Virginia Creeper Trail

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Date: September 3 – 6, 2024.
The Virginia Creeper trail is a popular trail that runs through southwest Virginia, extending 34.3 miles from Abingdon to Whitetop Station, near the North Carolina border. Originally a railroad line, the trail was converted in the 1980s into a scenic route for hiking, biking and horse back riding. The trail is named after Virginia Creeper vine, which grows abundantly in the region and also the after the nickname of the original steam engines that “crept” up the mountains.

Abingdon to Damascus
This section of the trail is gentler, spanning about 15 miles and featuring rolling hills and farmland. Its a great spot for a more leisurely bike ride with plenty of scenic views, wildlife and historic markers.

Damascus to Whitetop Station
This is a more challenging but also more popular section, spanning 17 miles and leading up to the highest point on the trail at Whitetop Mountain. The route involves a gradual ascent and passes through lush forests, creeks and bridges.

I brought my RV and stayed at the Creeper Trail Campground a popular campground located on Whitetop mountain near the Virginia Creeper Trail head. I was distracted by a women, Esther, that I had just started dating and did not take the time to look at the directions on the campground website but followed Google Maps instead. Google maps had me high in the mountains on a gravel, one lane road with hair pin curves – hundred foot cliffs on one side and sheer rock on the other side. Was so glad I didn’t meet anyone driving the other way because I didn’t know what I would do.

Camping at the Creeper Trail Campground allows visitors to full immerse themselves in the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains while having easy access to both the trail and nearby attractions in Damascus.

Steamboat Springs

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July 7 – 10, 2024

Sela, Donna, Nick and Greta

The Uranium Mind Trail near Steamboat Springs is a moderately challenging hike that offers scenic views and historic significance Here are some of the key information about the trail;

Length: approximately 3.2 miles long round trip
Elevation Gain: Around 850 feet.
Difficulty: Moderate
The trail leads to an old Uranium mine that was operational in the 1950’s

OUR VRBO home for our time in Steamboat Springs

Restaurants –

Weather: it was cool upper 50’s in the morning – then low 90’s in the afternoon.

Strawberry Park Natural Springs

Strawberry Park Hot Springs blends the pure natural beauty of the environment with the unique stone masonry of there thermal pools.

We went back to Denver after 3 nights in Steamboat Springs where the temperature reached the low 100’s so we canceled our hiking trips and found some cooler local activities. One day we walked two of the parks that had big shady trees, went to a movie, saw Fly me to the Moon, it was entertaining but the theater wasn’t that cool, another day we went to a museum. We made best of the extreme heat’

Sela flew back home to Portland on Saturday, the next day, Sunday, Greta, Isle and I stopped by the Garden of the Gods on our way to Monument Co. to see Chris, Cristy’s and Donna’s new house – it was great day.

Greta’s Summer Trip Home

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Greta moved her flight home up by 3 days to Monday June 3, from her original date of June 6th because of my accident. I picked Greta up at the Georgia Ctr shuttle location at 6:30PM on Monday evening. I had mad a pasta salad which we had for dinner. I was starting to feel better but we still took it easy – here is a summary of her stay.

Tuesday, June 4 – we stayed around the house, rested and Greta swam in the lake. We had dinner at Kiques in Watkinsvile.

Wednesday, June 5 – we hung around the house in the morning then after Greta’s conference call with her book collaborators (Erin and Christine) we went to the farmer’s market at Creature Comfort. We bought some veggies, had a beer, listened to some live music before going to the Last Resort for dinner.

Thursday June 7 – we had lunch at Cali N Tito’s and did some grocery shopping because we wanted something we could cook on the Himalayan Salt tile that was regifted to me.

Friday, June 8 – we went downtown shopping at several of Greta’s favorite stores and had lunch at Big City Bread on their nice shady patio. Greta invited Haley over for dinner and we fixed chicken breast with piccata sauce – it was a fun evening even if Haley forgot and ended up an hour late.

Saturday, June 9 – Robin and Andrea came up Saturday afternoon and Greta made a lentil, salad with chick peas and grated beets for dinner – very good.

Sunday, June 10 – Sunday morning we had a waffles, eggs and bacon for breakfast then we spread Pam’s ashes on the property in some gardens. Sunday night we had a small bon voyage dinner party for Jen and Andy as they were off to Scotland on Tuesday – it was also a thank you for all their help after my accident. Greta and Andrea made a great taco feast and we had Pam’s easy blueberry cobbler for dessert – there were 7 for dinner Judy was also invited.

Monday, June 11 – we all went shopping at Costco, where Rob found a good deal on a Lego set, and then lunch at Marti’s at Midday. Robin and Andrea left for home around 2PM

Tuesday, June 12 – Greta and I went to Target where Greta helped me pick out a new pair of eye glasses. Then we drove over to Prince Ave where Greta had an 11AM appointment to get her nails done – we had lunch afterwards at the Farm Burger – it was very good.

At 4PM I took Jen and Andy to the airport shuttle at the GA Ctr for their flight to Scotland..

Wednesday, June 13 – took Greta to the shuttle at 8:15AM for her flight to New York where she was meeting Nick, who was flying in from Denver.

My girls already miss the attention from aunty Greta.

Bike Accident

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Wednesday, 10:52AM, May 22, 2025 – Old Edwards Road
I had just gotten to mile 17, of a 20 mile ride and crossed over Hwy 78 to Old Edwards road when a black dog behind a fence started barking and running my way. I was thinking there was an opening in the fence up ahead, so I increased my speed and got my water bottle ready to squirt water at the dog if he got out. From a wooded area in front of me the dog came running, fast straight at me. The last thing I remember before getting to the hospital was squirting the dog with water as he got closer. I’m not sure of the actual event but i guessing the dog got scared of the water and tried to stop, but his momentum took him into my front wheel causing me to go down. From the data collected from my riding apps and phone records, we were able to figure out that I went down at 10:52AM the first person got to me at 10:59AM and 911 was called at 11:01AM. I have no memory of the accident, paramedics or the ride to the hospital, where I spent 1 night. I ended up with 7 stitches in my face, above my left eye, 4 fractured ribs, fractured scapula, clavicle, and hip. Below are the official results from the 4 CT scans and xrays taken at the hospital.

Narrative

HISTORY: Bicycle versus pedestrian, left shoulder pain, chest pain, head injury TECHNIQUE: Routine CT scan of the chest abdomen and pelvis was performed with contrast. Delayed images as well as sagittal and coronal reconstructions were also performed.One or more of the following measures were utilized for radiation dose reduction in concordance with the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable): Automatic exposure control, adjustment of the KV or MA according to patient’s size, iterative reconstruction. COMPARISON: CT 6/17/2021 FINDINGS: CHEST: There is an area of pleural thickening or small hemothorax at the left apex related to fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. A fracture is also present of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. Aorta is without aneurysm or dissection. There is motion at the aortic root. Heart is without a pericardial effusion. There are a few tiny dots of gas in the anterior mediastinal fat without a pneumothorax. The lungs otherwise demonstrate dependent atelectasis. There are scattered calcified granulomas. Some calcified lymph nodes are also present in the mediastinum. 

ABDOMEN: The liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen are intact. The pancreas demonstrates 2 small pancreatic cyst at the pancreatic neck measuring up to 11 mm. There is an additional cyst at the pancreatic body measuring 1.5 cm. The main duct is not dilated. The adrenal glands are normal and symmetric. The kidneys demonstrate normal cortical enhancement and excretion. No stones or hydronephrosis. Visualized bowel is intact. No free air or free fluid. PELVIS: The bladder is well-distended with normal wall thickness. No free pelvic fluid identified. No abnormal pelvic adenopathy identified. Vascular structures are without aneurysm. There is a subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum

FINDINGS: There are partially visualized posterior left second and third rib fractures. No evidence of acute cervical spine fracture. No evidence of traumatic subluxation.

Impression

1. Fractures of the left first through fourth ribs anteriorly and posterolaterally. Likely adjacent small hemothorax at the apex. 2. Fracture of the left scapular body extending to just inferior to the glenoid. 3. Subtle nondisplaced fracture of the left anterior acetabulum. 4. Incidental small pancreatic cysts. Recommend nonemergent follow-up MRI abdomen with and without contrast in 6 months. This could be related to dilated side branches or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. Outpatient GI consultation should also be considered.

I make this post 3 weeks after the accident and I’m starting to feel pretty good. However, my clavicula quickly reminds me I try to do much. I did get a slow, easy 30 minute ride on my stationary bike this morning.

Waffles with Soy Milk

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6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Spelt flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup soy milk
4 large eggs

Step 1 – Melt the butter and set aside.
Step 2 – In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, soy milk, melted butter and eggs. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients,
Step 3 – Preheat waffle iron and, using a pastry brush lightly coat with butter or neutral oil.