Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Short Evening Hike, and Heading Back

After Saturday's long day hike, and relaxing a bit, chatting with my campsite neighbors, it was cold and windy, and folks were hitting their sleeping bags, but it seemed too early to get in the tent, so I decided to hike over to Widgeon Point.  It was about three miles round trip, and I have indicated the route on the map below.  The purple circle on the left is my campsite, and the arrows show the track to the point (ignore the blue lines going north and south in the middle - they are track lines from other hikes).  The orange circle shows where campsites 1-3 are located, and the red circle is Widgeon Point.

Along the way, I went up to the campsites to see if John and Catherine were still up, and they were sitting at the picnic table at their site and chatting.  I wish I had taken a photo of John's hammock - it was pretty cool.  We talked for a while, then walked together out to the point near their campsites, which actually had a real bathroom!  The wind felt like it was going to simply carry the building away!

Then I headed to Widgeon Point, with Catherine coming along.  We enjoyed the beginning of the sunset for a bit, then headed back to our respective tent sites.  I listened to a great horned owl calling as I walked back.  I had heard the owl the prior evening when I returned from a short hike.

Here are a few photos from Widgeon Point.




I slept reasonably well, but woke several times as the wind buffeted my little tent.  When I got up for good it was cold - near freezing - so I made tea and a hot "meal in a bag."  I packed up and hit the trail to hike back to my car 6.5 miles away.  Since the route was the same as my day one hike, I didn't take many pictures, but here is one to show what a pretty day it was.

Despite the wind, I did see a number of birds on the way out, including a beautiful male northern shoveler, a harrier, and a pair of mature bald eagles flying together - the wildlife highlight of my three day hike!

I loved exploring False Cape, finally getting there to camp after over 20 years in Virginia.  I plan on returning, maybe in the fall!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Art - Again, you take such lovely pics and so glad you took time to walk the extra mile Sat. eve;) I have to report that my slog out w/the bike full of 20 lbs. of camp gear was a total bust a gut slog-a-thon that took me over 2 hrs so early Sun morn - I had to just give up and walk while pushing the bike, b/c I couldn't drive it w/the NWN wind full against me on the 6.5 miles to the parking lot, the absolute windiest coldest slog out this slow strider can remember in a while - I saw Catherine along about the final mile she caught up to me riding on her bike, I was so happy to have a companion for the final mile, she she walked along w/me and talked me up to help my spirits - she truly was a dear heart! Sierra had rode her bike quite fast and far ahead of me arriving more than 30 mins. earlier to the Little Island lot, by time I arrived at car I was driving homeward by 9:45AM - False Cape was certainly easier on the 'go-in' but the 'exit' against the wind was exhausting! Thanks again for sharing your blog!!
    LMC

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  2. Hi Lisa - what a difficult trip back. That was a really stiff breeze to pedal into. It must have felt like pedaling in snow! And it was cold, too, a true wind chill. Catherine is really nice - you all are! A great group to hike with and explore the outdoors.

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