Kid's Book - A Hike on the Appalachian Trail

My wife and I were busy this summer working on this children's book.  It is based on the many hikes my wife took her third graders from Luhrs Elementary on.

A Hike On the Appalachian Trail: Big Flat to Birch Run

by Carolyn Cook and Douglas Cook; Illustrated by Beau Bowersox
Jenna and Jay have been learning about the Appalachian Trail in third grade for weeks. Their teacher, Mrs. Cook, has been telling them about the animals, insects, and plants which depend on the habitat near the AT. The class has learned about caring for the environment and the principles of Leave No Trace.

As the book opens, Jay and Jenna are excited because today they will be taking a field trip to hike several miles on the Appalachian Trail. They hike to the Birch Run Shelter to eat lunch and rest, learning about the trail habitat along the way. After lunch they participate in a number of learning activities about the environment.

This book is unique in that it tells the story of a field trip on the Appalachian Trail and also provides numerous facts about the animals, insects and plants which call the AT home.

As an avid outdoorswoman and former third grade teacher, Carolyn Cook led her students, yearly, on an Appalachian Trail hike as the culmination of a unit on the environment. Carolyn is currently assistant professor of Education at Mount St. Mary's University. Doug Cook is a librarian and professor at Shippensburg University. Beau Bowersox is a sculptor, graphic artist, and illustrator.


Available from PublishAmerica online.

Toms Run is Changing Colors

I haven't had much chance to hike this summer.  We spent a month in Australia, which took up most of my free time.  I am glad that things have slowed down enough at the Library that I can at least get out on the weekends.  Tom's Run is changing colors.  This photo was taken, heading south, just before you cross Tom's Run toward the shelter.  This is usually a good place to add the blue of the sky.

Flowers along Toms Run

I finally did something I have wanted to do for a long time. I followed Tom's Run from where it crosses the AT (near the shelter) east to Camp Michaux. The snow melt caused the creek to flow deeply enough that it had overflowed the banks and scoured the debris away from the banks. Most of the plants that would make a bushwhack difficult later in the summer were just showing their green noses out of the leaves. The first half of the way was fairly easy. The closer to the remains of Camp Michaux I got the more pine trees and brambles I needed to push through. Of course I took pictures of the Run the whole way.

I have been unusually busy recently. I have been out hiking several times but not enough. To make it worse this is the first time I have downloaded any pictures from my camera in two weeks. I will put a few more on my web album..

The Mountains are still full of snow

From Trees and Landscapes in Michaux Forest (primarily)

You'd think that after so much nice sunny weather in the east that more snow would have melted in the mountains.  There's almost no snow left in our yard, but when you get up to South Mountain there is still more than a foot in most places.  This photo is on the Appalachian Trail going south from Big Flat to Birch Run.  Since it was 50 degrees there wasn't any ice, but the snow was soft enough that if was difficult going. I got hooked on shooting creek pictures again.  I have a number of photos posted of Birch Run, Mountain Creek at Pine Grove, and the Conococheague at Caledonia.

I did see a few sign of Spring at Pine Grove Furnace yesterday.  A few buds were on trees and the tips of some water plants were poking up out of the soil.  Hopefully the freezing weather is over for the year.

Doug

Sunny Morning Hike

From Trees and Landscapes in Michaux Forest (primarily)

We were going to hike on the Appalachian Trail this morning, but none of the parking areas were plowed.  The AT was still snow covered and it looked like no one had been walking there, at least near Toms Run. So we went over to Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  The AT does run through the park and we did walk on it, but its not quite the same thing.  Lots of people had been through so there was actually a groove cut through the snow about 6 inches deep.  We were walking north through the Park making sure we stayed in the 6 inch deep trail, when some folks with dogs came south toward us - unleashed of course.  One of the dogs came walking down the trail like a train on the tracks.  Typically dogs are all over the place,  but this guy stayed right in the grove and stopped dead when he got to me.  He looked up as if to say "You move, I'm not"  I laughed and stepped out of the groove.  I guess he didn't want to get any more snow on his paws than necessary.

It was sunny and 40, which is great weather for hiking.  Lots of other people were out snowshoeing, sledding, skiing and walking.  The sun was so bright against the snow that it was tough to get any good pictures.  I did get some nice reflections from Mountain Creek and from the Swamp Trail.  

Sunday Morning Hike Through the Snow

We got 15 inches of snow in the area yesterday.  It stopped snowing so late that not much got plowed.  I didn't come out of hibernation till this morning.  The air was absolutely clear, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining.  It was only 18 degrees but that was a minor difficulty. Carolyn and I decided to go for a hike through the snow hoping that we might be the first ones there.  We drove to Caledonia State Park where the roads and the main parking lot was plowed, but there were no hikers.  We put on our gear and started walking the Midland Trail.  The Midland is a short trail which goes through thickets of Rhododendron, stands of pine, past a pond, and over the Conococheague Creek.  To be the first one on the trail was great as the smooth layer of snow was beautiful.  It was broken only by deer and rabbit tracks. The sun shining through the pines made for some great photos.  [To see more photos go to my Google Web Album.]
Cheers
Doug

18 degrees and a brilliant blue sky

I took a hike this morning past Tom's Run Shelter.  I bushwhacked from the Appalachian Trail where Tom's Run crosses the Trail near the Shelter.  Because of the rain last week and the snow melt the Run was higher than it usually is at this time of year.  The sky was a brilliant blue and it was cold - 18 degrees.  Most of the pictures I took this morning were of puddles with ice forming on them.  I particularly like these two photos because of the pools and the waterfalls and the ice.
I actually met a bunch of cold-looking hikers who had slept on the Trail last night.  They looked pretty happy though.  You can't beat walking in Michaux.

More photos