while we are at it

Let's keep it rolling in terms of sharing new stuff around here.  A little while ago I was out on some local "secret" trails doing some trail work.  I don't do enough trail work.  I think my current pace is about once a year - not too good...  That needs to change.  And this is a trail where it can change.  This trail is new.  This trail isn't built with the general public in mind so we don't have to worry about how challenging a section is - if we like it, we build it.  I can get behind that!!

Anyway, while out walking the trail to see what has been built since the last time I was out there and what we were going to be working on that day I started thinking about my hike on the Appalachian Trail.  It was real nice to be out in the woods.  And while out there, we I was reminded that wildlife was all around, even in Charlotte.

Early on in the trail I came upon this.

Looked like vertebra, likely deer.  TomTom informed me that there were a ton of deer around early morning/dusk, and sure enough a few steps further on the trail and we could see deer tracks across the trail.  Later as we were hiking through the flagged section of trail-to-be TomTom stepped right on this guy.

I was walking behind TomTom and saw his foot slip on something, and there was this guy.  I guess he was hiding under the green leaves.  I checked him out, seemed like his shell did the job so I snapped a quick photo and left him be.  He was up on the side of a hill, so I was kinda curious as to where he was off to... but we had work to do.

That day we cleared some good trail.  It was nice to be out there with TomTom, G3, and TheMutt.  Normally we just ride together, so it was nice to be putting in some work together.  Towards the end of our work day I was clearing a rotted log out of the way and uncovered this monstrosity...

Grossest grub in the world.  I don't even want to know what that thing turns into... if it turns into anything?  It grossed me out, I was done!

So yeah, being out in the woods made me think about hiking, so when I got back home I had to order a few things I knew I needed/wanted for hammock hiking.  To the internerd!!

A few days later my stuff arrived, yay!

Setting up my hammock isn't hard, and doesn't take too long, but I learned of a technique that makes it even easier and faster... so why not??  I ordered up two carabiners and 4 descending rings to allow for a "no knot" hanging of the hammock that will cut set up time down to oh, about a minute.  It will allow for quick set up and take down, easy adjustments to center the hammock between two trees or adjust the height.  

The headlamp was on sale, and it would be nice to have rather than a flashlight so that I could hike in the dark if necessary, or just have light around camp at night.  There are a couple other things I know I need for the trip, but I have time.  I'm sure while I'm hiking I will hit sections where I will think to myself "man this would be sweet on a mountain bike," but I think it will be nice to slow down for a bit and enjoy the journey in a different way.