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2008 Foothills Group Outings

May 17:  Stone Mountain Hike

(Moderate; 7.5 miles) We’ll hike up over the summit, lunching down by the waterfall, and then out to Cedar and Wolf Rocks. We’ll take a leisurely pace (especially on the up hills) to allow us to enjoy this lovely state park.  Bring boots, lunch, water, raingear, and sunscreen. To sign up, contact Eva at (336) 760-9184 or elively@wfubmc.edu   

May 17:  New River Bike Ride: Galax to Fries

This is the second outing in our New River bike series.  We will complete a 36-mile round-trip ride from Galax to the small settlement of Fries, a former cotton-mill company town developed by Colonel F. H. Fries.  Our journey will take us across 12 railroad trestles.  From the trailhead at Galax, we will pedal to Cliffview, where just to the west of the trail is Cliffside Manor whose previous owner was T.L.Felts.  Felts ran the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency which supplied mine guards to the coal companies of central Appalachia during the violent labor struggles in the early 20th century.  The story of those struggles is the basis for the John Sayles movie, Matewan.  Continuing, we will pedal through the 193-foot Chestnut Creek Tunnel, the longest tunnel on the trail, and across the river via the 1089-foot Fries Junction Trestle.  We will then take the spur to the left and proceed along the New River to the community of Fries.  One option for lunch will be the New River Trail Café, or you can picnic along the river.  There is a nominal parking fee at Galax.  The trail will require a mountain or hybrid bike.  To sign up, contact David Memory at dmemory@indstate.edu or (336) 722-6315.

May 17: Bluff Mountain Preserve Wildflower Hike

 (Moderate) "Bluff is one of the most ecologically significant natural areas in the Southeast. A broad, high plateau containing an unusual wetland, a southern Appalachian fen, adds to Bluff's unique character. Bluff Mountain is known for its changing floral show from April through October that includes 25 endangered, rare, or threatened flowering plant species. Deposit of $15 required to cover Nature Conservancy fee; extra funds will help cover Piedmont Plateau Group outings expenses.To sign up, contact Terry Woods at twoods-walker@triad.rr.com or (336) 580-0510. Group size limited; no pets allowed. (Piedmont Plateau outing) 

May 24:  Stone Mountain Park Day Hike

(Strenuous; 10.5-miles) With a 2000-foot elevation gain we’ll be on part of Widow’s Creek Trail and a portion of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Stone Mountain State Park.  Although the hike will be demanding because of a steep section near the beginning, the trail surface is exceptionally good, and the scenery up the southeastern slope of the Blue Ridge to the Mahogany Rock Overlook on the parkway is outstanding.  Wear hiking boots and bring water, lunch, and rain gear. To sign up, contact David Memory at dmemory@indstate.edu or (336) 722-6315.

May 24-26:  Pantherown Backpack and Day Hikes

We will hike about 3 miles into Panthertown and set up our base camp for day hikes.  The Panthertown Valley website, http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/panther1.htm, calls it “a little known 6700 acre piece of hiking Heaven in the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson County. It's been nicknamed 'the Yosemite of the East' and is home to granite domes, waterfalls, valley floors and rare high altitude bogs.” Call Joel Wooten at (336) 679-8672 before 9:00 p.m., or email at joelhike@yadtel.net for complete details.

June 7:  New River Bike Ride: Foster Falls to Pulaski

This 45-mile round-trip ride from the historical village of Foster Falls to the late nineteenth century boomtown of Pulaski is the culmination of our New River bike series and a good test of our saddle fitness.  On this trip we will pass high cliffs on our right, called the “palisades of the New River”, cross the 405-foot Big Reed Island Creek Trestle, and come to the site of an old gauging station with a cable-car system spanning the river.  Here an operator would climb into a cable car which would be pulled to the center of the river where a weighted measuring cord could be lowered to obtain the river’s depth.  Our journey continues on, through the town of Allisonia, with its railroad station and Methodist Church built in 1891 and then across a private road which leads to a mine where pigment is mined for paint and is known by the locals as “paint rocks” or “paint banks”.  Next, we will arrive at the 951-foot Hiwassee Trestle and then a bit further on traverse the highest wooden trestle on the trail, two of the highlights of this segment of the New River Trail State Park.  On the far side of Draper, we will come to the top of the grade, known as The Hump.  Our outbound ride ends at Pulaski, where we can decide to proceed into town and eat at one of the local restaurants or begin our return trip and picnic at the shelter at Draper.  There is a nominal parking fee at Foster Falls.  The trail will require a mountain or hybrid bike.  Bikes can be rented at Foster Falls.  To sign up, contact David Memory at dmemory@indstate.edu or (336) 722-6315.

June 21:  Adopt-A-Highway

Please join us as we pick up trash and recyclables along our adopted 2-mile section of beautiful Conrad Road in Lewisville. Gloves, vests, and trash bags provided. Wear your “grubbies” and hiking boots (to keep your feet from getting wet). We meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Yadkine River Park off Old Hwy 421. To sign up, contact Carol or John Dimling at (336) 722-2750 or cdimling @triad.rr.com

June 28:  Grandfather Mountain Day Hike

(Moderate; 7-miles) With a 2000-foot elevation gain, we’ll ascend the northeastern end of the Grandfather Mountain ridge from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Calloway Peak by way of the Daniel Boone Scout Trail, which has two magnificent overlooks—one to the north and one to the south.  Lunch will be eaten on 5964-foot Calloway Peak, with superb views in many directions.  The return route will be partly the same but will also include overlooks along the Cragway Trail and the Nuwati Trail.  A $5 hiking permit will have to be purchased at a country store near the trailhead. Wear hiking boots and bring water, lunch, and rain gear. To sign up, contact David Memory at dmemory@indstate.edu or (336) 722-6315.

June 28:  Dan River Tubing

This is a great family outing.  We’ll meet at 9:30 at the Dan River General Store (what used to be called Booth's Store)  at the corner of 89 and Shepherd's Mill Road. Tube rentals are available; if needed, we’ll shuttle. Last year's cost was $8.00 for tube rental without shuttle. Picnic on the river. Contact: Ronda Jones, Rondaworks@aol.com  or (336) 593-8661, 

Check out birding spots in Forsyth County:

http://www.forsythaudubon.org/html/birdingspots.html