Christmas and Mt Morrow, NC

---

As usual, we’ve been on the move the past few weeks. We split the holidays between Michigan and North/South Carolina. This past week we arrived in Savannah, Georgia where we will be staying for the next three months. Saturday we will be out with the camera so expect more blog and photos soon. (Speaking of more blogging and assuming you enjoy reading about my bike check out: http://thisjustin.bicycling.com/2006/12/reader_blog_glo.html)

Between Christmas and New Years Hope and I rendezvoused out to Mount Morrow State Park in North Carolina. For Christmas we both gave and received camping gear (new tent, Jet Boil camping stove, bike helmets, camping guides, etc) so the first chance we had we decided to gear up and car camp. The park was about an hour and half from Hope’s parent’s house. Generally the area had an Upper Michigan feel (tons of trees, leaves, and deer), without the ‘Uper’ accents and significantly more accommodating December weather. Temperatures were in the 60’s during the day and dropped to the mid 30’s at night. The campground area was mostly empty. There were maybe five other campsites. Day one we hiked about four miles of pretty easy terrain down to a rocky river bed. The time of day was perfect as we were catching the beginning of dusk. Out west, mountains were the trail’s vistas. At this park it was more about river banks and trees. The next day we hiked about 10 miles and saw more of the same. I guess due to weather, precipitation, and wind we saw dozens of massive, overturned uprooted trees.

One evening while playing cards at our picnic table, we spotted an adult sized whitetail doe in the woods. She began to approach our campsite seeking food, along with her two fawns. Within minutes, we had six deer fifteen feet from us. Shortly there after, two cars had stopped to photoraph the deer. One car made the mistake of tossing some apples to the deer. Hope didn’t take kindly to this; as park rules state don’t feed the animals. She yelled, “You’re not supposed to feed the deer!” and began to honk the horn to scare the deer off. The fairly tame animals weren’t bothered by the ruckus and just finished eating the easy meal. (Reason being the park animals become dependant on people food, don’t gather for themselves, and eventually die.) It was quite a scene.

Also during the holiday, Hope, Scott, and I all spent an afternoon mountain biking. This summer, the USA Olympic White Water Kayaking Center opened just outside of Charlotte. In addition to the complex that has acres of man made kayaking rivers, there is 11 miles of windy, tight single track fun with a few tough ups and fast downs. (As well as a restaurant and outdoor rock climbing walls) It was a fun day and Hope earned her first wipe out scars. Betweens horses and bikes she’s been out of saddle quite often lately. I’m very proud.

---