It was a perfect day for a hike, not too cold, not hot.
Buzzards Rock sits atop the Simpkins Mill side of the
Ilchester Tunnel and rewards your climb with a nice view of the valley below. It’s
also a hangout. Though I don’t particularly care for those who introduce spray paint into an otherwise bucolic setting, I do find some of the art to be oddly compelling.
Perhaps of more concern was the number of people we could
see milling about on the CSX rail tracks below. I immediately thought of this
video my friend Mickey Gomez shared on Facebook earlier this week.
Train tracks are dangerous places.
On the descent to Bloede Dam, a cyclist passed us on the way
up and greeted me by name, breathing hard as he attacked the steep
incline. I acknowledged the greeting but I have to admit I did not immediately
recognize him in the brief moment we passed. I felt bad but he was wearing a
helmet and I was sporting non prescription sunglasses, a bad combination for me on a good day. As I continued down the
trail trying to figure out who I just said hello to I turned back and saw him
taking a break next to a tree. It’s a very long hill and he was about three
quarters of the way up. Who was that guy?
Arriving back at the Grist Mill Trail was like merging on to
a pedestrian freeway. Runners, bikers, dog walkers, and all walks in between
were out in large numbers getting a much needed dose of medicine for cabin
fever.
You can find more Buzzard Rock Trail pictures here.
