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Monday, January 2, 2012

First Hike of 2012 ~ Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

   Every year, either on the first or the second day of the new year, we try to go for a hike and look for letterboxes. Yesterday we did not make it, but today we did. It was terribly cold...24 degrees but with a wind chill that made it feel lots colder. The good news is we did fine one new letterbox.


We were on the Blue Ridge Parkway (3,140 feet above sea level) at Wigwam Falls. There you will see a sign,“Yankee Horse,” marking the location where a hard-riding Union man’s horse fell and had to be shot. When you go there, you can see a reconstructed spur of an old logging railroad. I had on long johns, turtle neck wool sweater, wool jacket with hoodie, fleece vest, a down jacket, face mask, hat, gloves, and a woolen scarf, and I still thought I was on Mt. Everest waiting to die. 

I wasn’t fooling about all the layers. Buddy was kind enough to take this ridiculous picture of me as proof of the “inclement” weather. It snowed on us all the way home, and there have been wrecks up and down the interstates tonight. Maybe our first day back to school will be delayed in the morning...only in my dreams!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM VIRGINIA

This post is linked with Our World Tuesday.


18 comments:

  1. your description of it made me bust out laughing! you didn't even need the layer photo, but tha was just icing (get it - icing) on the cake! :)

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  2. Beautiful photos - and I love the one of you!

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  3. Looks way too cold for me! Hard to imagine being out in such temperatures.

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  4. What awesome photos, and really gave me a laugh to actually see all of your layers. Hope your dream comes true on a bad weather day tomorrow. Sure you probably feel as if you need it. Glad you got home safely, and good thing you had all of those layers.

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  5. Your photo makes me think of the Christmas Story movie where the mother dresses little brother Randy up for school and then he fell down outside and couldn't get back up. I'd would be just as miserably cold as you were. I do like those icicle pictures.

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  6. Hi there - what a contrast to my most recent post, which was just called "Hot" because we have just had our first 100 degree day of the summer.

    Enjoy the cold - I wish we could have some!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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  7. You made the right decision to go hiking rather than go driving on the interstate.

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  8. Oh my, that looked freezingly cold indeed!

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  9. What a wonderful post for the first of the new year. Beautiful photos. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today. I'm so glad to find yours and will look forward to future posts.

    Lou

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  10. You do look well rugged up in contrast to me with as little as possible on, mainly the air-conditioner. It has been 100+F here for three days running.

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  11. You look well prepared to hike, or to rob a bank, whatever...

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  12. brrrrr...i shiver at the sight of the frozen stream. but you look ready for a cold hike.:p

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  13. Good you didn't go today, so frigid!

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  14. Beautiful description, Genie! You look great and the clothes were probably needed! Yes it would be nice to be neighbours and have a cup of coffee every now and then!!
    Have a very happy 2012!

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  15. Oh my gosh -- you are so brave to go out in that cold. (Your picture reminds me of when our kids were little and we bundled them up in layers to go out and play. It was cold, but not htat cold...and I won't even ask you the question about the need that the kids usually expressed as soon as we got all the layers buttoned and zipped . I just hope you didn't....;>)

    What are letterboxes?

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  16. Interesting hiking experience and wonderful shots.
    Wish you Happy and Prosperous New Year.

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  17. Great shots. I like your layered look. The icicles say it all.

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  18. Yes, winter is to dress warmly. Lovely photos, that water is very cold.

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