-trail mix- Staff: Michelle Schoepper Chris Chao Chris Cook Jacklyn Coats John Meissenhelder Allen Rynish WHO IS CHING?BY MICHELLE SCHOEPPER MS: When were you first inspired to become active in the outdoors and where did you live at the time? CHING: It is hard to pinpoint the exact time. I loved being outside ever since I was a little girl. I was born and raised in Wuhan which is a big industrial city in the central part of China. However, I don t consider myself as a city girl since I lived on a beautiful university campus in the outskirts of the city with hills, woods and a lake nearby. I used to pick mushrooms and berries in the woods, and swam in the lake. Although my appreciation of nature started very early, my love for hiking didn t begin until 5 years ago. I have traveled and visited National Parks before I started hiking. However, I would call myself a typical tourist at the time who didn t venture too far from the scenic overlooks. My appreciation and love for nature deepened after I started hiking. It feels very different when you are far away from any civilization and surrounded by beautiful nature. Sometimes, for miles and miles you can t see another human being or find any sign of manmade structure. It feels wonderful and inspiring! The more I hiked, the more I saw; the more I saw, the more I appreciated what I saw and was inspired to see more so I hiked more. It is like a circle a positive circle, of course. MS: What are your favorite outdoor activities? CHING: Hiking, hiking and hiking. :) Well, I have tried a little bit of a lot of different outdoor activities such as kayaking, horsing back riding, rock climbing/rappelling, white water rafting, sailing, scuba diving, skiing, sky diving if you can name it, I probably tried it. Even learned to fly and got a pilot license. Yet, after all, I still love hiking the most. It is easy - no need for equipments and no time to set up; it is up-close and personal and most of the time, it is free. :) MS: I know you love photography as your THOG title photographer extraordinaire clearly states! When did your love of photography begin? CHING: Believe or not, it only started in recent years. I have always loved travel, but the travel pictures I took were just snap shots. After I joined the group and fell in love with hiking, I got more chances to travel and have hiked to the most beautiful places a lot of people wouldn t normally see in person. It is a shame not to be able to capture and share such extraordinary beauty with others. So I started to pay attention to photography. I read books and attended workshops. Little by little, I took better and better pictures and also fell in love with nature photography! It feels wonderful to be able to share the beauty with others. MS: Do you have a favorite subject you love to photograph? (i.e. birds, flowers, landscapes CHING: As an outdoor lover, my focus is obvious nature photography landscapes, flowers and animals. I took a lot more landscapes than anything else since I am so passionate about extraordinary sceneries. I love cont on page 2 KEEP ALERT FOR TICKS By Allen Rynish While warm weather is motivating many of us to gear up and become more involved with T-HOG, spring time can also bring out some unwanted pests. More specifically, ticks. In the words of Grant, if you've never seen a Deer Tick in person, it will shock you that something so small, maybe half the size, full-grown, of this letter o can pack a punch. In the brochure for the Great Dismal Swamp published by NC parks, it states, Ticks are present during warm weather months at Dismal Swamp. Insect repellent may help to prevent a tick bite and the possibility of disease. Tuck trousers into long socks and tuck a longsleeved shirt into pants. Wear light colors so that ticks may be easily spotted and removed. Check often for ticks. The News and Observer has published a wonderful article on ticks. You can find it at http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/18/394 678/lyme-disease-found-in-wake.html. (Trail Mix did not obtain permission to copy the N&O article.)
from page 1 the sceneries out west of this country the rugged mountains, the colorful rocks, the strange rock formations, the deep blue lakes and brilliant wildflowers. I also take pictures of flowers for my mom who loves the flowers and my pictures will be used in her book. As for animals, it is more by chance not easy to find one even if I would love to take pictures. I am not patient enough to stay in one place waiting for animals to show up as most wildlife photographers do and need to be done. Of course when I saw a blue heron catching a goldfish (in Duke Garden) and a cute bear cub walking down the river (in WY), I wouldn t miss the chance to take a few pictures. :) I now have a website: http://beautifulnaturephoto.ipage.com/ Check back and view my beautiful pictures! :) MS: I understand you just won an award/prize. for a photograph you took.. Can you tell me a little more about that? CHING: I have won four different awards so far, from local magazine to national competitions. :) The one I am most proud of is the National Park Foundation s Share the Experience photo contest. It was taken at Lake Mead National Recreation Area last November during a solo trip to NV. As you can see, it was taken from inside a small cavern. It took me a while to find that perfect spot. Another picture which was also taken in NV (in Valley of Fire State Park) won the first place of Scenic Nevada s Beauty or Blight photo contest. I can t say enough good things about this state park the rocks are so strikingly colorful. I love it very much and have been there several times. As a crazy hiker and photographer, I was the first one in the park before the sunrise and the last one to leave after dark. Talking about competition, another picture of mine is selected to participate Natural Selections Ecological Photography Competition & Exhibition sponsored by Town of Chapel Hill. The pictures will be on display from April 12 May 30, 2010 at University Mall in Chapel Hill. Please come to see my picture Man and Nature in Harmony and vote for me! :) MS: Where is your favorite place in the world to travel? CHING: On top of my list is New Zealand. Soon after I watched the movie Lord of the Ring, I went to New Zealand with a group of contra dancers for a month. The scenery is just as breathtakingly beautiful as it was in the movie! MS: Where is your favorite place to hike locally? CHING: Morgan Creek and Haw River they are a little personal since I started scouting both routes several years ago. Morgan Creek trail follows the creek and leads us to NC Botanical Garden. You have to cross over a number of pipelines so it adds a little fun and excitement. For Haw River hike, the trail is relatively short. However, we hike off-trail on this event (can only do it in the winter), which is a lot of fun bushwhacking and trying to find our way. My favorite regional hike is the ridge trail on top of Grandfather Mountain. There are several vertical ladders you have to climb and the reward for climbing up is the 360- degree views of mountain ridge after mountain ridge cascading to the horizon. MS: How has THOG changed your life? CHING: THOG changed my life in many different ways! I learned to hike and fell in love with hiking. I have developed deeper appreciation of nature. The more I witness, the more I appreciate the beauty of our natural world. I learned and fell in love with photography, which turned out to be a rewarding experience. I learn to organize events and to speak in front of people. I am much open and sociable. I made lots of friends. And believe or not, I am much more independent also because of the group since the skills and the experiences I learned from the group gave me confidence to be on my own. I have traveled to lots of places all by myself which I had never done before I joined the group. In short, THOG made me a better and happier person. I owe a big thanks to THOG, particularly to Chris!
HIKING AND CAMPING AMONG BIG TREES IN S. CAROLINA BY ALLEN RYNISH Many of us T-HOGer s know John M. to be a man of the AT and waterfalls. In a few weeks, we will see another side of who many of see as only a snowman in Wilmington. Event Description: In 2003 the formerly named Congaree Swamp National Monument was designated as South Carolina's first and only National Park. The Congaree National Park is now home of the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest (about 11,000 acres) remaining on the continent! In the Congaree National Park you will experience national and state champion trees, towering to record size amidst astonishing biodiversity, only miles southeast of Columbia, SC! In addition to the largest intact tract of old-growth forest floodplain in North America, the Congaree National Park is a designated Wilderness area, an International Biosphere Reserve, Globally Important Bird Area, and has a variety of ongoing research and education projects, including the ongoing search for more not yet documented national and state champion trees within the National Park's borders. Less than 50% of the big trees in the Park were visually inspected in past surveys. The last survey was conducted 13 years ago. There are likely many more "champion trees" out there waiting to be discovered! There is said to be one "big tree" per acre or an estimated 11,000 "big trees" in this old-growth forest floodplain! John says I have reserved 10 spots with the Park Rangers, for the Ranger guided hike. They have told me that off trail hiking is necessary to reach many of the larger "big trees". This means that with your RSVP you must be comfortable with any offtrail hiking the Rangers lead us upon with the possibility of muddy conditions. Additionally, Pack your water or drink, insect repellent, a lunch and wear your hiking boots on this 5 hour 6 mile hike. Camping to follow. If you want to join John M. on this hike, please read the entire event description before signing up. DID YOU KNOW?? BY MICHELLE SCHOEPPER 10 interesting little factoids about the world around us! 1. Covering less than 2% of the Earths total surface area, the worlds rainforests are home to 50% of the Earth s plants and animals. 2. There are 12,000 different kinds of beetles in the United States. 3. Hummingbirds can barely walk because of very weak feet. 4. A mature Birch tree can produce up to 1 million seeds per year. 5. Mosquitos are attracted most to the color blue. 6. A snail can sleep for three years. 7. Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, with speeds of 35-60 mph. 8. Male seahorses produce offspring. 9. Shade trees have the effect of 5 air conditioners. 10. The highest temperature recorded in North Carolina is 110, Fahrenheit. This record high was recorded on August 21, 1983 at Fayetteville. WHITTLING AWAY BY ALLEN RYNISH Webster defines the word hate as: verb, to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest. You may have heard the expression that hate is strong word. Well I hate poison ivy. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. You get some of its poison oils on you, then you spread it to the rest of your body before you know you have it. One day I woke up with one eye swollen shut from it. I think I have gotten poison ivy on every square inch of my body. That s right, I know you re thinking it, I even got poison ivy in-between my toes. Life sucks when you get it. You itch, but you can t scratch. Do you remember getting poison ivy when you were a kid? There was your mother yelling at you, Don t itch it! Don t itch it! At some point it seems that you loose all will power and scratch the heck out of your rash.ahhh, it feels better now but only for a few moments. My back yard is full of this stuff. Maybe I should look up the definition of unlucky. While I am happy spring is here, I hate poison ivy.
PHOTO FUN! PHOTO OF THE MONTH WHERE ARE YOU? BY CHRIS CHAO Originally operated by the boy scouts, this camp was acquired by the City of Raleigh in 1979. This park encompasses 237 acres which makes it one of the largest land-based parks in Raleigh. This outstanding feature is located on the northern boundary of the park, visible by the greenway trail and accessible by a park trail. Although this park is home to over 160 species of birds and numerous mammals, the mammal that this feature is named for is not found in the park. Rather the name is in reference to the shape of the rock. So where are you anyways? Please identify this feature by its name and the park. Submit your answer by emailing Triangle Hiking and Outdoor Group. The answer to last month's contest is Clingman's Dome, located on the NC/TN border in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Congratulations to Carol Ray for being randomly chosen out of the 11 correct responses.
NOT SO DISMAL IN THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP BY CHRIS CHAO Despite the name, the Great Dismal Swamp isn't so "dismal" after all. Although a fraction of the original size, the swamp is one of the largest tracts of undeveloped land in the Southeast. Within its boundaries is a healthy ecosystem containing numerous plants, mammals, reptiles and over 200 species of birds. At the center of the Great Dismal Swamp is Lake Drummond, one of only 2 natural lakes in Virginia. The origin of Lake Drummond is a mystery and what is unusual about the lake is that it sits on the highest part of the swamp. The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974 established the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and more recently, North Carolina created the Great Dismal Swamp State Park which has miles of hiking trails. On the eastern boundary of the Great Dismal Swamp lies the Dismal Swamp Canal. Before the canal was built, supplies had to be shipped along the hazardous North Carolina coast aka "Graveyard of the Atlantic" or through a difficult overland route. Work started in 1793 and the entire canal was dug by hand. It took 12 years before the canal was formally opened in 1805. Unfortunately, keeping water in the canal was a difficult task, especially during dry summers. Thus, the Feeder Ditch was dug to Lake Drummond in an attempt to keep a constant water level during the drier summers. By the 1920s, road and rail improvements made the canal obsolete. Thus, in 1929 the canal was sold to the Federal Government. Today, the US Army Corps of Engineers maintains the channel as a part of the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway system. The canal is listed on the National Register of Historical Places and is recognized as a part of the Underground Railroad. Camping is prohibited in the National Wildlife Refuge. Fortunately, the US Army Corps of Engineers maintains "The Reservation" a grassy area surrounding the Feeder Ditch canal where overnight use is permitted.. If you call the Corps office, they will make a point to say that "overnight visition" is permitted. The manager made a point to not call it "camping." The facility is quite nice with 2 screened picnic areas, grills and numerous spots for pitching a tent. Access to "The Reservation" is only by boat, requiring a 3 mile paddle along the Dismal Swamp Canal and The Feeder Ditch. To get to Lake Drummond requires carrying your boat above the spillway and paddling the remaining 1/2 mile to the lake. Our goal was to be on Lake Drummond for sunset. Approximately 1 hour before sunset, everyone piled into their boats and headed out towards Lake Drummond. The sunset is truly spectacular. Although the Refuge closes at sunset, the manager informed us that as long as we were heading out at sunset, we would be OK! Despite being close to the ocean, the nights get quite cold in the swamp. In the morning, we awoke to a frosty wonderland. Several of us went back and paddled around Lake Drummond. After breaking camp, we paddled back to car where we saw numerous species of birds, a muskrat and beavers! Can't wait till next year!