Hawksbill photos posted

“in Shenandoah National Park. Started in the Whiteoak Canyon Parking Lot and climbed 3000 feet in 5 miles to the summit via the Cedar Run trail. the trail is a consistent climb, but I did not find it to be terribly steep. Passes through a wide gorge passed some waterfalls and pools. Once I got to Skyline Drive, I crossed over and got on the Hawksbill trail to the summit. On the way up a deer came out of the woods and walked right up to me and sniffed me. That was pretty cool. I sat down on a rock and hung out with it for a while while it grazed on some ferns right next to me. Then I continued on my way and passed a guy. I told him about the deer and he told me there was a huge black beer hanging around on the AT on the other side of Hawksbill and that if I head over that way I would surely see it. I then summitted Hawksbill, the highest peak in Shenandoah at 4049 feet. It was windy and much cooler than even skyline drive, probably 65 degrees (90 some degrees in DC). There were alot of stunted oak trees but hardly any spruce or firs. It was a nice summit. The views were socked in for the most part. I was on call and not supposed to leave DC, so I figured I better get the heck back to DC and went back down the Cedar Run trail. Decided not to check out the bear. I pretty much ran down the trail and was back at my car in a little over an hour.

here be me pics: http://community.webshots.com/album/162496212XXbDXb”

“they are re-introducing peregrine falcons to the summit of Hawksbill so part of it is blocked off. I saw a peregrine falcon flying around and heard it's strange call. It never got close enough to get its picture though.”

“there are a few swimming holes back there that drew a lot of people. Saw a lot of girls in bikinis, some were quite hot. Should have taken their pics. Dummy.”

“can't be fun hiking up this trail in flips flops but alot of them were doing that.”

“Yeah -- where's the bikini pix dude?? <sheesh>

White Oak was one of my favorites when I was up that way about 10 years ago... and I never saw one of those Peregrines on Hawksbill either, <grrrrrrrrrrrr>


I Am kinda partial to those big black beers, though.”

“nice pics...but not enough of them...”

“You knew you could have seen a bear and you didn't check it out... No more complaining about not having seen a bear then.”

“yeah, I had my chance and didn't take it. I had to get back down so I could gert back into an area that had cell phone/pager reception. I decided to keep it a quick hike up and down. Thatr's why I didn't get alot of pics. Not a lot of places to take pics. Hopefully will see a bear this weekend in WVA.”

“Nice pics. Seems like you were very close to that deer.

I looked out my bedroom window when I got up this morning to see a deer grazing in the back yard. I saw a red fox in my development crossing the road at 3:45 AM on Sunday morning. I also saw a moose and her calf on the Kangamangus Highway Sunday on my way up to Mount Washington. I love living in NH!”

“yeah, the deer actually walked right up to and sniffed me. I sat down and rested on a rock for a few minutes while the deer grazed less than 10 feet from me. Was pretty cool.”

“Niiiiiiice! Ah lawk it alawt.”