A very important stop on any hike.....
Rotary Ann
(This is not Rotary Ann, it's Alan)
Thought we would stop at Who Da Thought It
and chop some wood before we hike....
Made it to our parking lot....well parking line...
Someone was ready to hike......
Yeah, 48 folks and 3 dogs!
Stretched out forever....!
Our first shelter
Inside shelter #1
Amazing bluffs and upper shelter
There were a lot of ups and downs
Kip (Tim's dog) was showing some of her tricks
A few neat pedestals along the way
Shelter #2
Shelter #2 from inside
We found Chris and Heidi....
guess where?
Shelter #3
Shelter #3 from inside
Thankful for this Beech tree....
Approaching Shelter #4
(I am ahead of folks, so I was able to take
pictures before the crowds arrived!)
This shelter (#4) had three entrances
Shelter #5
Shelter #6
Entrance to Shelter #7
Shelter #8
Shelter #8 from inside
Elephant Rock
Arriving at the Big Surprise.....
Nice Arch Rock "The Big Surprise"
It was time for folks to catch up and regroup.
sAmazing place.......
Time to move on....
Leaving "The Big Surprise"
Our last shelter #9 before heading up and out
I think we left our 20% down below....
Brittany and Lydia never ran out of energy!
....and Phil, never ran out of energy,
he ate all the time!
Trying to find a way off the mountain....
Sammy knew where the water was!
We found a good spot for lunch....
or well, Heidi did!
....and a nap!
Cindy is trying out a hammock....
Josh and David know how to do lunch right!
OOPS!
This is called, "scattered in the woods"!
...in the woods
....and on the road
Our next stop would be at Eugene Davis'
old home place down in Chancel
...so we left the mountain and headed down
to Chancel
Still got energy....so they led the way....
They were all thinking...we are going a long
ways downhill.....which means we have to climb
back out....they were right!
We made it down to the road....finally.
This was Eugene's old home place....
The house was built in 1901...
Time to catch up and rest up!
Someone left their backpack, up on the hill....
Hugh saved the day! Right Rusty?
We listened to Eugene tell his story of his
growing up in downtown Chancel!
We were one tired puppy....or she was!
We even had a visitor on horseback....
A great day in downtown Chancel.....
Now time to head back out....
...but first....this is the old cabin that
Eugene was born in.....amazing!
I think Linda looks good sitting on the porch.
....and so did Gloria.....
So finally, off we go....
We met the mailman heading down into Chancel
I told Bruce we do not allow this sort of thing
on our hikes.....didn't matter!
....and I believe we have a sighting...
I think we left a few down in Chancel?
Oh my, they just keep coming.....
(This is Bruce from New Orleans, who has
been hiking up here all week)
Still coming.....
You have to be kidding....??????
Kathy got a ride with the mailman....!!!!
I hope it was not C.O.D. or Lindsey might
have to leave her?
So now of all the backing out....
in downtown Chancel today....the last of
February and it was 65°.....come on spring!
Thanks Eugene for sharing your story.
...and we hope the doors got closed before
the backing started?
Chancel Hike makes the paper.......