Monday 2-28 Hiking the Chinquapin Trail

Let's go hiking

We woke up to a cool 34 degrees. By noon it was 65 degrees with a little breeze.

For breakfast I made cinnamon french toast sticks. After breakfast we went on a three and a half hour hike for 7.25 miles. We hiked the Chinquapin Trail (6.9 miles round trip). When we got to the nature center we took the main road back to the campground, which was a half mile instead of the last 1.5 miles of the trail. We started the hike by walking to the tent camping area where we picked up the trail at the trailhead sign. We hiked through the trees, up and down small hills, over 15 bridges (they were marked with a number) and around Lake Raven. The trail had a lot of roots in it I tripped now and then. Parts of the trail was sandy but most had pine needles. We took a boardwalk over the swampy area. We walked around the dam area. There was little wind so Lake Raven was flat and looked like a mirror where the trees reflected off it. We didn't see any deer but we saw a jogger and bicyclist. We saw the historic dam and spillway constructed by the CCC and the CCC lodge from afar. We walked the headwater boardwalk. We had a great hike.

The CCC lodge from the dam

 

Lake Raven

 

Getting ready to walk the dam

 

 

Standing on the headwater boardwalk

By the time we got home it was time for lunch. After lunch I played my computer games. I did the Solitaire and Mahjong Daily Challenges and Event: Two Game Tango of 20 games (10Sspider and 10 Tri Peaks). It took me 1 hour, 41 minutes and 44 seconds, which put me in 8th place in my group.

While I played games Larry read outside.

For dinner Larry barbecued pork chops. They came out delicious. After dinner I walked around for an hour to finish up my 27,000 steps, which put me in 3rd place in my group. This is a good place to start the day. I baked cookies. The rest of the evening we relaxed with a book.

 

Reading is relaxing