This was a short day hike (3.2 miles) at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) on Rhode River/Muddy Creek. During the summer, we frequently anchor our boat on the Rhode near SERC and often see their research vessels coming and going from their dock. Jackie and I visited their open house a couple years ago and strolled a bit on the trails near the Visitor Center, but this was my first time really putting in the effort to cover their trails. There are a few miles of trails; actually, more like gravel walking paths than hiking trails, but worth a morning to explore. The trails wind along the river, marshland, and through hardwood forest of mostly Beech, Oak, Sweetgum trees with a sprinkle of Holly and an occasional pine. On the Hog Island Marsh trail I noticed a tree maker proclaiming an American Chestnut! However, after a good bit of searching and examining dead leaves, I could find nothing that appeared to be an American Chestnut. Most of the trees seemed to be Beech or Oak and iNaturalist suggested that the oak leaves were in fact Chestnut Oak. I later emailed the public outreach contact at SERC who related that the consensus among the tree experts was that when the trail was extended to Hog Island a couple years ago, there may have been an American Chestnut sapling, but they did not believe the tree survived. They felt the Chestnut Oak was a coincidence. Perhaps.
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Quiet Man
I don't have a bucket list. At 61 years old, I have already had the adventures of a lifetime, especially after a 30-year Army career, five years of teaching high school, and a 37 year marriage still going strong. But I still have this deep desire to complete the Appalachian Trial. Archives
February 2022
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