August 23, 2005
| HIKERS – Don Alducin, Sharada Alducin, Melissa Anderson, Phil Brownrigg, Ray Cowan, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Doug Russell, Bob Presley, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Dan Ross, Dave Standard, David Whitaker, and Geri Whitaker.
TRAIL INFO. – Today’s hike was on the Bartram Trail starting on the Georgia side of the Hwy. 28 bridge at the Chattooga River. We hiked southward on the trail across the West Fork Chattooga foot-bridge on down past the old homestead farming comunity about 1.8 miles beyond the old home place with chimney. Directions: From Walhalla, SC take Highway 28 toward Highlands, NC and continue to the Chattooga River Hwy. 28 bridge. Park on the GA side parking lot. Or from Highlands, NC, take Hwy. 28 southward to the same bridge and parking area. Trail is mostly flat along the river with only a couple of moderate hills. Our hiking distance today – 7.6 miles. Another great day for a hike! Partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from the mid 70’s to the mid 80’s. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: Yellow-fringed Orchid, Cranefly Orchid, Rattlesnake Plaintain Orchid, Cardinal Flower, Hog Peanut, Butterfly Pea, Sensitive Vine, Asiatic Dayflower, Horse Balm, Mountain Hydrangea, Heal All, Indian Plaintain, Rosin Weed, St. Andrew’s Cross, Purple Sneezeweed, Whorled Coreopsis, Rough Coreopsis, Woodland Sunflower, Yellow Coneflower, Bear Paw Sunflower, Tall Lobelia, Spotted Jewelweed, Virgin’s Bower, Meadow Beauty, Flowering Spurge, Phlox, Elephant’s Foot, Joe Pye Weed, Yellow Star Grass, Curtis’ Milkwort, Tall Bluet, Tall Skullcap, Dodder, Summersweet.
BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Carolina Wren, Pilieated Woodpecker, Crow, Cardinal, Titmouse. |
 Highway 28 Bridge parking lot. Preparing to hike! |
 Butterfly on a Bearsfoot (Polymnia uvedalia). |
 Early into the hike, we cross the West Fork Chattooga River on this nice foot-bridge. |
 Looking down the river from the bridge. |
 There are many pine trees down along the trail due to the pine beetles, but most have been cut to allow passage. |
 This foot-bridge has been washed downstream about 50 feet by earlier floods. |
 A nice stretch of the trail brings us close to the Chattooga River. |
 This old hay baler sits abandoned near the old homestead. |
 A beartiful old tree at the old homestead and some nice old folks hiking! |
 The OFHC on the trail. |
 The beautiful and fragrant blossom of Pueraia lobata. Otherwise known as Kudzu! |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike. We must work on the lighting! These hikers really look better than shown in the photo! (l-r seated)Jack Jacobi, David Whitaker, Donna Presley, Melissa Anderson, Sharada Alducin, and Geri Whitaker. (l-r standing) Doug Russell, Dan Ross, Bob Presley, Dick Metzgar, Dave Standard, Phil Brownrigg, Ray Cowan, Don Alducin, and Tony Presley. |