More on nature walks
Andy Thompson
August 03, 2008 7:24 AM
Here’s some more information on the nature walks featured on the back page of today’s Sports section. Click here for the article...
DUTCH GAP CONSERVATION AREA
Getting there: From I-95 north or south, use Exit 61A. Go east on Rt. 10 to the first stoplight then north on Rt. 732 to Rt. 615. Turn right on Rt. 615 and right again onto Henricus Road.
Hours: Open daily during daylight hours, free. Telephone (804) 706-9690.
To learn more: The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Website—http://www.dgif.state.va.us—includes a very useful description of Dutch Gap, part of its “Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.” Nathan Lott’s 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Richmond offers a very informative overview of Dutch Gap. Chesterfield County provides additional information on its Website: http://www.co.chesterfield.va.us.
WAHRANI NATURE PARK
Getting there: From Richmond, take I-64 east to Exit 220. Head east on Route 33. The park is less than four miles down the road on the right side.
JAMES RIVER PARK—PIPELINE
Getting there: Brown’s Island is located on the waterfront at N. 7th and Tredegar Streets.
To learn more: http://www.discoverrichmond.com has some great background on Brown’s Island. Call the James River Park main office for more information on the Pipeline Walk: (804) 646-8911.
The feel good story of the year
Andy Thompson
July 27, 2008 12:11 PM
Loyal reader Bill Rider alerted me to this story and the subsequent blog posts on http://cyclingcentralva.blogspot.com. Reading it is like watching a police pursuit unfold. It’s the story of a local mountain biker who had his bike stolen. He calls down the thunder, so to speak, of the local MTB community, and the results are swift and just. Seriously riveting stuff. It almost reads like a movie script.
Start here with the Craigslist posting about the stolen bike: http://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/767397294.html
Then follow the posts on the blog forum to their conclusion: http://cyclingcentralva.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12321
Recycling bikes, improving lives
Andy Thompson
July 25, 2008 8:40 AM
Instead of throwing away an old bicycle, give it to this guy.
MOU between city and Richmond MORE
Andy Thompson
July 25, 2008 8:26 AM
Today’s Outdoors column is about the memorandum of understanding the city’s parks department and the local mountain biking group, Richmond MORE, entered into a few days ago.
Click below to read the MOU in its entirety.
MOU.pdf
Six-legged deer
Andy Thompson
July 23, 2008 2:44 PM
Um, wow, is all I can say. Click here for the story that goes with the above picture.
Fishing and driving on Hatteras Island
Andy Thompson
July 23, 2008 8:32 AM
If you like to drive to the Outer Banks, and on some of the beaches of the Outer Banks, to fish—many Virginians do—this is good news.
Click here...
Star light, star bright
Andy Thompson
July 23, 2008 8:19 AM
The Richmond parks department just sent out this press release. This seems like a neat event.
Bryan Park Astronomy Night
Come out and see the stars! Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is joining with the Richmond Astronomical Society (RAS) to hold a family stargazing night on Aug. 7 at 8:30 p.m. in Bryan Park.
Members of RAS will set up their telescopes on the park’s soccer fields for a spectacular view of the night sky. You’ll be able to see close-ups of the vast craters and mountains of the moon and discover the mysteries of Jupiter and Mars, as well as see Jupiter’s cloud belts and four of the planet’s moons first seen by Galileo in 1610.
You’ll also visit the Lagoon and Ring nebulae and the Whirlpool Galaxy. The distinct oval Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius that looks like a pale and beautiful celestial flower. The star-forming nebula superimposed with its fragile star cluster is one of the leading celestial sights of the summer night sky. The colorful Ring Nebula, located in the constellation Lyra and known as M57, is illuminated by a central white dwarf, and the fantasticaly spiraled Whirlpool Galaxy is nearly 23 million light years from Earth!
An introductory program will kick off the event to introduce guests to the objects in the sky, and RAS will provide sky maps. In addition, an LCD monitor will show real-time pictures of the telescopic views.
The public is encouraged to bring binoculars as RAS members will point out the many objects in the sky to explore on your own. The program is free to attend. For more information, e-mail .
Spadefish world record?
Andy Thompson
July 22, 2008 8:26 AM
The one and only Dr. Julie Ball recently hooked a now-pending world-record spadefish (above).
Here’s her description of the catch:
Saturday, my buddy Capt Steve Wray gave me some gouge that he caught his limit of nice 7 to 8lb spades at a near shore wreck the day before. I smelled a record, and with the sporadic spade action this year, I wasted no time. Robin and I pulled out of Rudee by 6:30 am, and headed east onto glassy seas. When we arrived, spadefish were everywhere on the surface. As I took a closer look, they were the class I was looking for. We anchored up, and I broke out two light tackle rods, and began rotating them. Now, catching a 16-pound tautog on 8lb line seemed like a cake-walk compared to overcoming a runaway freight train of a spade on 4lb test! That’s some tough stuff, and requires a ton of patience. Several boats ventured over to see what we were up to. I’m sure they thought I was nuts. It took all day, and I threw back over a dozen small fish, broke off at least two dozen, but managed to get six fish to the boat that pushed over 7 pounds. Most fish took about 10 to 15-minutes to net. Before coming in, I couldn’t resist dropping a live bait on the wreck to see if anyone was home. I pulled up a big flounder, and into the box he went. Back at the local IGFA weigh station, Long Bay Pointe, only one of the six fish made the mark, whew! I am submitting the paper work to the IGFA as a pending 4lb Line Class World Record. The fish tipped the scales at 7-pounds, 6 ounces.
Reel: Shimano Stradic 2500
Bait: Clams, shrimp
Line: Ande, IGFA Rated, 4lb test
Line: (flounder) 30lb Power Pro
Leader: 15lb Yozuri Fluorocarbon
A different kind of mountain climbing
Andy Thompson
July 21, 2008 9:13 PM
Just thinking about riding a bike to the top of Wintergreen makes me a little nauseous. Now imagine doing it after riding almost 100 miles first.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Blue Ridge Extreme: http://www.blueridgeextreme.com. Now saddle up.
Waterfalls and Swimming Holes
Andy Thompson
July 17, 2008 9:37 AM
On Sunday we ran an article about waterfall/swimming hole combinations in the state. It’s part of the “10 Things to Do This Summer” series that Paul Woody and I have been collaborating on. Click here and scroll down the right side of the page to find the other articles in the series.
Here are links to maps and directions to each and every place mentioned in the article. Many of the links are courtesy of the invaluable Website, http://www.swimmingholes.org and Kevin Adams’ book, Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia.
Panther Falls: Link to Google map: Directions: Click here...
Staton’s Creek Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Overall Run Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here....
White Oak Canyon: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Cedar Run Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Great Falls: Click here for map. Directions: Click here...
Reedy Creek in Richmond’s Forest Hill Park: Video of the creek at flood stage.
The Falls of the Nottoway River: Directions: Go west on US-460 from Petersburg about 40 miles to the town of Crewe. Take SR-49 south. Drive nine miles to a bridge over the Nottoway. Look downstream to see the top of the falls, then continue .2 miles and turn right on the gravel road leading to the river and the large parking area. From the parking area, work your way downstream to the path leading to the falls.
Sugar Hollow Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Saint Mary’s Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Arnold Valley Pool: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Cascade Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
Roaring Run Falls: Link to Google map. Directions: Click here...
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