You can’t say you weren’t warned.
The last issue of MILL contained an ironclad prediction of the recent deluge and its consequences. (Granted, predicting a snowfall in early winter is like predicting that my inbox will see another plaintive request from the ailing relative of a former dictator seeking a business relationship.)
Hope those of you with kin still hanging around due to flight delays are enjoying the extra time together. My flight home was relatively easy, but had the storm veered a little bit I would have joined the unhappy campers in concourses along the Eastern Seaboard.
Delays and hassles aside, the view out the window along the snow-covered route from the Old West to the New South was of a landscape turned almost monochromatic, with farmlands and waterways filled in and the mountains’ effect on the weather instantly apparent.
This time of year, the contours of the land stand out whether snow-covered or not. So the New Year’s hike, a tradition shared by many, is more than a good way to start working off the results of feasting season; it’s also a time to get a good look at the run of ridge lines and the course of creeks and rivers.
Around here, there are some fairly easy ways to take in larger landscapes. One of the best is atop Occoneechee Mountain, where you can see the Eno bending toward Hillsborough.
If you’re in search of something more organized, the Eno River Association is holding its annual New Year’s Day hike Saturday. The hike, a guided four-mile stroll through the woods, starts at the Eno River State Park headquarters at the Few’s Ford Access. This year, there’s also a two-mile route offered, as well as the usual hot chocolate, marshmallows and s’mores served around the fire at the end of the hike. Not sure that’ll help with the winter paunch, but it sure sounds like a nice way to end a walk in the woods. — Kirk Ross
Categories