b></a> by Paul Components. Problem Solvers have two different solutions. Those would be the <a href="https://problemsolversbike.com/files/tech/Brake_Light_Mount_Inst.pdf" target="_blank"><b>Brake Stud Light Mounts</b></a> and <a href="https://problemsolversbike.com/products/accessory-mounts/quick_release_nut" target="_blank"><b>Quick-Release Nut Light Mounts</b>.</a> <br />
<br />Because I have different bikes, I need to be able to move my light from bike to bike. The Gino Mount would have worked on the MB-1 but not my Waltworks CX bike. I am not sure if the Brake Stud Mount would have worked on the Waltworks because I have <a href="https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/neo-retro/" target="_blank"><b>Paul Neo-Retro</b></a> Brakes. I am not so sure about using a QR Nut Mount as part of my QR.<br />
<br />What I did was find two DIY hacks on the <a href="http://problemsolversbike.com/blog" target="_blank"><b>Problem Solver Blog</b></a>. The first hack was a fork crown light mount and the second hack was a fork light mount. Both hacks used the QR Nut Light Mount. Both of these solutions I like. Both meet my requirement of looking like it is part of the light system. <br />
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So now I have two bikes that I want to mount lights on. Only the Bridgestone will work with the crown mount hack. But both the Bridgestone and the Waltworks will work with a fork mount set-up. Since both bikes can use the same setup. I only need to make one mount that can be moved from bike to bike. So now I have two requirements. One that the mount looks like it's part of the light system. Second, the mount can be moved from bike to bike. The fork mount hack meets those requirements.<br />
<br />If you decide to make this same mount. There are two things I would like to caution you on. First is the cost of this build. This project cost $36 in total to build. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Supply List:</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Cateye FlexTight Bracket #533-8827N </li><li>Problem Solver QR Light Mount </li><li>M5 bolt </li><li>M5 nut </li><li>M5 tap</li></ul>
<br />Pictured below is what the final project turned out to look like.<div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12aR8udh_nw/VAkNulQrKcI/AAAAAAAABTg/NGRLxWSAKJI/s1600/100_1836.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Fork Bike Light Mount" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12aR8udh_nw/VAkNulQrKcI/AAAAAAAABTg/NGRLxWSAKJI/w640-h480/100_1836.JPG" title="Problem Solvers QR Fork Mount" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Side view of the DIY fork mount.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ebIj914eBMA/VAkN1nukCDI/AAAAAAAABTs/i9_LRe6Issk/s1600/100_1837.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Fork Bike Light Mount" border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ebIj914eBMA/VAkN1nukCDI/AAAAAAAABTs/i9_LRe6Issk/w640-h480/100_1837.JPG" title="Problem Solvers QR Fork Mount" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rearview of the DIY fork mount.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j_B2pSofC-M/VAkN2nymRZI/AAAAAAAABT4/q2MFrU39Od4/s1600/100_1838.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Fork Bike Light Mount" border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j_B2pSofC-M/VAkN2nymRZI/AAAAAAAABT4/q2MFrU39Od4/w640-h480/100_1838.JPG" title="Problem Solvers QR Fork Mount" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Close-up view of the QR light mount</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9u38vHMT_A/VAkN1flWgtI/AAAAAAAABTo/mUwncJX3bNw/s1600/100_1839.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Fork Bike Mount" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9u38vHMT_A/VAkN1flWgtI/AAAAAAAABTo/mUwncJX3bNw/w640-h480/100_1839.JPG" title="Problem Solvers QR Fork Mount" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Front view of the QR light mount</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just used a light on hand to demonstrate what the final project would look like. I am looking at using a Princeton Tec PUSH on this mount. I will also see how well a GoPro will work on this mount. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am happy with the way this project turned out. If you are looking for a bike mount solution. Whatever you do, make sure it is the right solution for you and that you have the skills and tools needed to do the job right. <br />
<br /></div></div></div><div><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Leave a comment on how you have mounted lights in alternate locations. What are some DIY hacks that you have done on your bike?</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Navigate over to our related post at:</i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/09/diy-strap-keepers-for-voile-straps.html" target="_blank">DIY Strap Keepers for Voile Straps</a><br /></li></ul></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-89603752298609795442022-08-14T10:22:00.014-04:002023-12-17T20:17:25.770-05:00POSTCARD: Livadh Lake || Sharr Mountain Range<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52258971993/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Konjushka's Lake Area Kosovo"><img alt="POSTCARD Konjushka's Lake Sharr Montain Range" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52258971993_17e0689126_z.jpg" title="Konjushka's Lake" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Peak of Ljubuten "Big. Duke" can be seen in the distance.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div>It could be unfair to say how I reached this part of the mountains and why I was there. It wasn't a day for me but a celebration for someone else. As soon as I stepped on the lush alpine grass and breathed in the cool mountain air. My thoughts instantly transported me from my mundane routine to pure enjoyment, if only for an hour. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a difficult feeling to explain. My senses were overloaded, and I was trying to absorb all of it. The raw beauty of the mountains. The alpine grass is only touched by wild sheep and the cool crisp mountain air. It was a surreal experience. I guess that's why this spot in the Sharr Mountains is also pronounced <span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Šar</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </b>Mountains to me so epic. My time here was limited, and I knew there was a good chance that I would never be back again.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the location of the glacial waters of Livadh Lake is not a secret. I feel like they should be. The northernmost lake in the Sharr Mountains is 2173m/7129ft. It lies between the foot of Tumba Peak and Maja Livadh Peak. While I didn't reach here on foot. You can access the area via a host of different routes.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52263675290/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Konjushka's Lake"><img alt="POSTCARD Konjushka's Lake Sharr Mountain Range" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52263675290_5a7e53b62e_z.jpg" title="Konjushka's Lake" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The glacial waters of Livadh Lake.</i><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Navigate over to our related Postcard Series post at:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/03/the-mountains-of-sharr-mountain.html" target="_blank"><b>A New Adventure Sharr Mountain Range</b></a><br /></span></li></ul></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72157719777005139" target="_blank"><b>Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></span></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52263675290/in/album-72157719777005139/" title="Konjushka's Lake"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></a>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Kosovo42.6026359 20.90297714.292402063821157 -14.253273 70.912869736178848 56.059227tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-28135498182774589382022-06-03T15:06:00.012-04:002023-12-17T20:18:31.603-05:00DANCON MARCH 2022 || Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52055884887/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52055884887_be44fb18d6_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Participants line up to begin the march.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple;"><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple; font-weight: bold;">What is a DANCON March?</span><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">DANCON is short for Danish Contingent. The DANCON March is a tradition that goes back to 1972 when the Royal Danish Army was deployed in Cyprus. There is a DANCON event wherever the Danish Contingent mission takes them. The march has taken place in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, and Iraq, to name a few. </div><div>The march measures the Army's physical preparedness and provides a social event. The march route is located in the countryside close to the Danish Camp. The march serves as a sign of mutual trust between the local residents and the Danish Contingent. Proceeds from each march are donated to wounded Danish Soldiers and veteran programs.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DANCON March requirements:</span></div><ul><li>25km route by foot in varying terrain.</li><li>10kg dry weighted pack. In addition to the 10kg is food, water, socks, etc. </li><li>Weapons can be part of the load.</li><li>March must be done in military uniform and boots.</li><li>8 hours to complete</li></ul></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Can I wear the medal on my uniform?</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The short answer for U.S. Military personnel is no. The DANCON medal is only "honorary" and can only be accepted and retained. It's a reminder that you had type II fun and that you did something cool for bragging rights. Not being able to wear the medal shouldn't stop you from doing the march. It's more to it than that. Remember, this is a social event with multi-national troops. It is also a fundraiser for the Danish veteran programs. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Does the medal change for each march? </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, every Danish Contingent designs its own depending on regimental traditions. </div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><br /></div></div><div></div></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52056971183/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52056971183_7865cbe144_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Participants come from different partner nations</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><i><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">DANCON March Camp Novo Selo</span></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a 2-hour window to get everyone checked in. We weighed our packs to meet the official weight and then we checked in. The Danish Army has its process down to a science. During the check-in, it was interesting to see the different uniforms and equipment each army has. We might look different and are equipped differently, but all Soldiers are the same deep down.</div><div><br /></div><div>There were approximately 900 participants in the march hosted by the Danish Contingent. Participants were from the following partner nations. Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States. I am sure I missed a few others.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Before I departed the camp, I loaded my pockets with candy to hand out to the kids in the villages. I enjoyed handing out candy to the kids. It also surprised me that all the kids I met could speak English. While I only gave a couple of pieces of candy per child. I did run out of candy way before I finished the course. If you do a DANCON don't forget to take a big bag of candy. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52057181124/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52057181124_4d38e624a1_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The march takes us to the outskirts of Maxhunaj.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple;">While I knew this event was going to be tuff. I was excited to march into the countryside and walk through small farming villages. As we left camp the march took us to the outskirts of the village of Maxhunaj. I would call Maxhunaj a small town rather than a village. We follow a ribbon of road that makes its way through fields that have not been worked for spring planting.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div>As I make my way over the route. I feel that I have been invited into another world. One that takes a step back in time. The villages seem to be sleepy this morning. But as we continue to march the villagers start to come out to greet us. </div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52072090062/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52072090062_064b4662a1_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking back to Maxhunaj and the hundreds of marchers.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><i><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073154223/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073154223_c9fb09386b_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's hard to explain what marching with so many people is like.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="--inversion-type-color: simple;">Looking ahead, I see the toxic smoke of someone burning their trash on the side of a field. This is a common sight to see in Kosovo. I don't believe a day has gone by that I haven't seen a fire burning. We turn and make our way up to our first hill climb of the day. There will be more hills to climb over the next 25km route.</span></div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073170933/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073170933_7c2e5b375f_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>As the fire burns, we will start the first climb of the day.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073422359/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073422359_15288d02fa_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is where we start to spread out a bit.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073142731/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073142731_11cfd4e566_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A female Soldier from Hungary had a tactical Hello Kitty morale patch.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div><br /></div><div>The Hello Kitty patch was a conversation starter with the Hungarian Soldier. She told me where I could find one. I ended up later purchasing the same patch to send home to my daughter.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073615120/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073615120_b6c9a336df_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clicking off the kilometers and setting our sites in another village.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52073130016/in/album-72177720298455350/" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073130016_c2b69c949f_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In every village, town, and city in Kosovo. You will find a multitude of homes and structures that are incomplete. In the picture below you will notice that the gable end of the building is not finished. This is because you don't pay taxes on an unfinished building. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52068121450/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52068121450_0e1255dd5f_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Though this village runs a drain ditch which is just full of trash.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Kosovo is rich in history and beauty. It seems that most of the villages that we marched through are simple farming communities. The people work hard and are thankful for our presence. </div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52067644248/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52067644248_76f40f5ff4_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the many 1600 war memorials in Kosovo.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div><br /></div><div>There are over 1600 war memorials in Kosovo that are related to the 1998-1999 war. Most of these memorials are put up by family, and friends. There is no formal process or legal procedure to gain permission to erect a memorial or public debate about the memorial.</div><div><br /></div><div>I would assume that this memorial was erected by the village. They see people from their villages as heroes.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52066554452/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52066554452_93fc4ca614_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Going down was as hard as going up the mountain</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Between the village of Studime e Eperma and Cecelija. There happens to be a mountain that the route goes over. This was a soul crusher of a climb! At one point the guy next to me said his watch was showing we were almost at 3000ft. <div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52068089420/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="295" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52068089420_c7f4532639_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The village of Cecelija. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking down onto the village of Cecelija. You can see the other participants already in town. Going down the mountain was just as hard as the climb up. Once we marched through the town we were at the halfway point. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52057447480/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="535" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52057447480_bf330fdb08_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kopleksi Memorial in the village of Cecelija.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can tell from this memorial that you are in an ethnic Albanian village because of the Albanian flag. This is the most significant memorial that I have seen up to this point from a ground perspective. I have seen sites that take up a hilltop that I have seen from the air. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52056953496/in/album-72177720298455350/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DANCON March"><img alt="DANCON March, Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52056953496_a4ee364e79_z.jpg" title="DANCON March" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is what dedication to service looks like. Photo by SSG Hunt</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I saved this picture for last. We all have our challenges in life, and the DANCON march will do that to you. But some challenges motivate others to dig deeper. I am amazed at the warrior spirit of MAJ Pitcher and his dedication to the service of our Nation. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Now It's Your Turn-</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you completed a DANCON in March? Have you explored Kosovo?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Navigate over to our related articles on the <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2023/06/dancon-march-camp-novo-selo-kosovo.html" target="_blank"><b>DANCON March</b></a>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">To see more photos from the DANCON March, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72177720298455350" target="_blank"><b>Navigate to Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/52068089420/in/album-72177720298455350/" title="DANCON March"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></a>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Novo Selo42.6361678 21.259164914.325933963821157 -13.897085100000002 70.946401636178848 56.4154149tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-13180959903692452462022-03-13T03:40:00.004-04:002023-12-17T20:19:22.218-05:00POSTCARD: A New Adventure|| Sharr Mountain Range<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51930473106/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sharr Mountains National Park"><img alt="Sharr Mountains National Park, Kosovo" height="322" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51930473106_74ba22fd33_z.jpg" title="Sharr Mountain Range" width="699" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mountains of Sharr Mountain National Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Back in late October, I posted that I would be changing over to a mobile office set-up. At the same time, I was also working on building a mobile photography kit. It seems to have taken me months to assemble the necessary digital gear. The need for a mobile office set-up and a mobile photography kit was simple. They both needed to be lightweight and compact. They needed to be able to integrate with the gear and devices that I already own. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I set a goal for myself to produce better content and better photographs for my blog. Time will tell if I meet that goal, but I have set the groundwork to meet that goal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes being in the right place. At the right time and in the right conditions allows you to capture great images. In my case, it was dumb luck. The above image I took while flying by helicopter. Located over the Sharr Mountain Range, also pronounced <span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">Šar Mountain Range. This section of the range is located in </span>the Sharr Mountain National Park (Albanian: <i lang="sq" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span>Parku Kombëtar Malet e Sharrit</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">;</span></i><span face="sans-serif" lang="sq" style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"> Serbian: </span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">Национални парк Шар Планине</span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">).<span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span>The park is </span>located in the District of Prizren and on the other side of the ridgeline is Northern Macedonia.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am afforded a unique opportunity to explore a country and a culture different than my own. At times, this will take me out of my comfort zone but I am excited about new challenges and experiences. I hope you come back and visit Navigate to Your Adventure as I share my experiences.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Navigate over to our related Postcard Series post at:</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2022/08/postcard-livadh-lake-sharr-mountain.html" target="_blank"><b>Livadh Lake Sharr Mountain Range</b></a><br /></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/77944462@N05/164522" target="_blank"><b>Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Prizren District42.215252199999988 20.741477218.108385403444146 -14.414772800000001 66.32211899655583 55.8977272tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-63645796362686573822021-12-28T17:24:00.019-05:002023-09-22T13:51:32.251-04:00Appomattox River Trail || University Blvd Trailhead <div style="text-align: justify;">One of the reasons I started Navigate to Your Adventure. Was to inspire others to explore the world around them. For the last couple of months, life has very been busy. I was placing pressure on myself to follow my outdoor pursuits and to have something to post on the blog. I was coming up short, trying to plan out an epic adventure. It seemed that anything outdoors was further away than my time and commitments would allow. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sometimes, I have to remind myself of my own words. I thought that I needed to travel a few hours away to a remote trailhead for that perfect adventure. I need to adjust my self-imposed expectations and get out there and explore. In previous posts, such as <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/12/postcard-canal-walk-james-river-park.html" target="_blank"><b>Canal Walk</b></a>, and <a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2019/07/postcard-flatwater-kayaking-james-river.html" target="_blank"><b>Flatwater Kayaking the James River</b></a>. I shared some of the wonders that can be had within the city. It is amazing what adventure you can find in an urban environment if you explore it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About 25 minutes south of Richmond lies the Appomattox River. The Appomattox forms the boundaries of the Tri-Cities. The Cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell make up the Tri-cities. This area has been an underserved area for outdoor activities for years. But there are efforts underway to change that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51683324748/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River" height="362" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51683324748_a1c82279b1.jpg" title="Appomattox River Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A view of the Appomattox River from the University Blvd Trailhead.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;">So, let's take a journey together while I explore the Appomattox River. The Appomattox is a major tributary of the James River, by hiking the Appomattox River Trail. On this day, I am exploring a small section of the trail. Located </span><span>down the hill from Virginia State University, a historically black college. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51770772446/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="366" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51770772446_b775673e92.jpg" title="University Blvd Trailhead" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Volunteers working on a native plant garden.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">As soon as I crossed Chesterfield Ave to start my hike at the </span><a href="University Blvd Trailhead https://maps.app.goo.gl/DheLmaMMRMjGiECm6" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><b>University Blvd Trailhead</b></a><span style="text-align: justify;">. I</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> was greeted by a group of volunteers. Which came from the Master Naturalists of Pocahontas State Park and</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="https://folar-va.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/folar-brochure-map.pdf" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><b>FOLAR</b></a><span style="text-align: justify;">. They were preparing to plant a native plant garden at the trailhead. The group of volunteers was putting the finishing touches on the trailhead. This was in preparation for the upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremony. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51695577067/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="480" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51695577067_df3dc7a726.jpg" title="Target Rapid E1 & E2" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>When the river is up this section can have class II and III whitewater.</i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">A 19.2-mile section of the Appomattox is designated as a State Scenic River. It's</span> hard to believe that, less than a half-mile from Virginia State Univerity. The river offers up its rugged beauty. The Appomattox River Trail is not completed. The best way for me to describe the trail. The trail interconnects a series of established small counties, city parks, and waterways. A better visual is the <a href="https://folar-va.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/105844-Map-Guide_web-final.pdf" target="_blank"><b>Map Guide</b></a> from <a href="https://folar-va.folar/" target="_blank"><b>FOLAR</b></a>. What I am looking forward to is that Petersburg will be the confluence of the Appomattox River Trail. The alternative Petersburg Loop of the <a href="https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational-planning/document/tr-sbiib2a-ecgvguide.pdf" target="_blank"><b>East Coast Greenway</b></a>, and the <a href="trailmap" target="_blank"><b>Fall Line Trail</b></a>. A few blocks away from the University Blvd Trailhead is the Ettrick Amtrak station. Access from the train station will allow trail users a multi-modal experience of the trail. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51697034654/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="480" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51697034654_4d0c0d966c.jpg" title="Overlooking the Appomattox" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Overlooking the river and taking in the fall colors.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>This section of the trail provides. Great access to a natural shoreline and some amazing viewpoints of the river. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51696638818/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="480" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51696638818_bd3ea06be6.jpg" title="Target Ripids" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Target Rapids E1 and E2.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">This wasn't going to be an all-day epic adventure. Matter-of-fact, this hike was more about developing my mobile photography skills. What is mobile photography? Well, my definition of mobile photography. It uses the camera and camera apps on your smartphone and action cameras such as GoPro to capture pictures and video. These two devices I have with me all the time. It makes sense to master what I have and then purchase a dedicated camera. It's amazing what you can achieve with a smartphone, action cameras, and mobile editing apps. I still have a lot to learn, and I want to provide better images for my post on the blog. All the images in this post were taken with my smartphone and GoPro. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51696353891/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail #wildflowers"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail #wildflowers" height="480" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51696353891_ef78fef852.jpg" title="Wildflowers" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not up on my wildflowers, but I believe it's from the Aster and Allies family. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<div><br /></div><div>I took the time to slow down to observe what the trail and river had to offer. I was very surprised to find wildflowers in late October.<br /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51682946586/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="365" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51682946586_c1e7d37e9f.jpg" title="Freshwater Mollusks" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Freshwater Mollusks.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div><br /></div><div>Exploring the things around you and finding that special place in your local area. Those are the things that recharge your outdoor spirit. There was so much to see and I only hiked about two miles. If you hiked the trail each season, the river and the trail would provide a different experience each time. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51683597074/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="367" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51683597074_a889658d4f.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I enjoyed this vantage point of the river so much. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51682946586/in/album-72157720156747527/" title="Appomattox River Trail"></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><div>While I didn't get to the mountains to catch the fall colors this year. I was not disappointed by the fall colors on the banks of the Appomattox River. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51682141497/in/album-72157720156747527/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Appomattox River Trail"><img alt="Appomattox River Trail" height="366" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51682141497_bde5708483.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flatwater area just above the rapids.</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This quick hike was only 15 miles from the house and was everything I was looking for that day. I hope that if you live in the area you get out and explore the Appomattox River Trail. If not, I hope this post inspires you to get out in your local area and explore and discover what is around you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Activity: </b>Photography, Day Hiking</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Route/Place: </b>In & Out/Appomattox River Trail-University Blvd Trailhead</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Activity Type: </b>Exploring nature, Urban adventure</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Trip Results: </b>Successful</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Rating: </b>Easy/kid friendly/ADA</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Road Conditions: </b>Road suitable for all vehicles</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>How Can You Help Out?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Head over to <a href="https://folar-va.org/get-involved/" target="_blank"><b>Friends of the Lower Appomattox River</b></a> or <a href="https://www.falllineva.org/get-involved" target="_blank"><b>Fall Line Trail</b></a> to get involved. Or get involved in your own favorite local trail.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Now It's Your Turn- </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you explored the Appomattox River Trail? What is your local favorite hike?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To see more photos of the Appomattox River Trail, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/albums/72157720156747527" target="_blank"><b>Navigate to Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com1Lower Appomattox River Trail, Petersburg, VA 23803, USA37.2312189 -77.4200386999999926.3762448811353423 -112.57628869999999 68.086192918864668 -42.263788699999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-3452776873265160752021-09-06T07:53:00.013-04:002023-12-17T20:20:15.398-05:00POSTCARD: SUNRISE || THE ATLANTIC COAST<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51427399117/in/album-72157719777005139/" title="POSTCARD:Sunrise || The Alantic Coast"><img alt="POSTCARD:Sunrise || The Alantic Coast" height="1174" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51427399117_ab6c13ab87_k.jpg" width="2048" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;">As I look out into the dark morning. I see a string of lights from ships that dot the horizon. They seem as still as time Itself. I can only wonder if they are fishing ships harvesting the fresh catch of the day. Or cargo ships waiting their turn to offload at Port.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The only thing stirring is a gentle breeze blowing off the ocean. The waves roll in instead of crashing on the beach. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Before the sun rises above the horizon to mark the start of a new day. The dark sky gives itself away to pink and blue hues that brighten the early morning sky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Time has been a premium for the last month, and this morning is no different. Time is something that we can't get back when it is gone. It takes planning and effort to fit in experiences so we don't let time take them away. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Catching a sunrise was on my to-do list for this year. That sunrise is there every day but I had to take the time to see it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;">Navigate over to our related Postcard Series posts at:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2019/07/postcard-flatwater-kayaking-james-river.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Flatwater Kayaking James River</b></a><br /></span></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/12/postcard-pipeline-rapids-james-river.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Pipeline Rapids James River</b></a><br /></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><i>To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/77944462@N05/164522" target="_blank"><b>Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><br /></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Virginia Beach, VA, USA36.8529263 -75.977984999999998.54334802472728 -111.13337669311522 65.16250457527272 -40.822593306884755tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6217775587428586790.post-13380903340367517132021-07-08T21:30:00.017-04:002023-09-22T13:52:38.714-04:00POSTCARD: A Small Treasure || Powhite Park<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/77944462@N05/51428931049/in/album-72157719777005139/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="POSTCARD: A Small Treasure || Powhite Park"><img alt="The Mountain Bike Trails at Powhite Park" height="481" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51428931049_66fd13a72d.jpg" title="Powhite Park" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trail Armor</i></td></tr></tbody></table><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As the roar of commuter traffic rushes by, I peddle off to get reacquainted with the trail. With each pedal stroke, the traffic was replaced by the rhythmic sound of my tires moving forward. I am greeted by a narrow band of twisty singletrack, which uses every bit of topography. As I move forward, my skills are tested by short steep climbs, fast descents, roots, rocks, and log piles.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trails at Powhite might be the original mountain bike trails in the city. I know they have been around for at least 26 years. A spiderweb of trails that run through a forest of hardwoods and Holly trees. Makes it hard to know how many miles are in the 100-acre park. What it lacks in size, it makes up in features that provide a challenge to the most seasoned rider.</div><div><br /></div><div>On my daily commute, I pass the park twice daily, not stopping to take what the park offers. My calendar reminds me to plan for outdoor activities. I think it needs to be epic, and I need to go off-grid for a few days. But the truth is this is not the case. The small treasure I seek I have been passing up and by every day.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;">Navigate over to our related Postcard Series posts at:</i></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, serif;"><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2020/12/postcard-canal-walk-james-river-park.html" target="_blank"><b>Postcard Canal Walk James River Park</b></a><br /></i></li><li><a href="https://www.navigatetoyouradventure.com/2019/10/postcard-fall-colors.html" target="_blank"><i><b>Postcard Fall Colors</b></i></a><br /></li><li><a href="Postcard Night Sky Festival Shenandoah National Park" target="_blank"><i><b>Postcard Night Sky Festival Shenandoah National Park</b></i></a></li></ul><div><i>To see more photos in this series, navigate over to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/77944462@N05/164522" target="_blank"><b>Navigate To Your Adventure on Flickr</b></a></i></div></div>Brian Wright-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13830390586122770648noreply@blogger.com0Powhite Park, Richmond, VA 23225, USA37.5234368 -77.52539629.2138585247272786 -112.68078789311524 65.833015075272726 -42.370004506884769