NW
The pictures and journals shown here were taken on our trips to places in the octant northwest of the Research Triangle Park area. This includes places as close as Hillsborough and some as far as Hanging Rock and Caswell County, North Carolina all the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blue underlinings are links by which you can learn more about that location.
2008
Occoneechi Mountain for Fall colors
Nov. 1st
Richard, Rodney and Linda
Richard, Jane and Sam
The remnants of the observation deck
Color at the overlook
Newly designed pondJohnston Mill Trail
Sept. 20th
Triangle Land Conservancy website
Carolina Bird Club - Liz Pullman description
HOST, Hillsborough Occoneechi Speedway Trail
Aug. 9th
Charles, Margie and Mary
Barb and Jim
Shiangtai
Checking the stats
Bill and Mary
Historic Speedway Group restoration projects
Poet's Walk, Ayr Mount, Hillsborough
July 19th
Debby
Jane and Linda
Earl and Rodney
Debby and Shiangtai
Group with DaveBlackwood Mountain
May 24th
Old friend Jan joins us for this hike
Training young equestrians at Spence's Farm
Tom becomes part of a totem pole
Spence's Farm has an extensive organic garden.
Mary photographing Nancy and Earl
Jane, our leader for the day, swings.
Mounting the behemoth
View at the top of Black Mountain
Johnston Mill Trail
Apr. 26th
Mary and Linda being pulled by Fleur
Margaret Wainright told of a new trail she helped to clear. Maybe next time.
Occoneechi Mountain State Park
Feb. 17th
The gang gets going.
Leslie and Linda.
Overlooking the Eno River
Sheryl watches as the kids scan the view.
Pyrophillite quarry
Coming around the new Loop Trail
Hillsborough Occoneechi Speedway Trail
Jan. 5th
Map of the track
New judges stand for the auto show in 2007.
The stands have been cleared.
Nancy with Bearly
2007
Blackwood Mountain
Dec. 16th
Photos courtesy of Shiangtai Tuan
Ken and Jane
Standing on the beaver dam
Sweethearts
Party at Jane's house at 5:00 pm
Jane and Leslie
Dave, Bill and Ted
Di Anna, Fran, Jack
Leading the singing are Ken, Sam and Suzi
Occoneechi Mountain
Dec. 1st
Rodney and Linda leading the way
Speeding up the hill
New hikers overlooking the Eno River - Gail, Diane, Pat
Terraforming the fishing lake during the drought
Occoneechi Mountain, Hillsborough
Oct. 20th
Gathering
Quite a breezy day
Karate kid about to do the Crane kick
Ah... youth
the boundless energy
Toasting Linda's retirement
Pano video of the Saratoga Grill
HOST during severe drought - 80 days without rain
Sept. 22nd
Margaret and Ken
Leslie and Deb
Deb, Rodney and Linda crossing the bridge
Heading back
HOST
Aug. 18th
Racing at the Speedway
Linda competes with her new Canon camera...
and gets a shot of Mary.
Wendell and Ann at the Saratoga
Poet's Walk, Ayr Mount, Hillsborough
Aug. 4th
Eno River at a low level
Watching the dragonflies mate
Dee with Oreo
The manse
Upcoming car show at HOST across the river
Johnston Mill Trail
June 30th
Earl sporting his other Route 66 tshirt
Nancy climbs the hill.
Alex runs up with boundless energy.
Poor boy Pippin has a pink tail.
We cross the river to see the mill ruins.
Johnston Mill Trail
May 19th
Ascending the stairs
Anna and Whit climb over log.
Jane, Nancy and John
Smiling faces
Big black snake
Blackwood Mountain
March 31st
Linda
Jane describes her hike plan.
Richard reliving childhood.
"Every part of the earth is sacred to my people..."
Chief Seattle
On the old cart trail
Jane leads us down a side trail to a great fallen tree.
Standing on the behemoth
Wetland on the plateau
View USGS aerial map of Blackwood Mountain, elevation 744 ft.
Hillsborough Occoneechi Speedway Trail
Feb. 10th
Joan, Linda, Mary
Climbing the moss covered grandstand
Under the fallen trees
Poet's Walk at Ayr Mount, Hillsborough
Jan. 11th
Large turnout for a sweet little hike
Overlooking the Eno River
Classical American Homes Preservation Trust
Kathy and friend Janet
Reflecting pond
Wonderful for a group picture
Preservation North Carolina: See Restorations - Ayr Mount Historic Site
2006
HOST
Dec. 9th
Adjust that hiking stick, Linda
At the overlook across from the Poet's walk
with hiking sticks flailing...
we meet with Jack and DiAnna.
Really cold today...43 degrees!
Johnston Mill Trail
Oct. 21st
Fall colors
Climbing the steps
Linda getting aerobic
Earl and cowboy Sam
Nancy & Gabrielle
Panther Cave at Eno River State Park
Sept. 23rd
Happily setting off
Ken with grasshopper
Exploring the old slave cemetery
Small group picture
The Nature Conservancy on the Occoneechi Mountain State Natural Area
Earl helps Nancy cross over fallen trees.
Just how big was that rock, Dave?
Nancy and Earl joined in to see the den.
Rodney explores the panther den while Jack looks on.
Artifact - a fireplug in the woods
Historic Occoneechi Speedway Trail
Aug. 26th
Dee's Oreo admired by Mary
Linda, Rodney, Betty enjoying dappled sunlight
Earl expounds to Lily and Richard
More expounding
Hillsborough's Farmers Market
Johnston Mill Trail
Aug. 5th
Bill and Jane
Sharing the trail with horseman
Mary poses with her walking stick
Earl, Leslie, Mary
Linda leads the uphill climb.
Johnston Mill Trail on Hillsborough Hog Day
June 17th
Hiking so fast that the camera can't keep up
Goin' to the Saratoga Grill
We usually do our tour of Historic Milton on the 4th of July. However, this year Milton was hosting a tour of the outstanding homes in Milton for the benefit of the Union Tavern/Thomas Day Home. We planned to do it a little differently this time around. We would go to Milton first and tour the homes in the cooler part of the day. Lunch has always been a problem since the nearest eatery to Milton is in another state, Danville, VA. This time we planned to visit Yoder's Store on the way back. That way we would have a lovely spot for al fresco dining under the trees or on the porch of the store sitting on the wonderful cedar rockers. Turns out the breeze was blowing and it was cooler than it was back in Raleigh/Durham. This plan was a success and we will probably do this the next time we visit Milton.
Historic Homes of Milton
May 20th
We don't miss roadside America for Steph and Rand
Presbyterian Church with pews made by Thomas Day
Union Tavern, Thomas Day's home and workshop
Now showing some of his furniture
Baptist Church interior: columns and pulpit by Thomas Day
Row of Victorian buildings on Broad Street
11:24 am
The old South: theatre with entrance for blacks on right
Robert L. Walker's Victorian, circa 1870
Woodside: home of Major General Stephen Dodson Ramseur
The group picture!
Earl tells the sad tale of Dodson Ramseur
Interior of Woodside
12:31 pm
Thomas Day newell post
Caryatid arch at Longwood
Magnificent, opulent living room
Equally posh bath
Slave quarters
Johnston Mill Trail
May 13th
Lush emerald woods
Liliana leads uphill
Sad dedication I had not seen before
Were we discussing the DaVinci Code?
Historic Occoneechi Speedway Trail
April 8th, 2006
Old cedars draped in moss
Occasionally the sun breaks through
Big Bend trail offers view of the Eno River
Elaine, in front, soon leaves us for Montana!
Earl wanted to revive the hike up to Occoneechi quarry which we used to do as far back as 1997. I had previewed the hike on January 4th to see that the trail is clear. Other than a few fallen trees, it was. I also detoured around the fence to take a look at the Panther Cave, the spring and the rock cap fern, a relict species that survives on the north slope of Occoneechi Mountain. Those things are still there. We did not attempt this with the group since the trail is a little like a bushwhack. This was formerly on private property and now has been sold to the Eno River Association; soon to pass into the hands of the State Park. The pictures I include here were taken three weeks before. Of course, we lunched at the Saratoga Grill. This has been a favorite for years and stays as sweet as it ever was.
Hillsborough to Occoneechi Quarry
Jan. 29th, 2006
Hiking from Hillsborough Courthouse makes this a decent hike.
Musing over the slave cemetery.
Lily, new hiker
group picture
Finally we reached the quarry.
Panther cave
The rock cap fern survives and prospers.
Occoneechi Mountain State Park
Dec. 24th
Strung out...
Ken and Leslie
at the overlook
Randy and Linda
Ayr Mount, Hillsborough
Sept. 25th
On the Poet's Walk
Hillsborough Occoneechi Raceway Trail
June 25th
After climbing up the stands we took the Big Bend trail.
Montrose Open House
May 21st, 2005
Being led by an Aussie sheep dog
Poppy and bee
Montrose
Earl and Nancy stroll in.
Linda & Abbie Stuart
Abbie Stuart doing Kuerner's Barn
HOST
Feb. 19th, 2005
Entering the speedway
Mary and Catherine
Johnston Mill Trail
Feb. 5th 2005
Jane with her long awaited Prius!
Basking in the rays of the sun
HOST
Nov. 27th
Fiora, Leslie followed by Elizabeth, Stuart's sister
Johnston Mill trail
Nov. 20th
Large gathering (19)
New signage
Group picture
Occoneechee Mountain
Oct, 23rd
Bill doing the Egyptian
Brilliant view
I'nt 'at sweet? Posin'
Johnston Mill
Aug. 21st
Johnston Mill
June 5th
Ayr Mount & Montrose Gardens
May 15th, 2004
HOST
Apr. 3rd, 2004
Our latest favorite hike
Johnston Mill
March 27th, 2004
This time Dave chose the middle road...poorly.
Johnston Mill Trail
Jan. 3rd, 2004
Carolina birders comment on birds at Johnston Mill
Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail
Oct. 25th, 2003
Hillsborough town hike
August 16th, 2003
Occaneechi Mountain, Hillsborough
July 26th, 2003
Jane whispered in our hike coordinator's ear that Montrose was having an open house on the 17th of May. Fortunately for us, he took her up on that opportunity. Although the day was cloudy and drizzly we enjoyed cool temperatures while heavy rain did not fall on our parade. Earl suggested that we park at Ayr Mount since parking at Montrose was limited. But as we passed the school we saw a crowded parking lot and surmised correctly that that is where the visitors to Montrose, next door, were parking. We gamely went on to Ayr Mount and decided to add a hike along the Poet's trail to our day's activities. Many of our members had not hiked there and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Then we moved on to Montrose.
Ayr Mount, Hillsborough
May 17th, 2003
Now we car pool to Montrose gardens
Montrose and its gardens and greenhouses
Later that day
Tale of Montrose
from TLC 1999
Still Later
Nancy Sanders Goodwin's garden - Duke Magazine
All in all this was a wonderful day of hiking two of the outstanding mansions of Hillsborough. Of course, we dropped in to visit Colleen at her popular Saratoga Grill and had a pleasant brunch after the hike. Table for 20 and even made room for Ken and Leslie.
Johnston Mill Trail
Mar. 16th, 2003
Triangle Land Conservancy web site
In the second week of 2003 Earl decided that we would tour the streets of Hillsborough again. Linda led the hike to some of the high points of the town - the visitor center, the old schoolhouse, church with its famed Tiffany window, the library building and finally back for a group picture at the Indian Village beside the Eno River. The post-hike activities included lunch at the Saratoga Grill where they provided us with tables for 20. I enjoyed the blue cheese burger. I mentioned to Mary and Bill that there was a new wine shop, the Hillsborough Wine Company, just down the street. Turns out that they were having a wine tasting of Spanish reds with Bruno from the local distributor Oenophilia. These were a surprise in that they were all reasonably priced and showed that the Spanish are developing wines that have international appeal. This day was especially memorable since we had all seen new things in Hillsborough. I just Googled and found a web site that reveals everything you ever wanted to know about Hillsborough which was very interesting.
Earl let me know at the "Dead Poet's" meeting on Tuesday that Milton was having a house tour and this seemed to unearth a good turnout for the trip. Lots of new opportunities for photography and lots of new locations, many of which we had not seen before. Apparently, in all of the years that we have visited this tiny town we didn't know that it was near enough to a world class sports car racing track to hear the roar in the distance right on Commercial Row. Imagine, I can take my sports car and tool around their track for a half a day with instruction for only $775. What a bargain!? Getting out of the car my glasses fogged so that I could not see from the oppressive humidity. However, from the smiles you can see that we all had a good time. For the panorama, you will have to scroll to the right to see all of it. I haven't yet figured how to get the PixAround applet to work in my website. No need to challenge your computer with that detail.