It’s a running joke between Michael and I about how often we ignore the GPS, because it’s trying to kill us.

Here’s a road that is at least marked as inaccessible to cars, but that didn’t stop three vehicles trying to go down the road during our brief walk. Often, the roads are NOT marked as such, so take caution when turning down any gravel road in WV.

Because your GPS really is trying to kill you.

It doesn’t look too bad here. We stopped one SUV of foreigners from attempting the road. (“No! Your vehicle will NOT make it!”)

Dappled light makes it difficult to see this is a puddle stretching completely across the road. You cannot tell how deep it is. (It’s there year round. It’s deep.)

This is the first section of road that causes people to turn around. Most cars do not have the clearance to go over those rocks. Lots of trucks don’t have the clearance to go over those rocks.

It’d been raining recently, so the creek across the road was unusually high. But even in dry weather there is always a small creek there.

There was a truck in the creek when we walked back. I think he was just playing around, but he was slipping while trying to turn.

Now we’re past the creek, and the road really turns into a muddy mess.

This is why I always advise people to NOT take a gravel or dirt road, unless that is their destination. A short cut really isn’t. Especially if you don’t have cell signal and are trying to find someone to tow you out.

This is a ridiculously easy hike, but it’s also one of my favorites, because it is always beautiful.

Location: Canaan Valley State Park
Trail: Blackwater River Trail
Distance: 0.8 miles
Elevation: 3243-3331 feet

It’d been awhile since we hiked up Seneca Rocks on a weekend day.

It was ridiculously busy. Which is good, because it means people were spending the weekend doing outdoors things here in WV. But less good for someone who likes solitude.

On the plus side, the homestead was open, and they had extra items on display, including many old quilts.

Click through for other pictures of the quilt.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.

Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest.

Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise, For our days,
‘Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
‘Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.

Taps, by Gen. Daniel Butterfield

Most of these are from Seneca Rocks and environs.

Irises are kind of embarrassing to look at, when you think about what flowers really are.

Day lily found at homestead at Seneca Rocks

BLUETS!

Crabapple!

Despite off and on again rain, we went to Coopers Rock on Saturday, and we had a surprising amount of sun, making it a beautiful hike.

We made it to my favorite place.

It was good.

Location: Coopers Rock
Trails: Rhododendron, Mont Chateau, Ridge Trails
Distance: 4.7 miles
Elevation: 148-2092 feet (804 ft gain)

Some flowers are from my house, some from the WV botanic garden, and one from the WVU arboretum.

Rhododendron!

Spiderwort

Broom (I love broom, and am glad this one has struggled and survived)

Chives

Irises

Peony

Thurmond, WV used to be a coal town and rail hub, and trains still run regularly through the area.

The population of Thurman at the last census was five, and most of the land in the area belongs to either CSX or the National Park Service, the latter of which has been attempting to preserve the remaining buildings.

Former National Bank of Thurmond

Thurmond Post Office, closed in 1995

Coaling Tower

Ruins being taken back by the woods.

Since it’d been awhile, we headed to New River Gorge, and went to one of the (many) areas we hadn’t hiked before: the Thurmond area.

We first went to see the town of Thurmond (separate post) which has been all but a ghost town for decades (the post office closed in 1995). Then we took our hike. We chose the Stone Cliff Trail, when runs beside the New River for its length.

What was particularly nice was that aside from the day-use area and the very start of the trail, we didn’t see anyone and had the trail to ourselves. We hiked 2 1/4 miles out–close to the end–but then I noticed that it was already 3, and we still had to stop at the brewery and eat dinner and then drive home, so we turned around and headed back.

Location: New River Gorge, Thurmond
Trail: Stone Cliff Trail (partial)
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation: 980-1253 feet
Temperature: 83-85 F

Because the trail runs beside the river it is quite flat, and thus an easy hike.

Stream tumbling down the mountainside

Stream crossing

It may have been raining in Morgantown, but New River Gorge was beautiful.

Here are some flowers we found on our hike.

Here we are! The books of April!

One of my favorite books last month was actually a new release! Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris is the latest entry in the Sebastian St. Cyr series, and like the last several books, it’s dark in places. But it’s also good–and the darkness is very much a part of that time.  There were two audible books I really enjoyed, the first was The Rook, Audible Version by Daniel O’Malley which is just as good as an audible book as it was to read, and Cat o’ Nine Tales, Audible Version by Faith Hunter and narrated by Khristine Hvam. I really love her narration of Faith Hunter’s books, and since I’d finished listening all the Jane Yellowrock books, all I had left were this short-story collection.

I also very much enjoyed the K.J. Charles books I read, although they are definitely not for everyone.

Fantasy, Historical

Swordspoint (1987) Ellen Kushner (10/10)

Fantasy, Romantic

Dirk & Steele
Tiger Eye (2005) Marjorie Liu (6/10)
Shadow Touch (2006) Marjorie Liu (7/10)
The Red Heart of Jade (2006) Marjorie Liu (6/10)

Mystery, Historical

Why Kill the Innocent (2018) C.S. Harris (8.5/10) (Sebastian St Cyr)

Mystery

Death of a Hollow Man (1989) Caroline Graham (7/10) (Inspector Barnaby)

Romance, Historical

After the Wedding (2018) Courtney Milan (7/10) (Worth Saga)
Sins of the City
An Unnatural Vice (2017) K.J. Charles (8/10)
An Unsuitable Heir (2017) K.J. Charles (8/10)
Magpie Lord
The Magpie Lord (2013) K.J. Charles (8/10)
A Case of Possession (2014) K.J. Charles (7.5/10)
A Queer Trade (2015) K.J. Charles (7/10) (Rag & Bone)

Comics

Rivers of London: Cry Fox (2017-2018) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan, Luis Guerrero, Steve White (5/10)

Audio

The Rook, Audible Version (2012) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Susan Duerden (9/10)
Cat o’ Nine Tales, Audible Version (2013) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (9/10)
The Snack Thief, Audible Version (1996/2003/2007) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli narrated by Grover Gardner (8.5/10)

Now, the stats!

Trade Paperback : 1
eBook : 12
Audio : 3

EBooks and audiobooks this month, with a single paperbook (the comic). Seven re-reads, which is also seven books I have in multiple formats (either paper and ebook or ebook and audio).

Fantasy : 10
Mystery : 8
Romance : 10
Comic : 1

Genre-wise, there was lots of overlap of genres, but still mostly fantasy and mystery, which are my primary favorite genres.

Male : 3
Female : 8
Initials : 5

And author-wise three male authors, and thirteen female authors, five books of which were written by women published under initials instead of a female name.

And those are the books of April! Yay reading!

I’ll be honest, I haven’t been to the National Aquarium for years, because many of the tanks used to be bare, and I really disliked that.

They have remedied that, which makes me very happy. Rocks and other items make the tanks look natural, and the octopus even had multiple toys.

Even better, they had a huge jellyfish exhibit, although to my sadness, they didn’t have benches where you could just sit and watch.

Poison dart frogs!

Puffins!

But most importantly: JELLYFISH

It makes me ridiculously happy that so many of the pictures I took of the jellyfish turned out.

There are lots of historical areas in Baltimore, but the two we specifically visited this time were Federal Hill and Fort McHenry.

Federal Hill overlooks the inner harbor. This is taken from the public park at the top of the hill.

Fort McHenry is a national park, and the site of the battle which led to the Star Spangled Banner.

The same cannon, three different views.

The cannon fascinate me as much as they horrify me. I’ve read several descriptions of battles involving cannon, and they all describe smoke, terrible noise, complete chaos and underlying that, the knowledge that cannon blew up on a regular basis.

These are truly giant cannon, permanently placed.

The mechanisms for aiming the cannon.

There were multiple cannon from Fort Pitt.

I politely waited to ask the gentleman if I could take a picture of him in his outfit.

Sadly, he had only plain buttons, instead of decorated unit buttons.

And the magazines were also preserved.

Although the outside doors have been removed, you can still the hinges and how they would have fit. (The inside doors remain in place and locked.)

Then there were the walls….

And lastly, we were lucky that it was clear and windy, and they were flying the largest flag.

Oh! And the view!

We spent a long weekend in Baltimore. We were there for my parents 50th anniversary party, but we also took the opportunity to visit Grandmom and wander around the city.

The harbour area is full of things I love coming together: water, old buildings, and occasionally, decay.

The USS Constellation in the Inner Harbor, in front of the World Trade Center building.

There was, I believe, a student group on the Constellation on Friday night. They were getting to shift the masts but did NOT fire the cannon.

Sadly.

Brickwork and hinge for storm shutter on old warehouse turned into condos.

These buildings are directly on the harbor, but none of them seemed to have functioning shutters anymore.

Looking across a dock at a warehouse that was turned into luxury condos.

Street in Fells Point.

Standing on Federal Hill, looking across the harbor towards the World Trade Center, and to the right, the National Aquarium.

Decaying dock.