22/52 Wade Mountain and Maple Hill

Met up with Andrea on Friday afternoon to have a hike.  She wanted a 'hill' so we opted to go to Wade Mountain.  We did nearly 5 miles there combining Devil's Racetrack, Shovelton and Rock Wall for a convoluted loop and adding on Piney Loop at the end.  The we had lunch and went to Maple Hill Cemetery to see the dogwoods.  I wanted to go on to the wildflower trail, but they were both done.  Matt walked back well ahead of us to wait in the car, he had not taken his allergy meds for several days.  I handed him his dose this morning myself!  

blue eyed grass

We started at the Dead Children's Playground
One of the swings was swinging when we got there.

stonecrop

Walking through the cemetery, I saw boy statues!

21/52 Short Springs

20/52 was the Bog walk

19/52 was Ft. Pickens

18/52 was Perdido Key

On Saturday, we took Andrea on her first hike!  I had Machine Falls on the hiking group page since the first of the year, there's a nice wildflower garden there.  So, off we went, we met Melissa and her hubby and oldest son there.

There are several loops that can be joined together to make a 3 to 5 mile hike.  We went down the Machine Falls Loop, walked around the wildflower loop and down to the falls below that, then crossed the creek on the bridge and walked the Adams Falls Loop.  We were headed to the Busby Falls Loop when Andrea tripped on a crazy tall root and ate trail.  :(  So we skipped that loop for a 3.2 mile hike total, and got her home for a shower!

Melissa and Rick at Machine Falls

The trail down

The wildflower loop, everything blooming was purple!

larkspur

Trillium

Phlox

dwarf bearded iris

foamflower

fern

rue anemone

Poplar trees leafing

Wild geranium

The trails were steep in spots, it was a good hike!

Mayapple

Hepatica

After the hike, we headed home so Andrea could get cleaned up.  My original plan was to go up and hike just to Suter Falls because it's so pretty!  But we were meeting more friends for dinner to celebrate a birthday at 5 and Andrea understandably did not want to show up with mud ground into her clothes.

Despite the fall, she loved hiking and can't wait to go again.  YAY!

I have a hike planned at Cane Creek on Wednesday, but have had zero folks sign up (homeschool group) and another Friday.  I have to get busy planning Matt's week off, we were backpacking the Foothills Trail, but that's been changed to just camping because Ben is not so keen to backpack.  Which is fine, I just don't have a plan yet!  Eep.  I am thinking Smokies.  Chan is voting Jekyll Island.  I bet warm wins out!  :)