The Roaring Plains are only 3 miles from Dolly Sods, but aren’t quite as crowded (which is nice). We saw people on the trail, but not a constant flow, the way our last hikes at Dolly Sods have been.

Compared to last weekend, we had a relatively easy hike–most of the trail was relatively flat, with only a few steep sections.

Location: Roaring Plains West
Trail: South Prong Trail (partial)
Distance: 6.3 miles
Elevation: 3929-4217 (676 feet climb)
Temperature: 60-57 F

The view of the valleys below was mostly just out of sight. This was the best view of the hike.

But don’t think that made this a bad hike. It was a beautiful hike.

This was originally a response to a comment on someone’s FB post, but I decided this is something I feel strongly about, and want to say to more than someone in a comment thread:

I have seen about a zillion people getting upset over athletes protesting by kneeling during the national anthem. Honestly, I think most of it is jumping on the wagon based upon little or no thought.

Here’s what I think about it.

Consider the American flag. There was a huge issue years ago about the constitutionality of burning the flag as a form of protest. Lots of people threw fits about protestors buring flags, wanted them arrested, locked up, they key thrown away, etc.

Here’s the thing. I actually know the guidelines for flying and care of the flag.

• The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering a speakers desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use.
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.
• The flag should … displayed only between sunrise and sunset. It should be illuminated if displayed at night.

I own a flag, and I fly it on national holidays (sadly, admittedly, I often forget). When not in use that flag is ceremonially folded and stored in a safe place.

The flag and the national anthem are important and should be respected. That means making a protest using the flag or the national anthem should be done only as part of a protest or message about something the protester finds vitally important.

In the 60s and 70s that something was the Vietnam war. Currently that something is the plight of minority communities.

If you believe something strongly enough that you feel the only way to express that deeply held believe is to kneel during the national anthem or burn the flag, then you should do so. It is your right, but also, I believe, your DUTY.

I am far more offended by individuals leaving their flags out 24 x 7 unlit and uncared for because they want to be seen as “patriotic” than by someone burning the flag in political protest.

I cringe at the sight of torn and worn flags flying, because the people who are leaving them there care only about the veneer of patriotism. Literally, they want to be seen flying the flag, but they can’t be bothered to actually care for the item they are flying, or learn how to respectfully treat it.

If you believe that something is so wrong with our country that you need to burn a flag or kneel during the national anthem, then I believe it is your right–nay your moral duty–to do so. If you use the flag and the national anthem to give yourself the veneer of patriotism while acting in an utterly unpatriotic manner, that is, to me, FAR more offensive than taking a principled stand for something important to you.

Things I believe are patriotic:

• Honoring and caring for our military veterans.
• Voting in all elections.
• Being aware of all the sides of political topics and making a reasoned choice based upon your deeply held beliefs rather than what looks good to those around you.

Patriotism is not spouting political rhetoric and pretending to care about an item of cloth or a song. Patriotism is how you act, based upon your fundamental beliefs about our country.

Our last stop was Blackwater Falls State Park. Initially we were going to wander around Pendleton Point and Pendleton lake, and then hike Lindy Point trail, but we both decided we were tired, and it was time to get ice cream and head home.

I’ve hiked this trail several times before, and will do so many times again. It’s a very short trail, with little elevation change, yet you go through several different types of habitat.

It’s a beautiful hike, perfect for kids, and one I highly recommend.

Location: Canaan Valley State Park
Trail: Blackwater River Trail
Distance: 0.9 miles
Elevation: 3158-3334 feet

OK, this is actually not along the Blackwater River trail, but the beaver pond is on the way to the trail.

The Blackwater River, meandering through Canaan Valley

This was not a true hike, because we had difficulty getting there (you can’t enter trail head into the GPS, then we both misread what the road sign was saying) so we ended up wandering briefly around both ends of the Canyon Rim Trail, as well as climbing up Olsen Lookout Tower.

Location: Backbone Mountain, Monongahela National Forest
Trail: Blackwater Canyon Rim Trail
Elevation: 3200-3785

I did climb Olsen Lookout Tower, but since this is me, I was very slow and careful and did not stumble or fall once!

The view from the tower. We had two separate 360 views this weekend. Pretty impressive.

On the other side of the trail, we found this lovely waterfall.

We will hike this entire trail eventually.

After hiking to Chimney Top, we weren’t up for much more of a hike, so we headed across the valley to Dolly Sods.

And I do mean directly across the valley.

That’s the North Fork Mountain Range:

A closer look–you can see Chimney Top.

But of course the reason we went was because it’s full-on fall at Dolly Sods right now.

I love the beauty of my state so very much.

One of the places I found that I wanted to hike was on the North Fork Mountain, up to Chimney Top. In a long weekend of stunning views, this was the best of the lot. Which is good, because it is a long, steep hike, so you deserve the reward when you reach the top.

The trail to Chimney Top is off the North Fork Mountain Trail and marked by two large rock cairns. Along the trail there are views of the west side of Dolly Sods, but if you struggle all the way up to Chimney Top, and the climb onto the rocks (I was hesitant initially but it was worth it) you have a natural 360 view.

It is stunning.

Location: North Fork Mountain
Trail: North Fork Mountain Trail
Distance: 5.2 miles (only to Chimney top & back)
Elevation: 1130-3180 feet (2063 feet)
Grade: 15.4% (avg)
Temperature: 74-80 F

Here is a 180 view facing the Dolly Sods Wilderness.

Here is a view facing north and west.

Facing south.

There were several scrub pine that kept me from getting a shot I liked facing west, but it was still beautiful.

This is the view I had after reaching the top of the trail and collapsing in the nearest shade where I drank water and considered taking a brief nap.

The rocks themselves are fascinating.

It was stunning and beautiful and I highly recommend the hike–although bring extra water, because it is STEEP.

This hike is nor for everyone, but if you think you can manage 2 1/2 miles straight up the mountainside, I do recommend it for the view.

One of the things I wanted to do these trips was to visit some places we hadn’t before. We were focused for awhile on visiting all the state parks & forests, so we hadn’t explored as much of the national forests as I’d have liked. We’ve started remedying that.

Harmon rocks are located just outside the Monongahela National Forest, with no signs and up a very steep and rocky gravel road. (Other vehicles could drive it, our Corolla? Not so much.) In fact we were initially unsure we were in the right place, but parked next two a truck with two gentleman and two hound dogs who had been out hunting bear all day, and they told us the rocks were straight up the hill (the road was, of course, all switchbacks). One gentleman didn’t seem convinced when we said we were good with walking up the hill, but it was less than a mile, and I said we’d already hiked up Seneca Rocks that day, so we’d be fine.

Which we were. Although a little out of breath at the top.

Location: Harmon Rocks
Distance: 1.6 miles (out and back from road)
Elevation: 3527-4151 feet (624 feet climb)
Grade: 18%

The view was well worth the slog up to the top.

There is a trail of sorts there. But it’s more like a rough path hacked out of the rhododendron and mountain laurel. I don’t really recommend it.

The view was marvelous.

I’m not sure I’d want to make the hike up there again, but it really was well-worth the visit.

This was more of a short wander than a hike, but the colors were better from Spruce Knob.

Also, it was warmer than I have ever known it to be at Spruce Knob. I normally wear multiple layers, and last visit, at the end of May, I was wearing gloves to be more comfortable. Saturday it was in the lower seventies.

Location: Spruce Knob
Trail: Whispering Spruce Trail
Distance: 0.6 miles
Elevation: 4865-4935 feet
Temperature: 72 F

You can see the color change moving down the mountainside here.

And here, some beautiful color.

You really can see quite far from the highest point in WV.

A beautiful walk.

We decided a long weekend was in order, to enjoy the clear skies and the color changes in the Monongahela Forest.

It was far warmer than it should have been, and the color change in this area wasn’t much, but it was still a beautiful hike.

Location: Seneca Rocks
Trail: Seneca Rocks Trail
Distance: 3.6 miles
Elevation: 1670-2503 feet (829 ft elevation)
Grade: 9.7%
Temperature: 74-80

It’s mid-September, which means some areas in WV are starting to see leaf change. Color change was just starting in the Cranberry Wilderness, which was pretty, however the day was overcast, so it wasn’t good for taking pictures of the landscape.

It was, however, still a lovely day for a hike.

Location: Cranberry Wilderness
Trails: North Fork, West Fork Trails
Distance: 7.5 miles
Elevation: 3766-4425 feet (751 feet rise)
Temperature: 63-52 F

These two trails are old forest roads, so although we dropped in elevation, it was a relatively gentle drop. It was also very interesting so see the wilderness taking over the old road.

The Middle Fork Trail followed the Middle Fork of the Williams river, and since you’re heading down the mountain, the Middle Fork gets bigger as you go.

You can see the color starting to move down the mountain.

Here is the Glade itself, looking off the boardwalk. If there had been sunlight, it would have been even more stunning. But even without it is impressive.

Please enjoy some hot butterfly on flower action.

Saturday was a perfect day for a hike. After great debate, we headed to the Seneca Rocks-Spruce Knob area to hike at Seneca Creek Backcountry.

Location: Seneca Creek Backcountry
Trail: Swallow Rock Trail
Distance: 4.6 miles
Elevation: 3060-4039 feet (1139 ft elevation gain)
Avg Grade: 8.1%
Temperature: 55-58 F

The trails we’ve hiked at Seneca Creek Backcountry are out and back hikes that start at the bottom of the mountain and go up to the Allegheny Mountain Trail.

Unlike the other trail we hiked, there were not photogenic spots, so I took zero pictures. But it was a lovely hike, and one I would recommend.

Even if next time I’ll pick a trail with vistas for taking pictures.

Another month of a lot of reading–the weather was hot at the beginning of the month, and then events conspired to keep us at home on weekends towards the end of the month.

I did a fair amount of re-reading this month, mostly historical romances and mysteries. For some reason I’ve been in the mood for books that remind me how glad I am to live in the future.

My recommendations from this month’s reading? Let’s start with Mockingbird. This is marvelous and delightful, but it did take a second reading for me to be way less confused. It is NOT for kids, but it is wonderful. What’s especially fascinating is the contrast between the Mockingbird and New Avengers portion of the second volume. I adore Mockingbird, but have no interesting in reading New Avengers, even if that did help clarify just what had happened to her.

If you like geek heroines, then I highly recommend checking out Courtney Milan. You’ll find an evolutionary biologist (botany), an astronomer, and a suffragette. Plus a fabulous doctor.

If you want characters that are outside the normal heroes and heroines, you’ll find virgin heroes, heroes with dyslexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD, a history of substance abuse, and characters with a history of ruin (including a former courtesan), what would be called today autism spectrum disorder, and characters of color and non-WASP ancestry. She really is marvelous.

An unexpected delight was Alissa Johnson’s third book in her Thief-Takers series, A Dangerous Deceit, where the heroine has hearing issues (the previous two books are also marvelous, where the heroines are sisters with a criminal past). And I really enjoyed re-reading Michelle Diener‘s Regency series, which are mysteries with strong and unusual heroines.

And although I listened to the audio version of the second book, if you haven’t read Paul Cornell‘s Shadow Police series, you are truly missing out on some fantastic urban fantasy.

Historical Romance

The Brothers Sinister
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan
A Kiss for Midwinter (2012) Courtney Milan
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan
The Countess Conspiracy (2013) Courtney Milan
The Suffragette Scandal (2014) Courtney Milan
Talk Sweetly to Me (2014) Courtney Milan
The Turner Series
Unveiled (2011) Courtney Milan
Unclaimed (2011) Courtney Milan
Unraveled (2011) Courtney Milan
The Worth Saga
Once Upon a Marquess (2015) Courtney Milan
Her Every Wish (2016) Courtney Milan
Rules of Scoundrels
A Rogue by Any Other Name (2012) Sarah MacLean
One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (2013) Sarah MacLean
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (2013) Sarah MacLean
Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (2014) Sarah MacLean
Scandal & Scoundrel
The Rogue Not Taken (2015) Sarah MacLean (6.5/10)

Audio Book

Shadow Police
The Severed Streets: Audio Version (2014/2015) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch
Soulwood
Blood of the Earth, Audio Version (2016) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam
Curse on the Land, Audio Version (2016) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam

Graphic Novel

Rivers of London: Detective Stories #2: Old Soldiers (2017) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan, Luis Guerrero, Gary Erskine, Yel Zamor
Rivers of London: Detective Stories #3: Cry Me a River (2017) by Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan, Luis Guerrero
Mockingbird Vol. 1: I Can Explain (2016) Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Ibrahim Moustafa, Joelle Jones (9/10)
Mockingbird Vol. 2: My Feminist Agenda (2017) Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Sean Parsons, Rachelle Rosenberg (8/10)

Historical Mystery

The Thief-Takers
A Talent for Trickery (2015) Alissa Johnson
A Gift for Guile (2016) Alissa Johnson
A Dangerous Deceit (2017) Alissa Johnson (8.5/10)
Regency London
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener

Mystery

Inspector Montalbano
A Nest of Vipers (2013/2017) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli (written in 2008) (7/10)

Supernatural Romance

The Edge
Steel’s Edge (2012) Ilona Andrews

As usual, I read (or re-read) mostly eBooks, with the paper exceptions being comics, which I strongly prefer in paper format, since I miss a lot of things otherwise (I can’t really get the whole page with ebooks, and it’s a PITA to flip back and forth to check things.)

Trade Paperback: 2
eBook: 26
Audio: 3

Multiple Formats: 5
Re-read: 24

Genre-wise, it was a LOT of historicals this month.

Fantasy: 7
Mystery: 10
Romance: 22
Comic: 4

And this was the month female authors caught back up (what with all the historicals).

Male: 4 (39% for the year)
Female: 24 (41% for the year)
Joint + Anthology: 3

And that wraps up the books of August.