Zuni Pine Barrens: My Latest Discovery

Just got done with an INCREDIBLE mini-hike in a most unusual place - the Zuni Pine Barrens, a joint cooperation between Old Dominion University, the Virginia Dept of Conservation, and Union Camp. It is an extremely rare ecosystem of long-leaf pines that will knock your socks off just looking at it. It was truly an unbelievable experience!!

EXTREME HEAT
It just so happens that I had been hiking just a few hours earlier in Pocahontas State Park in 101 degree heat. It was so stifling that I decided to quit after about an hour. But it seemed routine somehow. It was difficult to overcome my lethargy. Normally, in 90-degree or less weather with only moderate humidity, I can go almost 2 hours without water. Today, it was not to be. I had even pre-hydrated with 16-oz of mango green tea, 8-oz of a sports drink with electrolytes, and a protein drink. When I returned to the car a little over an hour later, I consumed the rest of the sports drink, about 24-oz of water and a papaya coolata smoothie. I was pooped!!

THE TRIP HOME AND DISCOVERY
So I headed home the long way as usual when I do Pocahontas State Park. About half-way there, I pulled off at a favorite spot and took a short 30-min nap to help regenerate. It also just so happens that this is the very turnoff that leads to the pine barrens. I had tried once before to locate what I thought was a bird observation area, thinking they it might have trails. As it turns out, the last time I had tried to locate it, I had turned around about 1/2 mile too soon. So I was delighted to see this entrance off to my right with a small parking area. Zuni Pine Barrens, 714-acres ecological preserve. What an amazing sight: thousands of long-leaf pines standing majestically rising from nutrient poor soil with ferns and other small hardy plants surrounding them.

ENERGIZED
I was suddenly energized and excited. I had discovered this awesome new hiking area with trails and, oh yes .. lots of bugs - big ones. I hadn't even gotten out of the car yet and a horse fly the size of a hornet (I'm not kidding) flew into my car. OK so the bugs weren't so energizing, but the fact that I had discovered this rare ecosystem and was now able to explore it seemed to literally melt away ALL of the fatigue. For the next 90 minutes, I was a bug-eaten, sweat dripping, hard charging explorer in this preserve. I reflected (and still am) on the ability of discovery, exploration and passion to completely drive and transform the human body through fatigue.

OWL SIGHTING
Not only that, but I was treated to a rare barred owl sighting on my way out. He flew down out of a tree close to the trail and landed on the opposite side, right on the trail. He was certainly not ignorant of my presence. He kept preening his feathers and then turning his head to check me out. When I got too close, he flew back across to the opposite side of the trail a bit farther off, but still within easy viewing. And he stayed put and continued looking at me through 3 phone calls to my son, daughter and wife. Pretty amazing. TRY THAT AT A GYM!! (OK, not having bugs IS a plus in a gym.)

TAKE-AWAYS:

• Always come to the outdoors prepared for attackers - heat, blisters, bugs, snakes, wild animals, etc.
• Know your limits and know when to call it a day.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. PRE, DURING and POST.
• Be awed at what nature serves up when you least expect it.
• Be willing to go exploring to find new hiking venues.

UYFW:

Find a way to link to your passion > there's no telling how far it may take you.