Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing my hike. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com
God Bless. Thank you for looking up. I appreciate y’all.
For our second day of hiking Dogwood at the Anne Springs Close Greenway Stables Entrance, we began on the Dogwood Trail on the right side after passing through one section of the horse stables.
But before we began hiking, we stopped to enjoy the Sweet Black Eyed Susan Seeds and the honeybees feasting on their nectar behind the Gibson House.
Shortly after we began hiking along the Dogwood Trail, we came upon the Airport Pond. We enjoyed the views of the water and the reflections within the water. Whenever possible my grandson loves to play in the water either with his hands or his whole body. Luckily on this day it was just his hands.
After snapping a few pictures, we hiked on further down on Dogwood. My grandson, Coleman, loves to have his picture taken at the Trail Posts. The Trail Posts serve the purpose of letting people know where they are along the trail and which trail they are hiking on. Keeping track of the numbers on the trail posts allows us to know exactly where we are at and how much further we need to travel.
We proceeded onto the Blue Star after we had been hiking for approximately 1.4 miles. This trail contains several mushrooms of varying heights and sizes. I have to watch Coleman, or he’ll swipe at them breaking them apart. O try to teach him about varying things along the trail and that we shouldn’t disturb them. Also, that what is in the park should remain in the park and what we bring in, we must also take out with us. Leave No Trace.
The Blue Star trail is mostly natural surface with some plank bridges and a couple of swinging bridges. At Blue Star H27, Coleman stops to check his map. He likes to carry his own map instead of just looking at mine. We venture off of Blue Star and onto Hickory Trail which leads us back to Dogwood.
Once back on Dogwood, the trail leads us back to the horse stables and eventually back to our car (Mommy’s car as Coleman would say since I use her car to take him places.)
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy a hike, a walk, or any adventure communing with nature. Thank you for visiting. See you next time. Remember I appreciate y’all.
The Anne Springs Close Greenway has a Hiking Challenge one can choose to participate in or not. I participated in the challenge earning mu Trail Passport certificate a year and a half ago in December of 2020. My grandson, Coleman, has been hiking the trails at the Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG) since March of 2021 when he was only a year and a half (1 1/2). A person earns the Passport Challenge certificate by completing all twenty-six (26) trails consisting of thirty-six miles (36) within and around the Greenway. There is a Trail Passport booklet that one can pick up at most any of the five (5) entrances to the Greenway. After completing a trail, initial and date verifying that you completed that trail. All the trails are listed in the passport. After completing all the trails, turn your initialed passport into the Greenway Gateway to receive your certificate.
While you are out on the trails, be respectful and remember the Leave No Trace Principles.
These are very important guidelines everyone should follow no matter which Greenway trail, State or National Park trail, or even a local trail you choose venture onto to for an awesome hike. My grandson being only 2 1/2 doesn’t understand all the rules yet. I constantly remind him to leave what is in the park in the park, what is on the ground must stay on the ground. He usually will pick up leaves, rocks, or sticks off the ground and I remind him to put them down that they have to stay in the Greenway.
On Sunday when Coleman and I went to the Greenway, we hiked 5 trails:
We began our hike on North Steele Creek Trail and continued onto the Blue Star Trail. The Blue Star Trail led us to the Railroad Trestle. Coleman loves trains and was a little disappointed when a train did not pass overhead once we arrived at the Trestle. He has seen other Railroad Trestles, but this was the first time seeing the Trestle at the Greenway. Whenever he sees a trestle, he will say choo choo. He does not say train yet, but he says choo choo anytime he sees or hears a train.
The Blue Star Trail runs along one side of the Railroad Trestle and Muscadine runs along the other side. Upon leaving the Railroad Trestle area, we started on another section of the Blue Star Trail, across a swinging bridge on then ventured onto Muscadine to head back towards the Lake Haigler Entrance and the Canteen. On the Muscadine side of the Railroad Trestle, Coleman found an opportunity to get close to (and even in) the water. Being a hot and humid day, I did not object to him getting in the water. We skittered off of Muscadine and onto Wild Azalea which led us to Lake Haigler. Once down by the lake, we wondered over to the kayak launch area to obtain some information about renting a kayak on another day. I wanted to know if they had life jackets to fit Coleman. They assured me they did and informed me of the costs and for the length of time which you can rent a kayak. Coleman’s birthday is coming up later this month, so I will try to make it possible for him to go out on the lake in a kayak close to his birthday. He wanted to go out right then and there, but I let him know he’ll need to wait until another day. That we will try to kayak for his birthday.
Leaving the kayak launch area, he chose to hike part of the Haigler Loop before returning to the Rush Pavilion and the Canteen. Once at the canteen we refilled our bottles with ice and water. By this time, we had run out of drink from the 3 bottles we had on the trail with us and were in much need of replenishing our fluid intake. It was so good to just sit and relax for a couple of minutes before heading home.
God Bless. Stay Safe. Enjoy Nature. Thank you! And always remember I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 