Hiking @ Bull Run

(frondy ones.)

Today, I went on a hike in northern Virginia (~ 45 miles from D.C.). Here is the trail map:

It was a purrfect day. There has been a lot of rain recently, so at first, we had some confusion as to whether our trail was indeed our trail, or whether it was a wee creek.

<-- puddle-hopping

As we climbed higher, though, the trail dried, and it was oh-so-lovely. Photos:

Dry trail


"Who's iiiiinnn there??"
(100 geeky pts. if you know the reference)


Where are the hobbits??

Up there? ...Frodo?

On the way back down the loop, we came across a sign:

Is educational! Apparently, the trail runs through the site of the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, where a division under the Union's Brig. Gen. James Ricketts attempted (with little success) to stall the progression of Confederate troops marching toward Manassas to join Gen. Lee's army. The trench:

We also came upon a wee graveyard, where several members of the Chapman family were buried (the Chapman family owned a mill nearby, for which the above trench had originally been created, and owned the land upon which the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was fought.)

To get to the trailhead, you park your car in a wee lot and then cross a set of railroad tracks. At the end of our hike, we were just leaving the trail, about to cross the tracks to go to the car, when I remarked to my hiking partner, "It would be funny if a very, very long train came by right now and we got stuck on this side of the tracks and had to wait til it went away to get to the car." Just as I said it, we heard... yes. Choo-choo. :D

It wasn't THAT long, though :)