TRAILMARKER The Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club Newsletter Since 1982 January-February 2019 Volume 37 - Number 1 Hiking across the Balds at Roan Mt. - December 2018 Visit us on the Web https://piedmonthikingandoutingclub.org Photo courtesy of Otto Afanador
Page 4 January-February Trailmarker PHOC History Corner There has been a long tradition of winter skiing in this club in January or February over the years. Back in 1985 to 1988 we did an annual day ski trip to either, Winterplace, W Va., Ski Beech or Ski Sugar Mtn. Once it was with the Greensboro Ski Club. In December of 1997 Joe Steele led a learn to ski trip to Winterplace with the Winston-Salem Ski Club and from then on he led several ski outings to Winterplace until 2000. In 2006, Joel Deaton came up with a cross country ski weekend About our Hike Rating System Our rating system provides a useful, general gauge of a hike s difficulty. It factors in distance and elevation gain and is intended to help you choose hikes that you will find most enjoyable. R0-R10 These are more walks than hikes. They re usually close to home, the trails are flat, and distances are generally short. An after-dinner walk around the block would be rated R1 or R2. Our Wednesday Night Walks are R5. R10-R20 Most of these hikes will be in the lower mountains and foothills. Distances will be about 5-8 miles, with vertical ranging from 500-1000 feet... not easy if you re new to hiking! Trails will be dirt and rock. As long as you re in moderately good shape, you should be able to enjoy the outing. PHOC Skiing Trips by Gale Magann in Canaan Valley State Park and Whitecross Touring Center in W Va. We had fabulous snow that weekend! After that, every February from 2007, Joel and Andy led a downhill Snowshoe, W Va. ski trip for a few days. These were very successful except for the times when there was rain. The last trip was in 2016. Snowshoe changed its pricing... no more great deals. Some of us are still hitting the slopes but on our own or with ski clubs. R20-R30 Hikes in the low end of this range will be too hard and overly stressful for many new members. Plan on an all-day trip, with at least 4 hours of continuous hiking in rugged and steep terrain. At a minimum, be sure to pack two quarts of water, lunch, a snack, and rain gear. R30-R40 These are strenuous hikes. They will usually be 10+ miles, with climbs of 2000+ feet. They re appropriate only for those who have done a number of lower rated hikes. R40+ These hikes are usually 12 or more miles with 3000 feet or more of elevation gain. They re appropriate only for fit, experienced hikers. Check with hike leader about the trip if you are wanting to do this trip for the first time. See Outings Protocol on page 14.
Trailmarker January-February Page 5 Wednesday Night Walkers will meet every Wednesday evening in the parking lot between Qdoba Mexican Grill and Chuck E Cheese at Friendly Shopping Center at 6:30 pm for a moderate walk before dinner. The group will have rotating leaders. The leaders are Carol Parks, John Hanson, Barbara Hanson and Joe Regan. The group will go to dinner after the walk. If bad weather cancels the walk, the group will still meet at 6:30 and go to dinner. Dates for Wednesday Night Walks & Dinner January 2 February 6 January 9 February 13 January 16 February 20 January 23 February 27 January 30 January 1, 2019 Tuesday @ 10 am Outings New Year s Day Hike Hanging Rock State Park Join us for our annual New Year s Day hike at Hanging Rock State Park. There will be 3 separate versions of this hike: strenuous, moderate, and easy. We will meet at 10:00 a.m. in the upper parking lot in front of the Visitor Center. At this point, we will divide up groups based on the participant s preferred hike. Departures will be staggered. The longer hike will be around 9 miles. It will include the usual Moore s Knob, House Rock, Cook s Wall, and Wolf Rock. About 2000 feet elevation gain [R-29]. The moderate hike will cover around 6-7 miles: Wolf Rock, House Rock, Cooks Wall, and then back to the parking lot by way of Magnolia Springs Trail. 900 feet elevation gain, [R16-18]. The short hike will ascend Hanging Rock and will cover around 3 miles. 600 feet elevation gain, [R-9]. Contact Sandy for more information. January 5 Doughton Park Loop Blue Ridge Parkway Join me in hiking this club favorite close to home combining a good workout with beautiful views. This is a long strenuous hike up Cedar Ridge, along the Bluff Mountain and down Flat Rock trail. Bring lunch, water and clothing suitable for expected conditions. Please contact me for details; 17 miles, 3500 ft. (R-52) January 5 Pilot Mountain State Park Join me for a moderate hike at Pilot Mountain. We will start at the Ranger Station and hike the Grindstone Trail up to the top and around the Pinnacle on the Jomeokee Trail. We will then take the Ledge Spring Trail back to the Grindstone Trail and on to the Ranger Station. If some want a longer hike, they can take the Mountain Trail and Grassy Ridge Trail back to the Ranger Station, for an extra 4 miles. The short version is about 7.8 miles. Dress warmly and bring water and lunch. Hopefully we can eat in the sun on the south side of the Pinnacle. Call me for time and place to meet. 500 +/- feet.7.8 miles [R-15] or 11.8 miles [R-20]
Page 6 January-February Trailmarker January 5 @ 8:30 am Richardson Taylor Preserve Please join me for a 7-mile hike on this scenic trail off Plainfield Rd. Directions: Head north on Church St, crossing over Pisgah Church Rd. Cross Lake Townsend twice, turn left onto Plainfield Road. Trailhead is on the right after about a mile. Or head north on Lake Brandt Road, turn right onto Plainfield Road. Trailhead will be on your left. 7 miles, [R-11] January 10 Thursday @ 6 pm River Birch Lodge 3324 Robin Hood Road Please join me for dinner in this lodgeinspired restaurant that is known for good food at moderate prices. RSVP to Lynne by 5 pm on Wednesday, January 9. January 11 Friday @ 5 pm Mellow Mushroom 609 S Elm St, Greensboro Per their website, join me at this funky, art-filled chain pizzeria featuring craft beer, calzones & creative stone-baked pizzas. The food is delicious, but the restaurant can be crowded. That s why we ll meet there for an EARLY Friday dinner at 5 pm. Please let me know you're coming by Thursday the day before. January 12 Alleghany MST, Blue Ridge Parkway, Basin Cove Overlook to Devils Garden Let s walk from Basin Cove Overlook on the BRP to Brinegar Cabin, have a quick lunch, and complete the walk to Devil s Garden Overlook. Total distance is about 11 miles and this is an R-30 rating. We also will stop briefly at the rock outcropping near the visitors center. This is a beautiful hike with my favorite panoramic view of the mountains from atop the bluff. We will make it a go if ice and snow does not present any problem from a safety point of view. A car drop off is required, so it is important to know where you will be carpooling from. We will limit this outing to 15 people in order to make things work well from a logistical aspect. Please let me know by noon on January 11 if you plan to go, which location you are carpooling from and with whom you are carpooling. We shall depart from the Jonestown-McDonald s at 8AM and will confirm final details on the evening of January 11. [R-30] January 12 Greensboro Watershed Trails Lake Brandt Marina This is a moderate hike with good views close to home. Starting at 8:30 AM from Lake Brandt Marina includes Wild Turkey, Nat Greene to Old Battleground Road, Palmetto, Owl s Roost and Piedmont Trail back to the marina. Bring lunch and water. Please contact me for details. 15 miles, 500 ft. [R-25] January 12 Nat Greene & Palmetto Trails at 9 am Greensboro Watershed Join me for an 8-mile hike on the Nat Greene and Palmetto trails. These are pretty trails with views of Lake Brandt. We will meet at the Lake Brandt Marina, Nat Greene watershed trailhead (on the left as you enter the marina parking lot) at 9:00 am. Bring water and a snack. Call or email me if you have questions. [R-12]
Trailmarker January-February Page 7 January 13 Sunday @ 10:30 Pilot Mountain SP Pilot Creek Trail Guilford College. Proceeding North on New Garden from Friendly, turn left at the first light. Join me for an out and back 6.6 mile hike along one of the newer trails in the park. If there is interest, we may pay a visit to Mountainview restaurant after the hike for some southern cooking. Directions: Head north on 52, passing the exit for the park. Exit at 134, going around the roundabouts, and head west on 268 for 0.2 miles. Turn left onto Shoals Rd. Go about 0.5 miles and turn left onto Boyd Nelson Rd. Look for parking lot on right. [R-16] January 14 Monday @ 6 pm Annual Potluck Dinner & Election of Officers New Garden Friends Meeting 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro 27410 This year s annual potluck dinner/meeting will be held on Monday, January 15 at New Garden Friends Meeting at 6 pm. Please join us in electing our new club officers for 2017. The following officers have been nominated. President Beverly Grier Vice President Wayne Hale Treasurer Vance Barron Secretary Donna Peterson Our annual Potluck is a covered dish, which at PHOC always means a smorgasbord of various delicious foods. Please bring a dish to share and a serving utensil for your dish. Hot and cold drinks (coffee, tea, soda) and tableware will be provided. For those attending the potluck, New Garden Friends regulations do NOT allow any adult beverages to be brought inside. New Garden Friends is on New Garden Road, directly across from January 17 Thursday, 6 pm Restaurant Outing Positano Restaurant Greensboro The last time here, we had a good group and this venerable family-owned restaurant treated us well. Skillfully prepared Italian cuisine, fair prices. Located at 2605 Lawndale Drive (Lawndale Crossing Shopping Center, near Battleground Ave.). Please RSVP by noon January 17. January 19 Mt. Mitchell State Park Join me for a 13 mile "Mitchell on Ice Hike." This is a difficult hike for which you must be prepared. Metal tipped poles and slip-on traction devices (Kahtoolas or MicroSpikes) are required. We will be hiking on ice. An early start is needed to allow us to be off the mountain before dark. This is a weather dependent hike. Please email for details. +/- 4000 feet elevation gain. [R-50+] January 19 Indian Creek Trail Hanging Rock State Park Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the trailhead, at the end of Flinchum Road near Danbury. We will walk the woodsy Indian Creek Trail to the Hanging Rock Visitor's Center, and then on up to dramatic Hanging Rock. An out-and-back beautiful and varied walk. Email for details. 9.8 miles, [R-30]
Page 8 January-February Trailmarker January 20 Sunday at 1:30 Bill Craft Trail Richardson Taylor Preserve Let s hike the Bill Craft Trail in the Richardson Taylor Preserve on Plainfield Road for an easy 3+ miles out and 3+ miles back. This is one of our most pleasant, scenic trails, with both wetlands and diverse forests. There is always a good chance of seeing both blue herons and beaver. From Lawndale and Pisgah Church, proceed North on Lawndale, continue straight on Lake Brandt Road, pass by Lake Brandt Marina on the left, and after about 1.5 miles past the dam turn right onto Plainfield Road. The Bill Craft parking lot will be on the left after about 1.9 miles. Be careful, it creeps up on you. No need to call but please do if you have questions. 7+ miles [R-10]. January 24 Thursday Restaurant Outing Taste of Thai Join me for dinner on Thursday, January 24 at 6 pm at one of my favorites, Taste of Thai located at 1500 Mill Street in Greensboro. Please let me know by Tuesday at noon if you are coming so I can reserve a table. Group size limit of 12. January 26 South Mountains State Park Outer Loop Hoping for a winter day surprise of bright blue sky, moderately invigorating weather, and gently flowing waters, I invite you to join me for this varied hike at South Mountains State Park. This is the best time of year to hike what I call the outer loop, when the bare deciduous trees afford unobstructed panoramic views of the many peaks. A great portion of the hike will be on a soft, wide trail, gentle to the feet, and conducive to socializing. If the weather is right, we will take our lunch basking in the sun that shines through the gentle sway of the tall evergreens that line the trail. We will also go through rhododendron groves, cross a stream a few times over rocks and over bridges. This is a moderately strenuous hike and suitable for experienced hikers only. Call or email for meeting times and places. 13 miles, 3100 feet of elevation gain. [R-44] January 26 Morrow Mountain State Park Sugar Loaf and Morrow Mtn. Trails The route of this 7-mile, 2000-foot hike will begin at the park visitor center at 9:30 a.m., ascend Sugarloaf Mountain on the steep northeastern end, descend on the sloped western end, complete the up-andback ascent of Morrow Mountain for lunch, and then return to the visitor center from there. On clear days there are excellent views of the river, surrounding Piedmont, Uwharrie Mountains, and of high points in the Sandhills. If interested in this hike, let me know no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday. In your response, please indicate from where you will be coming so that carpooling may be arranged. [R-27] January 27 Sunday @ 10 am Piedmont Trail Greensboro Watershed Meet me at the trailhead a little before 10 am for a 6-mile out and back hike. Proceed North on Lake Brandt Road, past the marina and
Trailmarker January-February Page 9 turn left into the gravel lot. Please let me know if you will be joining me. 6 miles, [R-7] J anuar y 31 Thursday @ 7 pm Re staurant O uti ng Van Loi II 3829 W Gate City Blvd D Let s meet for dinner at 7 pm at this authenic Vietnamese restaurant which serves a wide variety of Pho, roasted duck/pork and many other delicious foods that you will surely enjoy. Trip Advisor rates it a 4.5 out of 5. Please call or email me before noon on Thursday so I can let them know how many will be attending as the restaurant is somewhat small. February 2 Graybeard/Seven Sisters Montreat, NC We will use the Big Piney, West Ridge and Gray Beard Trails to make a loop hike. With the foliage gone the views will be great. The Black Mountain/Montreat Area is one of my favorite places to hike. This hike will be led at a brisk pace so it is for strong experienced hikers. After the hike we will probably stop in Black Mountain for early dinner and or beverage. It is a 2-hour drive so we will leave Big Lots (Clemmons) at 7:00 AM. [R-45] February 2 Pilot Mountain State Park Mountain & Grindstone Trails Regardless of Punxsutawney Phil s prognostication PHOC will have a group on Pilot Mountain hiking the connected pair of loops that ascend on Mountain, Grindstone then Ledge Springs trails, go around on Jomeokee, and descend on Ledge Spring and Grindstone trails. The route is 9.5 miles long, and it has 1700 feet of elevation gain with wonderful views on top on clear days. The departure from the park office will be at 9:00 am. Carpooling will be possible from Winston- Salem and from Carolina s Diner. [R-26] February 2 Greensboro Watershed Trails Lake Brandt Marina This is a moderate hike with good views close to home. Starting at 8.30 am from Lake Brandt Marina includes Reedy Fork, Blue Heron, Osprey, Peninsula and Laurel Bluff trail back to the marina. Bring lunch and water, please contact me for details, 15 miles, 500 ft. [R-25] February 3 Sunday Rocky Knob Blue Ridge Parkway This hike has lovely views without the strenuous climb from the bottom of the gorge. We start at the Rocky Knob Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway with a moderate climb up to a grassy knoll. The trail parallels the BRP with views of Rock Castle Gorge, the Piedmont, and the countryside north of Floyd, VA. Just downhill from the Knob, there is a rustic shelter which used to be on the AT before it was rerouted to the west. The trail eventually crosses the Parkway and heads back in a loop along the Black Ridge Trail. Please email for meeting times & places prior to noon Friday before the hike. 7.5 miles. [R-26] February 8 Friday @ 6 pm Boba House 332 Tate St, Greensboro Join me at this self-acclaimed elegant dining
Page 10 January-February Trailmarker space with 100% vegetarian menu of creative Vietnamese & Thai-inspired dishes. Vegetarian is not usually my thing, but Boba House offers delicious fare. Please let me know you're coming by Thursday the day before. February 9 McAfees Knob/Tinker Cliffs AT Salem, VA Join me on the AT on a club favorite hike including both McAfees Knob and Tinker Cliffs. We will do this as a key exchange hike. The hikers hiking northbound will take a slightly easier route utilizing the fire road for the first 2 miles to allow for the 2 groups to finish at approximately the same time. Those interested will stop for dinner afterwards. Please contact me by noon on Friday prior to the hike. Let me know which direction you want to hike in your email. Southbound: [R-49] 13 miles with 3600 ft of elevation gain. Northbound: [R-41] 12-1/2 miles with 2800 ft of elevation gain. February 9 Troy Nature Trail Join us on the Troy Nature Trail not far from the intersection with NC 24-27 just east of Troy, NC. The Troy Nature Trail connects to the Roy J Maness Nature Preserve. This picturesque, out-and-back, 6-mile trail follows Denson Creek most of the way and is marked with orange paint blazes. The town of Troy has provided an interesting assortment of foot bridges, stairs, handrails, and hand lines to help in some of the areas where footing might be less secure. We ll eventually reach the edge of a 30+ acre lake that serves as the current water source for the town. This is the key feature in the Roy J Maness Nature Preserve. We ll make a food stop at the picnic area before traveling the loop trail that runs around the lake and returning to the cars off Glen Road. Please contact Beverly to find out about the meeting time and carpooling. Troy is approximately 50 miles south of Greensboro. We ll start at the small gravel parking area off Glen Road, not far from the intersection with NC 24-27. There is limited space for parking so it will be important to carpool. [R-14] February 9 @ 9 am Bill Craft Trail Taylor Preserve Please join me for this out and back hike of approximately 7 miles of quiet, scenic trail off Plainfield Rd. Directions: Head north on Church St, crossing over Pisgah Church Rd. Cross Lake Townsend twice, turn left onto Plainfield Rd. Trailhead is on the right after about a mile. Or head north on Lake Brandt Rd, turn right onto Plainfield Rd. Trailhead will be on your left after a few miles. [R-8] February 9 Disco Pot Luck Night Fever 6:00-11 pm Maggie s Disco Inferno It s time to get out your Boogie Shoes and Shake Your Groove Thing. We will Play That Funky Music at Maggie s Disco Inferno. Everyone bring food to share adult beverage. I will have soft drinks, paper cups, plates, silverware, etc.. PARKING: St. Francis Episcopal Church (3506 Lawndale Dr. ) next door to my house, is letting us park in their lot!! Go in the Church
Trailmarker January-February Page 11 "Entrance", drive around to the exit and park in the parking spaces before exiting lot. I will have lights leading from the church lot to my house. My address: 3504 Lawndale Dr. Greensboro. February 10 Sunday New Hikers Hike Occoneechee Mountain Loop & Brown Elfin Trail Hillsborough Calling New Hikers and others who want to add a little something different to their Sunday morning. The Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail is 2.2 miles with little elevation. There s an old quarry and views of the Eno River. It is easy and quite scenic. We can turn around and hike it again for those interested or follow along on the very short Brown Elfin Trail. To make this even more interesting, we ll eat lunch at the Hillsborough BBQ Company. We hear it s wonderful. Total miles (if we double back) will be an easy 4.6 miles [R-5]. Contact Susan for more information about meet up time & place. February 11 Monday @ 7 pm PHOC Monthly Meeting Power Point Presentation Staying in the Game: The Evidence for Supplements New Garden Friends Meeting 801 New Garden Rd. Greensboro It can be difficult to know how to supplement your diet and exercise to maintain fitness for outdoor activities, because contradictory studies seem to come out weekly. After discussing how to assess the strength of the evidence and the best sources of summary recommendations, we ll review current recommendations regarding which supplements have shown beneficial effects. February 13 Wednesday at 5:30 pm Walk and Restaurant Outing Innovation Quarter Winston-Salem Let's meet at Bailey Park on the corner of N Patterson and 5th Streets in Winston- Salem. There is parking on the street or in the new underground Link Deck on Patterson Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets across from Biotech. The cost for this lot is $1 per hour. Carol will take us on a stroll through the Innovation Quarter followed by pizza at Cugino Forno scheduled to open soon, then a beer next door at one of Winston-Salem's newest breweries, "Incendiary." If bad weather cancels the walk, we'll still meet for dinner at 6:15. Those wishing to do just the walk or just the meal are welcome as well. February 16 Linville Gorge Pinch-In, Linville Gorge & Conley Cove Trails We will use the Pinch-in Trail to descend from Kistler Hwy to the Linville Gorge Trail. We will hike North to the Conley Cove Trail. We then ascend to the junction of Rock Jock Trail, and take it to Kistler Hwy. We walk the road a half mile to the Pinch-in Parking Lot, completing our 11 mile loop. The scenery from beginning to end is amazing. We are blessed to have such a beautiful wild place so available to us. I have hiked the gorge almost all of my life and enjoy sharing it with fellow hikers. This hike will be led at a brisk pace and is for strong experienced hikers only. We will leave Big Lots (Clemmons) at 6:00 AM. [R-60+]
Page 12 January-February Trailmarker February 16 Rocky Knob Blue Ridge Parkway, VA From the Rocky Knob Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Grassy Knoll, there will be a substantial climb with a Parkway vista. The trail parallels the Parkway and presents views of Rock Castle Gorge, the Piedmont, and the countryside north of Floyd, VA. The trail to Rocky Knob is narrow and steep, and affords outstanding views. Poles are helpful for sure footing, as the narrow trail could be covered with leaves and there is a drop off on one side, though not into an abyss. Just downhill from Rocky Knob, a rustic shelter serves as a reminder that the Appalachian Trail used to pass along this part of the Blue Ridge Parkway before its relocation to the west. The trail continues as if to head into Rock Castle Gorge, but we turn off to the right and cross the Parkway and access the Black Ridge Trail which passes through a second growth forest to a seldom-used gravel road. It includes good views to the north from atop Black Ridge. This trail is rocky in places, grassy in others. We will have a lunch stop after crossing the Parkway. Bathroom stop prior to hike will be at Hardee s in Stuart, VA. Driving time from Oak Ridge is about 1 hour 45 minutes. Similar time from Winston-Salem. Moderately strenuous. Contact me for details about carpooling locations and departure times. 7.5 miles. [R-26] February 16 Piedmont and Big Loop Lake Brandt, Greensboro watershed trail and the Big Loop for an in and out, total of easy 8.1 miles. Proceed North on Lake Brandt Road past the Marina, cross over the bridge at the dam, and park on the gravel parking lot on the left. No need to call. 8.1 miles. [R-9] February 17 Sunday @ 1:30 pm Bill Craft Trail Plainfield Road, Greensboro Please join me for this out and back hike of approximately 7 miles of quiet, scenic trail off Plainfield Rd. We will say a quick hello to the llamas, pot-bellied pig, donkey and horse properties at the end of the trail before turning around and heading back to the parking lot. Directions: Head north on Church St, crossing Pisgah Church Rd. Cross Lake Townsend twice, turn left onto Plainfield Rd. The trailhead parking lot is on the right, after about a mile. Or head north on Lake Brandt Rd, turn right onto Plainfield Rd. The trailhead parking lot will be on your left, after a few miles. Feel free to contact me, if you have any questions. [R-8] February 21 Thursday @ 7 pm Restaurant Outing Bangkok Café 1203 S. Holden Rd. #C Let s meet for dinner at 7 pm at this laid back, casual atmosphere Thai restaurant with a Trip Advisor rating of 4.5 out of 5. Please call or email me before noon on Thursday so I can let them know how many will be attending as the restaurant is pretty small. Let s meet at 8:30 am and hike the Piedmont
Trailmarker January-February Page 13 February 23 Mt Rogers Area Virginia Highlands HT, Cabin Ridge, AT North February 23 Eno River MST Orange/Durham counties This is one of my favorite hikes, and that of aficionados of trails bubbling with running water, rock hopping, muck, and horse doodoo. Wait you will say. What s so great about that? Just try it and I am positive you will thank me for it, especially if snow is added to the equation. So I invite you to join me for a varied stroll just outside the northwest boundary of Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. We will start from the backpackers parking lot at Grayson, hiking south on the AT, veer west on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, which will take us through long stretches of rhododendron groves, and continue on the Cabin Ridge Trail before coming out to open meadows with huge and sweeping vistas of our favorite peaks. After pausing for lunch, we will start walking northbound on the AT, alternating between wooded areas and open spaces affording majestic views of the surrounding ranges. We will finish the hike by going around Wilburn Ridge on the Crest and Rhododendron Trails. Although this hike is considered moderate in terms of distance and elevation gain, I have added a few points to the rating for the sometimes modest, sometimes less modest, terrain challenges, depending on the amount of precipitation the area has received in the preceding days, weeks or months: more than 80% of the route is very rocky and most of the time very muddy, with low areas of standing water and mini creek crossings. If you like to hike with poles, this is definitely a hike where you ll be glad you have them. Please email or call if you plan to join us. See contact info above. 10 miles, +/- 1600 ft. [R-31] This will be an out and back hike in Eno River State Park covering the MST from Rivermont Rd to Pleasant Green Rd. This hike will include some hilly terrain and will be lead at a brisk pace. This will allow for a good workout. There are very nice river views. Please contact me for meeting details. 12 miles, [R-25]. February 24 Sunday @ 10 am Nat Greene Trail Greensboro Watershed Let's meet at the trailhead a little before 10 am for a 7-mile out and back hike. The marina is located at 5945 Lake Brandt Road. When you turn into the lot, turn left and we meet at the end of the parking lot. Please let me know if you will be joining me. February 28 Thursday @ 7 pm Restaurant Outing Green Valley Grill 622 Green Valley Road Greensboro Join me for an evening of dining at the Green Valley Grill, adjacent to the O. Henry Hotel near the Friendly Center in Greensboro. Enjoy fresh seasonal Old World European and Mediterranean flavors from the wood-fired rotisserie and grill. Pair it with your choice of artisanal cocktails, craft beers and 500 wines. Choose from moderately-priced small plates, salads and soups or full entrees. Great desserts, too. Let me know by that Thursday at 12 noon if you plan to come.