OutDOOR COnnectionS
Spend time connecting with other church members while enjoying various outdoor excursions. Past adventures have included canoeing at Cane Creek Reservoir, kayaking the Millpond trail, bird watching on the Outer Banks, wildflower walks on nearby nature preserves, and hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains.
2023 OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS OUTINGS
Saturday, April 8, 10 AM
Hike along New Hope Creek, with Lunch to Follow TBA
Early Spring ephemerals tend to be as tiny as they are charming. By April, Spring offers flowers you won't have to stoop over to see. Bankside bushes aglow with Pinxter Azaleas, beds of yellow crested blue Irises, vibrant patches of Green and Gold. New Hope Creek pearls and sparkles along the pathway while newly arrived warblers add a descant. Not too shabby. We'll meet at 10 at the Duke Forest entrance across from Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Lunch to follow, location TBA.
Please let Peggy know you are coming by emailing her directly at chandler-dorfman@mindspring.com or mdorfmanschandler@gmail.com.
Hike along New Hope Creek, with Lunch to Follow TBA
Early Spring ephemerals tend to be as tiny as they are charming. By April, Spring offers flowers you won't have to stoop over to see. Bankside bushes aglow with Pinxter Azaleas, beds of yellow crested blue Irises, vibrant patches of Green and Gold. New Hope Creek pearls and sparkles along the pathway while newly arrived warblers add a descant. Not too shabby. We'll meet at 10 at the Duke Forest entrance across from Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Lunch to follow, location TBA.
Please let Peggy know you are coming by emailing her directly at chandler-dorfman@mindspring.com or mdorfmanschandler@gmail.com.
Saturday, March 11, 10:30 AM
Hike in Eno River Park and Lunch at Picnic
Spring ephemeral walk March 11, 10:30 AM at Pump Stations Trail, Eno River Park. This 1.2-mile loop trail near Durham is generally considered an easy route. We will be spotting the NC spring ephemerals. We might see Trout lily, Rue Anemone, Bluet, Bloodroot, Toothwort and Spring Beauties. Meet at the Pump Station Trailhead, 3998 Rivermont Rd, Durham, NC 27712. Park along the gravel road. Lunch afterwards at Picnic, a nearby BBQ restaurant. RSVP to Teri Brooks to keep up to date on any changes.
Please remember to RSVP directly to Teri Brooks at teribrooks@gmail.com.
Saturday, February 11, 10:30 AM:
Hike in Duke Forest and Lunch in Chapel Hill
We’ll meander the Rhododendron Bluff Circuit - from Whitfield Rd. down the gentle slopes and along the bank of New Hope Creek. It's an easy hike - about 1 hour. Park at Duke Forest Gate 26, which is 0.5 miles west on Whitfield Rd from the intersection with Erwin Rd. Then we’ll have lunch at Lucha Tigre, a restaurant with Asian & Latin fare, at 746 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill. Outdoor seating is available. We have a reservation at 12:00pm.
Hike in Eno River Park and Lunch at Picnic
Spring ephemeral walk March 11, 10:30 AM at Pump Stations Trail, Eno River Park. This 1.2-mile loop trail near Durham is generally considered an easy route. We will be spotting the NC spring ephemerals. We might see Trout lily, Rue Anemone, Bluet, Bloodroot, Toothwort and Spring Beauties. Meet at the Pump Station Trailhead, 3998 Rivermont Rd, Durham, NC 27712. Park along the gravel road. Lunch afterwards at Picnic, a nearby BBQ restaurant. RSVP to Teri Brooks to keep up to date on any changes.
Please remember to RSVP directly to Teri Brooks at teribrooks@gmail.com.
Saturday, February 11, 10:30 AM:
Hike in Duke Forest and Lunch in Chapel Hill
We’ll meander the Rhododendron Bluff Circuit - from Whitfield Rd. down the gentle slopes and along the bank of New Hope Creek. It's an easy hike - about 1 hour. Park at Duke Forest Gate 26, which is 0.5 miles west on Whitfield Rd from the intersection with Erwin Rd. Then we’ll have lunch at Lucha Tigre, a restaurant with Asian & Latin fare, at 746 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill. Outdoor seating is available. We have a reservation at 12:00pm.
New Years on the Outer Banks, Jan. 13-15.
Swans and Snow Geese, Dolphins and Bears. Good food, good times, great company. We’ll share a large beach house in Nags Head to allow us to prepare our own food for COVID safety – and to save a few bucks. Also for safety, this will be a church members only trip with all participants fully vaccinated, boosted, and tested the week of the trip. The wildlife on this trip can be fantastic – but the opportunity for fellowship in these times is priceless.
Swans and Snow Geese, Dolphins and Bears. Good food, good times, great company. We’ll share a large beach house in Nags Head to allow us to prepare our own food for COVID safety – and to save a few bucks. Also for safety, this will be a church members only trip with all participants fully vaccinated, boosted, and tested the week of the trip. The wildlife on this trip can be fantastic – but the opportunity for fellowship in these times is priceless.
2022 oUTDOOR CONNECTIONS OUTINGS
Falling Leaves, Falling Water, Nov. 4-6
Life is too short not to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway each fall. We’ll be sharing meals in a private home, which guarantees good food and great company. The drive is about 2 1/2 hours to the Peaks of Otter area; we’ll share rides as feasible. Hikes will be easy/moderate, waterfalls readily accessible, beauty immersive.
Life is too short not to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway each fall. We’ll be sharing meals in a private home, which guarantees good food and great company. The drive is about 2 1/2 hours to the Peaks of Otter area; we’ll share rides as feasible. Hikes will be easy/moderate, waterfalls readily accessible, beauty immersive.
Saturday September 10, 9 AM:
Parker Preserve-Mason Farm and Lunch
Fall is our best season for showy wildflowers, nowhere more so than the fields at Mason Farm. We’ll visit them via a new path through the mature woodlands of Parker Preserve. To make this 2 mile walk one-way, downhill and then level we’ll arrange to shuttle cars. After the walk we'll head over to Alpaca for an outdoor lunch.
Parker Preserve-Mason Farm and Lunch
Fall is our best season for showy wildflowers, nowhere more so than the fields at Mason Farm. We’ll visit them via a new path through the mature woodlands of Parker Preserve. To make this 2 mile walk one-way, downhill and then level we’ll arrange to shuttle cars. After the walk we'll head over to Alpaca for an outdoor lunch.
Friday August 12, 6:30 PM:
Dinner and Sunset/Full Moonrise Paddle
We’ll meet for an outdoor dinner at Tarantini’s, followed by a short hop to the Fearington Point kayak launch. Sunset is at 8, moonrise at 9. We’ll be paddling along an arm of the lake that’s narrow enough to discourage waves and shallow enough to discourage motorboats. Nighttime on the water has its own magic. Come and enjoy. BYOB: Bring Your Own Boat.
Dinner and Sunset/Full Moonrise Paddle
We’ll meet for an outdoor dinner at Tarantini’s, followed by a short hop to the Fearington Point kayak launch. Sunset is at 8, moonrise at 9. We’ll be paddling along an arm of the lake that’s narrow enough to discourage waves and shallow enough to discourage motorboats. Nighttime on the water has its own magic. Come and enjoy. BYOB: Bring Your Own Boat.
2021 OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS OUTINGS
Saturday, September 26, 12:30 pm:
Lunch and Wildflower Walk
Lunch on Mama Dip’s porch, followed by an easy 2 mile walk at Mason Farm. We tend to connect wildflowers with spring and overlook their more spectacular fall display. The fields at Mason Farm are at their best in September. Join us to enjoy them together.
Lunch and Wildflower Walk
Lunch on Mama Dip’s porch, followed by an easy 2 mile walk at Mason Farm. We tend to connect wildflowers with spring and overlook their more spectacular fall display. The fields at Mason Farm are at their best in September. Join us to enjoy them together.
Saturday, August 28, 10:00 am-1:00 pm:
Tubing the Tar
Chilling with Tar River Life on a scenic, mostly flat water (one short 1-1+ rapid). Paul Ferguson, Paddling Eastern North Carolina, rates the scenery as A (80%) B (20%). He describes Class 1 rapids as fast moving riffles, with small waves and a few easily missed rocks. 10 hot people max. Bring a picnic lunch. Please indicate if you would like to carpool to Bunn.
Tubing the Tar
Chilling with Tar River Life on a scenic, mostly flat water (one short 1-1+ rapid). Paul Ferguson, Paddling Eastern North Carolina, rates the scenery as A (80%) B (20%). He describes Class 1 rapids as fast moving riffles, with small waves and a few easily missed rocks. 10 hot people max. Bring a picnic lunch. Please indicate if you would like to carpool to Bunn.
Saturday, July 24 at 7 PM:
Sunset/Moonrise Paddle
This is a BYOBoat event. We'll (yay!) meet for dinner at Tarantini in Governors Village at 7 PM for dinner then go to the canoe/kayak launch at Farrington Point (Jordan Lake) to enjoy the sunset and moon rise. A shallow shoreline here makes motorboat mayhem unlikely. Less predictably than astronomic events, eagles, ospreys and beavers often add highlights to this trip.
Sunset/Moonrise Paddle
This is a BYOBoat event. We'll (yay!) meet for dinner at Tarantini in Governors Village at 7 PM for dinner then go to the canoe/kayak launch at Farrington Point (Jordan Lake) to enjoy the sunset and moon rise. A shallow shoreline here makes motorboat mayhem unlikely. Less predictably than astronomic events, eagles, ospreys and beavers often add highlights to this trip.
Saturday, June 26 at 9 AM:
Nature Cruise on Jordan Lake + Lunch
We’ll meet at Poe’s Landing (map to follow) for a two hour nature cruise with Jordan Lake Tours on their 14 passenger covered boat. Dave Griffin will guide us to close-up views of Eagles and Ospreys, Great Blue Herons and Kingfishers and offer insight into the lake’s environmental history and future as our area’s principal water resource. Lunch at Flair (Governors Village) follows. Tour cost: $ 25.
Nature Cruise on Jordan Lake + Lunch
We’ll meet at Poe’s Landing (map to follow) for a two hour nature cruise with Jordan Lake Tours on their 14 passenger covered boat. Dave Griffin will guide us to close-up views of Eagles and Ospreys, Great Blue Herons and Kingfishers and offer insight into the lake’s environmental history and future as our area’s principal water resource. Lunch at Flair (Governors Village) follows. Tour cost: $ 25.
Saturday, May 22 at 9 am:
Parker Preserve
Parker Preserve is a recent 127-acre addition to Mason Farm that provides a new 2-mile loop through oak-hickory forest - and access to the Farm when the low water bridge is flooded. The land itself has naturally been there for a long time and in a wild enough state to get a forester friend of mine lost. I will confess, in Dan'l Boone's words, to being a little "beflummoxed" there myself. Now there is a path over what I'd rate as moderate terrain. We'll take it easy, but walking sticks and hiking boots are a good idea.
Parker Preserve
Parker Preserve is a recent 127-acre addition to Mason Farm that provides a new 2-mile loop through oak-hickory forest - and access to the Farm when the low water bridge is flooded. The land itself has naturally been there for a long time and in a wild enough state to get a forester friend of mine lost. I will confess, in Dan'l Boone's words, to being a little "beflummoxed" there myself. Now there is a path over what I'd rate as moderate terrain. We'll take it easy, but walking sticks and hiking boots are a good idea.
Saturday, April 17 at 11:30 am:
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Remarkably, Scotland Neck, NC, is home to an internationally important waterfowl conservation site. Sylvan Heights ( 235 five star Trip Advisor reviews) has been uniquely successful in breeding endangered waterfowl and wonderfully resourceful in presenting them in open access habitats where birds and unfeathered bipeds share open space. These are glorious creatures with most (the birds) still in full breeding plumage. Let’s meet there for a picnic brunch/lunch at 11:30 AM, then tour the park.
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Remarkably, Scotland Neck, NC, is home to an internationally important waterfowl conservation site. Sylvan Heights ( 235 five star Trip Advisor reviews) has been uniquely successful in breeding endangered waterfowl and wonderfully resourceful in presenting them in open access habitats where birds and unfeathered bipeds share open space. These are glorious creatures with most (the birds) still in full breeding plumage. Let’s meet there for a picnic brunch/lunch at 11:30 AM, then tour the park.
Saturday, March 20 at 10:00 am:
Pump Station Trail
Join Outdoor Connections for the Pump Station Trail in Eno River State Park. The Pump Station Trail is known as the best spring wildflower trail in the park. Length is about 1.5 mile. Meet at 10:00 am at the first trailhead on Rivermont, when coming from Cole Mill Road. Our walk will end at the second entrance.
Pump Station Trail
Join Outdoor Connections for the Pump Station Trail in Eno River State Park. The Pump Station Trail is known as the best spring wildflower trail in the park. Length is about 1.5 mile. Meet at 10:00 am at the first trailhead on Rivermont, when coming from Cole Mill Road. Our walk will end at the second entrance.
Saturday February 13 at 2:00 pm: (CANCELLED DUE TO HEAVY RAIN)
The Edeburn (also known as Eno) Division of Duke Forest, another newly discovered (by us) treasure. It's on the left on New Hope Church Rd. just before you get to Brumley Forest South (on the right) if you're coming from Chapel Hill. I suggest you put Brumley Forest South in your GPS; you'll likely need to turn around there to find the Duke Forest entrance. Fortunately it's not nearly as well known to hikers as other parts of Duke Forest are.
The Edeburn (also known as Eno) Division of Duke Forest, another newly discovered (by us) treasure. It's on the left on New Hope Church Rd. just before you get to Brumley Forest South (on the right) if you're coming from Chapel Hill. I suggest you put Brumley Forest South in your GPS; you'll likely need to turn around there to find the Duke Forest entrance. Fortunately it's not nearly as well known to hikers as other parts of Duke Forest are.
2020 OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS OUTINGS
Saturday, November 21 at 10:00 am:
Brumley Forest North
I am embarrassed not to have known about this place sooner. I’d written it off after dodging the bikes in Brumley Forest South. They are not allowed in this refuge. It’s a gem. Lovely creek, 2-3 ponds, terrain and eco diversity ranging from earliest succession fields to striking specimen trees. We’ll do a relaxed 2 mile walk with time enough to enjoy the good company. GPS seems confused on how to get to it, so we’ll send written directions when you sign up.
Brumley Forest North
I am embarrassed not to have known about this place sooner. I’d written it off after dodging the bikes in Brumley Forest South. They are not allowed in this refuge. It’s a gem. Lovely creek, 2-3 ponds, terrain and eco diversity ranging from earliest succession fields to striking specimen trees. We’ll do a relaxed 2 mile walk with time enough to enjoy the good company. GPS seems confused on how to get to it, so we’ll send written directions when you sign up.
Saturday, October 24 at 10:00 am:
Occaneechee State Park
Hooray for Fall and Cooler Weather and, we hope, some Autumn Leaves! We’ll meet at the park for a relaxed 2 mile walk, followed by socially distanced, gloved and masked served beverages of the state’s choice. Thank goodness for nature.
Occaneechee State Park
Hooray for Fall and Cooler Weather and, we hope, some Autumn Leaves! We’ll meet at the park for a relaxed 2 mile walk, followed by socially distanced, gloved and masked served beverages of the state’s choice. Thank goodness for nature.
Saturday, September 26 at 9:00 am:
Two Mile Hike at Seven Mile Creek
We'll meet at the entrance to Seven Mile Creek Natural Area (350 acres, 2201 Moorefields Rd, Hillsborough) at 9am for a lovely, easy hike through a mature hardwood forest. We'll loop back at a four-season stream complete, on our scouting trip, with resident blue heron. We were astonished and delighted to find such an unknown (to us) gem - so close (25 minutes) to home. More happily, it seems to be equally unknown to most other folks. We saw five on our trip. RSVP to chandler-dorfman@mindspring.com.
Two Mile Hike at Seven Mile Creek
We'll meet at the entrance to Seven Mile Creek Natural Area (350 acres, 2201 Moorefields Rd, Hillsborough) at 9am for a lovely, easy hike through a mature hardwood forest. We'll loop back at a four-season stream complete, on our scouting trip, with resident blue heron. We were astonished and delighted to find such an unknown (to us) gem - so close (25 minutes) to home. More happily, it seems to be equally unknown to most other folks. We saw five on our trip. RSVP to chandler-dorfman@mindspring.com.
Saturday, August 8, 9:00 -10:30 pm:
Perseid Meteor Shower at Jordan Lake
Leave your kayaks at home, but bring a lawn chair or blanket, non-shareable drinks and snacks. We’re looking for open skies and limited light pollution. We'll meet at the parking area 100 yards on the left on Martha's Chapel Rd. off Mt. Carmel Church Rd.
Perseid Meteor Shower at Jordan Lake
Leave your kayaks at home, but bring a lawn chair or blanket, non-shareable drinks and snacks. We’re looking for open skies and limited light pollution. We'll meet at the parking area 100 yards on the left on Martha's Chapel Rd. off Mt. Carmel Church Rd.
Friday, July 3 at 7:30 pm:
(Almost) Full Moon Paddle
(Almost) Full Moon Paddle
We'll rendezvous at the canoe/kayak launch off Fearrington Point (Jordan Lake) to enjoy the sunset and moon rise. A shallow shoreline here makes motorboat mayhem unlikely. If you don't have your own paddle craft, please let us know ASAP so we can check into costs and arrangements. Less predictably than astronomic events, eagles and beavers often add highlights to this trip.
Saturday, June 13 at 9:00 am:
White Pines Nature Preserve
White Pines Nature Preserve
White Pines Nature Preserve is a Triangle Land Conservancy property at the confluence of the Rocky and Deep Rivers, south of Pittsboro. It's big enough and remote enough to make for safe hiking, gorgeous enough to make it worth the trip. We'll rendezvous there and break into groups of 5 or fewer folks. Masks will be assumed, Covid discussions discouraged, natural beauty inescapable.
Saturday, March 14, 2020:
Pump Station Trail, Eno River State Park
The Pump Station Trail is known as the best spring wildflower trail in Eno River State Park. It's an easy loop hike with a few gentle hills. We can meet at church to carpool at 10 am. Afterwards we can have lunch at Picnic.
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020:
Triple Header, Winter Tree Identification +Woodcock Walk + Dinner
Leave the church for Mason Farm at 4:15. From a graphics perspective, winter may be our hardwoods’ most beautiful season. Frank McKeever, retired forester and forestry professor, will help us learn to better know and appreciate them. Our earliest rites of spring include the woodcocks’ sunset mating calls and spiraling, feather whistling flights followed, if our luck holds again, by a spotlit view of courtship dancing. Dinner at Dip’s to follow.
January 10-12, 2020: New Years on the Outer Banks
This has been a yearly favorite that can hardly miss with tens of thousands of migrating swans, snow geese, ducks; happily deserted beaches with the occasional dolphins, reliable pelicans, and diving gannets; cheap ocean front rooms and great seafood from the few restaurants that do a good enough job to stay open through the winter. We’ll hope to luck out with the occasional insomniac bear at Alligator River Refuge. Yep, it can be cold but weather forecasting has gotten good enough to avoid nasty surprises.
PAST YEAR OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS OUTINGS
Outdoor Connections: Fall in Love with Our Mountains, Oct. 25-27, 2019
Life recycles change
Falling leaves, falling water
All the joy is now
With 250+ waterfalls within a few miles of town, Brevard is a natural gateway to the best of Carolina in the fall. Reasonably priced rooms, pretty good restaurants and pretty great company will keep being astonished by nature comfortable. Reservations need to be confirmed by Wed., Oct. 9th.
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ROBERTSON MILLPOND CYPRESS SWAMP SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2019 "TRANSPORT YOURSELF ...BACK TO NATURE... BACK TO PEACE ...BACK IN TIME" IS THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE ROBERTSON MILLPOND CYPRESS SWAMP NEAR WENDELL FROM THIS PAMPHLET FROM WAKE COUNTY PARKS & REC. THIS IS AN EASY 1 1/2 MILE PADDLE (REASONABLE RATES) DOWN SHOULDER WIDTH CORRIDORS PAST CYPRESS KNEES AND WILD ROSES, PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS AND A HERON ROOKERY. Raulston Arboretum: The Best of Spring Saturday, April 27, 2019 Suppose there were a place where a half century effort to cultivate the most beautiful plants in the world was on display in garden settings borrowed from the cultures which have cherished them. There is. It’s free. We had lunch at the mother church of Mediterranean food in the Triangle, Neomonde. Some photos of the flora are included on the right courtesy of Teri Brooks. |
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Saturday, March 16, 2019 : The Outdoor Connections group headed out to the Pump Station Trail in Eno River State Park en masse. The web page for the trail is here https://www.ncparks.gov/eno-river-state-park/trail/pump-station-trail.
The Pump Station Trail is known as the best spring wildflower trail in the park. It’s an easy loop hike with a few gentle hills. Right now, it is not a loop, the bridge was out, so we hiked out and back one section. Afterwards we had lunch at Picnic: http://www.picnicdurham.com.
The Pump Station Trail is known as the best spring wildflower trail in the park. It’s an easy loop hike with a few gentle hills. Right now, it is not a loop, the bridge was out, so we hiked out and back one section. Afterwards we had lunch at Picnic: http://www.picnicdurham.com.
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Winter's stark fingers
Point to Summer's abundance Each,in essence, Both In the Tao, knowledge is seen as the first step towards awareness. For Winter Trees, gaining knowledge and ID skills can be easy thanks to the generosity of Frank McKeever, who led our February outing to White Pines Nature Preserve. Saturday, February 16, 2019: Lunch followed at the Small Café in Pittsboro. |
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January 11-13, 2019: Bears and Bald Eagles, Snow Geese and Swans, Ducks Ducks and Ducks. We celebrated the New Year with the year's best wildlife display. The trip included excursions to Pea Island, Lake Mattamuskeet, Alligator River Refuge.
November 10: We braved the chilly fall morning paddle in the shade at Cane Creek Reservoir.
October 26-28: Falling Leaves, Falling Water in Brevard.
Saturday, September 22: We went outside and connected with other church members on a stroll along the Riverwalk in Hillsborough, then had lunch afterwards. We met downtown Hillsborough and walked along the Eno River to Gold Park, where we saw the town's Bee Hotel and a lovely pollinator garden. The Riverwalk is paved, family friendly (strollers or tricycles welcome), and features two bridges spanning the river. Displays along the way describe the natural history and post-civil war human history of life along the Eno River.
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Friday-Sunday, June 8-10:
We held a weekend trip to Roan Mountain State Park, TN for what may be the most spectacular display of Rhododendrons-- period! Plus Linville Falls, is a 10+ spectacle of its own.
Saturday, June 2:
We went kayaking at Robertson Millpond Preserve, near Wendell. One of last year's favorites, a well-marked paddle (reasonable rentals) on kayak width trails through a Bald Cypress swamp about an hour from church. See paddlecreeknc.com/project/robertsons-millpond for photos and more information on the preserve.