Hanging Rock NC '12

This weekend I had plans with friends to hike Mt. Rogers, the highest point in the state of Virginia, all 5,729 feet of it.  A friend, who was head-spearing the adventure, parents live in a Tennessee town a mere hour and half from the trailhead. Thus the plans were to spend the night in Tennessee and then hike the mountain the next day. However, an hour before we were to depart everything fell apart. Long story short, we did not go. As such, my roommate, Matt, and I came up with a contingency plan. We would wake up early and go to Hanging Rock State Park, near Danbury NC. And so it was.

I had been to this park before but this time I went on a different trails. We went to four different small falls and the summit of Hanging Rock. This will be more of a picture post. One thing I will say is if you go to this park and want to miss the crowds GO EARLY!!!

 Lower Cascade Falls, this was the largest and most spectacular fall. I am guessing ~25 feet cascade.

Upper Cascade Falls.

This was a hole in rock, or a window, at Window Falls.

Window Falls, the location of  this was really cool, it had a huge rock hanging over it.

Hidden Falls.

All of these falls were very easy and very short hikes, the longest was 0.6 miles I bellieve. Non were huge but charming nonetheless. This wound definitely be a great park for the kids who otherwise my lose interest on longer hikes.

Hanging Rock, approaching the summit.

The Geological Survey marker on top of Hanging Rock.

Looking out from the top of Hanging Rock.

The many falls were great destinations but for physicality purposes this was my favorite hike of the day. It was a mere 1.8 miles to the top but we noticeably gained elevation on this one, my heart rate was definitely higher as I climbed to the top. Gaining elevation is one of my favorite aspects of hiking in Utah. Ever since I moved here I've missed that component and to get a taste, no matter how small, was truly great. All in all it was a great day!!

Grants and a Road Trip

My research has been put on hold as I attempt to get funding through two federal agencies, the NSF (the National Science Foundation) and the NIH (National Institute of Heath). Both these require a grant proposal detailing what I propose to research as a graduate student. The NSF proposal requires a personal statement, previous research essay, and the research proposal, each are confined to two pages. The NIH grant requires a one page detailing the specific aims of the project and a six page research plan. I am done with the NSF one, I’ve gotten pretty good at doing these as this is my third time doing it and my last year of eligibility. The NIH grant is new to me and require much more detail on what I propose. This one is due on in three weeks. So for the next three weeks I’ll be attempting to write a well conceived proposal.

Last Friday my friend, Tennyson, and I took a road trip to the Cherokee reservation in western North Carolina; up in the mountains. It took the whole day as it takes 4-5 hours to bet to the reservation. It turned out that we left way too late and had to reschedule his appointment for latter in the afternoon. This turned out to be a good thing as we were able to stop in Ashville, a town I’ve wanted to visit since I’ve arrived in NC. It is a hippie town with a lot of small shops and restaurants, this is where we ate lunch. We ate at an Indian buffet; it was very good. We then traveled to the reservation. We had to climb a high pass where there was a heavy dusting of snow. We took the trip mainly so Tennyson could go visit the dentist on the reservation. It was great to see the reservation and the mountains of NC. I hope to go back there again.

Yesterday I took a bike ride; it was spectacular as the temperatures were in the sixties and the leaves were at their peak, reds, yellows, and oranges. On my ride I stopped to visit Dave and Jane at their home, which was nicely tucked away in the woods. Their home is very unique, like noting I have seen before. They have a central foundation up from which a steel pole emenates. The main house cantilevers from that pole in a circle. They then have an addition roughly in the shape of a soccer ball, very cool! Unfortunately I have no pictures to show.

These pictures are from the aforementioned road trip. Enjoy.

This was at a cool shop we stopped at that had a bunch of crafts and home-made foods.

NC Snow!

Costume shop, Ashville, NC.

Ashville, NC.