Checking out the area

This past weekend we went on several exploratory trips to find some nice hiking areas. We did a hike Friday evening up at Inman Gulf which was only about 20 minutes from our place. It was a nice walk in the woods very similar feeling to hiking around the top of Mt. Mitchell. We didn't take any pictures. I think partly to do with the fact that 5 minutes into our hike I tried to traverse a muddy, murky section by following Mat's lead of log walking. I was not successful. Brie wasn't fazed at all and she didn't get wet. My shoes and whole left pant leg were drenched in mud which made for a damp 2 hour or so walk.

On Saturday, we went to the Labrador Hollow Unique Area. It was very beautiful and interesting AND we had stellar weather. Blue skies and warm temperatures.  We went on a couple short hikes on a boardwalk to the lake and to Tinker Falls.  Then we went on longer hike up to where people jump off for non-motorized hang gliding.   On our way back home we stopped in Syracuse for dinner at Empire Brewing Company where we ate some tasty burgers.   They use local farms for their food. :-)  Mat had an elk burger and I  had a regular burger and they were cooked exactly as we ordered.  They might have been so tasty because we just had energy bars for lunch and so we were STARVING.

On Sunday, we explored Treman State Park in Ithaca, NY where Cornell University is.  (Side note:  supposedly, Belleville was in the running to have Cornell University here.)  It was a very nice walk in the woods.  The CCC built the trail and stairs for one of their projects and they were beautiful.  Lucifer Falls were huge and amazing!  I wonder if it's always so big or if it has something to do with all the rain we've had lately.  It was so luscious and green walking around with lots of plants beginning to flower and peek through.

We saw quite a bit of Dutchman's Britches in bloom which was awesome.  It is down in western NC as well, it just seems that we never timed it right to see it blooming out in the wild.  I guess we got lucky this past weekend because we saw it on both days!