11/5/2023: On an unseasonably warm autumn day, with a high of 69F, we continued our exploration of the state parks southwest of Richmond, about an hour’s drive to High Bridge Trail State Park. Located near Farmville, Virginia.
The park is named after it’s centerpiece, the High Bridge. Spanning over 2400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River it is the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and one of the longest in the United States. It is marked as a Virginia Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. The entire trail is 31 miles long and it can be enjoyed on foot, bike, or even horseback. The trail was actually once a rail bed and as such it is very wide, level and flat overall – ideal for little munchkins on their bikes/balance bikes or even strollers.
We parked slightly west of the bridge at the River Road/Farmville, Cumberland County parking lot. From here, the High Bridge was a short 0.9mile bike ride. There are also restroom facilities at this location as well.
West of the High Bridge. We parked at the River road entrance, a short 0.9 mile bike ride to the bridge.The trail was a former rail bed. It is wide, flat and easy to travel on.
It looked like we were about a couple weeks away from peak foliage but the sights were still fantastic. The sun was out, and the kids were ready to pedal. They particularly enjoyed the view atop of the bridge, looking into miles of forest, and the meandering appomattox river below. I’d like to one day do the trail starting from Farmville. Hoping everyone had a great thanksgiving, and here’s to a happy and healthy, holiday season.
Appomattox RiverEnjoying the views at the top.
Photos taken with Sony a6700 (tamron 17-28mm lens)
10/22/2023: A beautiful fall day took us southwest of Richmond, about an hour’s drive to Twin Lakes State Park. Located near FarmVille, Virginia, the park is 548 acres and is centered around Prince Edward Lake (36 acres) and then Goodwin Lake (15 acres). We’ve been on a quest to explore new state parks in Virginia, and as always they never disappoint. This was also my chance to shoot with my Sony a6700. I’ve been using the A6000 for the past 8 years and it has not let me down, in my opinion, that camera still competes with the best of them. I purchased the a6700 mostly for it’s video capabilities, it’s external mic options and it’s longer battery life. So far, I’ve been super impressed with it.
Twin Lakes State Park is approximately a 1 hour drive, south west of Richmond. It is near the town of FarmVille.
We took on an easy 1 mile loop around Goodwin lake, which is flat and easy to navigate. Our one and a Half year old boy was able to hike the whole thing himself. The park was especially quiet on a Sunday and we saw only one other person on the trail. The kids enjoyed skipping rocks, leaf hunting, rock hunting and checking out the trees.
The Toyota Sienna Hybrid is a dad’s beast. Woodland Edition.Would be fun to swim here in the summer
The discovery center, was open and a ranger showed the kids numerous pelts of different animals, and showed us the living occupants of the discovery center. One large red eared slider named “Myrtle the Turtle” and a large northern copperhead. All of this took us several hours and it was then nap time for our youngest. Otherwise, we would have liked to explore the larger of the twin lakes, Prince Edward Lake. The forest ranger, told us that this larger lake was slightly more remote and was ideal for canoeing. Another reason for us to come back!
Mica huntingMica
There are still a few state parks in central Virginia that we have not visited: James River State Park and the High Bridge Trail State Park. So many places to see, so little time. Fall is here, make sure you get your flu shot. And stay healthy out there.
Northern Copperhead at Twin Lakes State ParkGoodwin Lake a 15 acre lake at Twin Lakes State Park.
Photos taken with Sony a6700 (tamron 17-28mm lens)
One of our kids’ favorite places in Richmond, is the Science Museum of Virginia. We haven’t been back however since our youngest son was born so it’s been a couple of years. Since then, we were pleased to learn that the museum had completed some projects to improve the experience. A new parking deck was finished in 2021 and makes museum access much easier and safer. The old parking lot was turned into a green area with a new art display. The kids were a big fan of this.
The museum offers a plethora of hands on and interactive experiences for everyone. From a race track where you time yourself against t-rex, Usain bolt and a cheetah, to playing air hockey against a robot. There’s plenty to keep yourself engaged. For children 5 and under there is a kids zone, with fun activities and climbing area.
See live animals like this Bearded Dragon in the animal laboratory.A model SR 71 blackbird hands from the ceiling at the Science Museum of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia.A kids play area for children under 5, provides ample activities to keep the young minds wondering.
I love museums because they always inspire me to think differently. It make me question “how?” when it comes to the functioning of the world around us. As I watch my kids interact with each exhibit, I know their fears are turning and I can see the wonder in their eyes. They always leave the museum a little bit wiser and with new eyes to experiment in this fascinating world around us.
Change is in the air. In Virginia we’ve finally had a break in the heat. The kids are back in school and they are transitioning well. We spent a sunny Saturday morning to explore our own backyard, in River City, Richmond, Virginia. The kids wanted to explore the James River off of Belle Isle and we made a quick trip to the Virginia War Memorial located in the same vicinity. I have been to the memorial before, but never inside. I was surprised to learn that there were several exhibits and learning centers, all free to the public.
The Virginia War Memorial was established in 1955 dedicated to Virginians killed in World War II and the Korean War, it was later enlarged in 1980 to honor those killed in the Vietnam War. In 1996 the names of Virginians killed in Desert Storm were added. There are almost 12,000 Virginians whose names are on the memorial. There was an additional shrine honoring over 250 Virginians killed in the Global War on Terror. The memorial is certainly worth a visit.
Virginia War Memorial, on a Saturday morningThe Virginia War Memorial’s Motto: “Honoring our Veterans, Preserving our History, Educating our Youth, and Inspiring Patriotism in All”.
From the Virginia War Memorial it is a short and beautiful walk to the Belle Isle suspension bridge, and over to Belle Isle. The kids enjoyed the short hike and exploring the life of the James River. As they transition back into school mode, we’ve been making some updates in the workshop. Here’s to another upcoming fall season in Virginia. With COVID on the uptick again, please stay staff and healthy out there.
This past Saturday, we were blessed with a beautiful Spring day in Virginia. We rounded up the rugrats and headed to our favorite local park – Pocahontas State Park! It would be our one year old’s first time in the ol backpack and he seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. There is something certainly magical and calming about the beauty of the forest. Have you ever noticed that after spending time in the forest, you just generally feel better? Well there’s a good amount of published medical literature regarding the biophysiological changes that happen after spending time in the forest. This area of research has been picking up steam in the past several decades in several countries, linking it to positive effects on your immune system, heart rate, blood pressure, and mood. The Japanese have actually come up with a term called: Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing). Studies demonstrate that spending time in the forest (not necessarily exercising), is linked to improve natural immunity cell function, blood pressure, sleep, anti-anxiety and more benefits that we have still not come to understand as of yet.
In many countries where preventative and primary care is strongly developed, many physicians actually prescribe their patients “time in the forest”. The positive effects of shinrin-yoku “forest bathing” seemed to last for several weeks after the time in the forest. There is certainly something primordial about reconnecting with the earth by spending time in the forest. Have you ever stared at a tree, it’s trunk and it’s branches and wondered how this shape came to be? This branching shape is ubiquitous to everything that is life. In the human body for instance, the blood vessels that course through our lungs (pulmonary artery tree) and through our eyes (the retinal vasculature) share the same branching shapes. The rivers that flow through our land are another example. This arterial network throughout the earth and life is truly amazing.
Photograph of the fundus of the eye. This recurring architecture of branching vessels is seen throughout the natural world in trees, rivers and plants.
For our children, they are truly in their element in the woods. Chasing the sounds of the bull frogs, the woodpeckers, the wind through the trees, watching them marvel at everything is a joy. Pocahontas also has a pretty amazing nature center, where children can learn about rocks, live animals (snakes and snapping turtles), furs, campsites, camp gear, and loads more. We also visited the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) museum for the first time. They all had a blast. I’m hoping the effects of shinrin-yoku linger till our next trip back outdoors. I wish everyone good health and be safe when exploring.
The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942, initiated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. They helped to establish many parks such as Pocahontas State Park. We are grateful for their efforts and foresight to allow future generations to enjoy these treasures.
Interesting video about the Civilian Conservation Corps
Time to get to business. We needed to replicate the heart of this canoe…..the stem. This is the curved edge of the boat, made from solid wood that extends from the keel below to the gunwale of the canoe. Structurally it is a critical piece, that provides strength, and unites the port and starboard planks. It is also tapered to provide the aerodynamic shape of the canoe, allowing the boat to cut through the water. We are starting at the stern, where most of the work lies ahead of us.
The original stem, pictured here is nearly 100 years old. The tip is rotted and the remainder is in rough shape. We decided to replace the whole thing.
In many instances, the entire stem does not need to be replaced. The rotted section (usually the top) can be cut off and a new piece can be scarfed in. In our case, the whole thing seemed pretty worn out, so I decided to construct a new one. We used white ash (Fraxinus americana) to create this. I went to our local Woodcraft store to select the board that I needed. It was critical to find a board that had very straight grain, either quarter sawn or rift sawn. Having the grain run straight will reduce the chance of fracturing during the wood bending process. This piece was ripped on the bandsaw and then soaked in a creek for 5 days.
rift sawn white ashsoaking the stem
In order to bend the piece of wood, you will have to create a jig (or a form) to bend the wood over. The jig does not have to be pretty, but it has to be functional and accurate. I constructed ours using lumber from a pallet. I glued these pieces together and let it dry. I would use the original stem to create the outline for this jig. It is important to note that the radius of curvature for the jig will actually be tighter than the original stem. This is because we have to account for spring-back, once the piece of wood is removed from the jig.
After the 5 days of soaking in a creek, I fired up our wood steaming box and steamed the piece of ash for 1 hour. Once the wood is removed from the steamer, you have 60 seconds to bend it onto the form before it loses it’s elasticity as it cools. This part can be a pretty harrowing experience if you’ve never steam bent – I’ve never steamed bent anything. I was very fortunate to have the first attempt succeed. For any critical part of canoe building, I often practice the motions before I actually do it. All the clamps were at the ready, my path was clear, I made sure I had enough ceiling clearance etc. I ran through the steps with a mock piece of scrap wood. I also used a piece of steel strapping to help reduce the chance of fracture.
rough planing to get it into the planer and jointer
After a week in the jig, I removed the stem from the form and began to notch out the slots for the ribs using a dove tail saw, a coping saw and chisel. This is where we spent alot of time, measuring angles of tapers to get it just right. I used a block plane to get it to the right thickness and then a spokeshave for the beveling.
notching grooves for the ribsreplica stem made of white ash
In the meantime, I steam bent some pieces of ash for the 2 inwales that would need replacing. I created another small jig for these as well. I cut them roughly to size and then used a block plane and spokeshave to get it to the proper dimensions. Ash is very satisfying to work with. These pieces will need to be scarfed into place and glued together using System Three T-88 epoxy. The length of the scarf joint is approximately 4 inches to allow for as much surface area contact as possible.
soaking white ash in the creek, we bury it with rocks to keep it submergeda test scarf jointdry fit looks good
One of the ribs in the stern end also needed complete replacing so we soaked some eastern white cedar boards in the creek for 5 days and then stem bent these for 20 minutes prior to bending them on the form. This step is fun because a jig does not need to be created. We have an intact hull to bend it over! As with any steam bending step, you have to account for springback once the wood is removed from the form. So in order to replace the rib that you want to fix, you actually will use the rib form adjacent to it (with a steeper angle) to bend over. These worked out well thank goodness.
A local creek is perfect for soaking long boardsFlowering dogwood, Virginia’s state flower.Fun at the creekRaising oak trees for the next generation of boat buildersChestnut Oak, we are planting a dozen oaks for the next few generations.The cedar bent well, even at the more acute angles. Fingers crossed.This is a job for the whole family
So everything right now is just dry fitted and held together by clamps, the next step will be to fit the stem in place, glue in the inwales and get the ribs and planking changed at the stern. Progress! Spring has been absolutely beautiful as well and we are taking full advantage of that! Wishing everyone good health.
The first flowers from our Yoshino Cherry BlossomsThese cherry blossoms are growing big.
We try to make it out to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for vacation during peak fall foliage time each year — a chance to breathe in the cold mountain air, watch the colors change and reset as a family.
We stayed this time in Massanutten (a census designated place), in the heart of Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Much of the attraction to this area centers around the ski-resort, however during the fall time it served as a great base for us to explore the surrounding region.
Massanutten, VA
One of the first adventures took us to the Massanutten Story Book Trail, located in Shenandoah County. It was a short, paved hike about 0.7 miles long. It was perfect for our family with kids of ages 5, 2.5 and 8 months. The trail is paved and very accessible for the most part. There are numerous boulders and a wide array of oak species to explore. The view at the end is pretty spectacular – with Shenandoah National Park in the far distance. We took this trail on in late October and I was surprised that there were a lot of gnats about, so be sure to pack some bug spray.
Parking area for the Story Book Trail. These mountain mites are ready to explore.The view atop the Story Book Trail. Shenandoah National Park is visible in the far distance.
One of the highlights of our trip for the kids was visiting Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse in Timberville, Virginia. On a weekday, we found that we had the orchard mostly to ourselves. The kids got to enjoy some donuts, cider and apple treats. The trees in the orchard were packed with apples and were low lying. Fuji apples were in season at the time and the kids had no trouble filling up the bags. Old Hill Ciders are also pressed and made at this same farm in Timberville. We were blessed with spectacular clear skies.
Showalter’s Orchard in Timberland, VA
The Massanutten ski resort area still had plenty of activities for the kids in the off season. There were playgrounds, ponds to fish, a water park, trails to explore, restaurants and even an area for gem hunting. The kids were never bored.
Painter’s Pond in Massanutten, VAPainter’s Pond in Massanutten, VA
On our way back home, we made a stop in the small town of Gordonsville, Virginia for a lunch break. A local recommended The Jackson and Company Market and I’m glad that they did. It was a chilly fall day and it was the perfect place for the kids to warm up with soup and for the grown ups to have coffee. With a population of approximately 1500, the main street was where all of the action seemed to be. Shops were busy and people were getting ready to put up the town’s Christmas lights. There was even a blacksmith shoppe that we unfortunately didn’t have time to check out, but I guess it’s just more reason for us to come back to the mountains. We’ve been coming to the Virginia blue ridge and Shenandoah for years, and maybe we’re just simple folk, but it just seems like there’s endless things to see, do, and enjoy in this special place.
Main Street of Gordonsville, VirginiaA warm place for soup, quiche and coffee. The Jackson and Company Market in Gordonsville, Virginia was perfect on this chilly fall day.
In traditional dad fashion, I filmed our trip on my trusty a6000. I’ve had the camera for 8 years, and it’s still going strong.
In the shenandoah valley, autumn rain falls on our cabin. Sitting inside, I got a great view of all the different oak leaves falling. I shot this leaf with my telephoto lens. No tree represents Virginia better than the white oak.
We’ve been eyeing a dying chestnut oak tree on the side of our house for some time now. The size of it’s base is formidable and stands as a reminder of its once splendor. Over the years, the base of the tree had been hollowing out and it was time to bring it down, especially as the rains and winds approach. The kids watched in awe, as the tree surgeons dismantled this once magnificent tree. They asked me several questions: how old was it? why did it die? how long will it take for a new tree to grow here?
Chestnut oak leaf, autumn is here.Firewood and lumber for daysOak canopy
So, to help answer their questions, we decided to raise some oak trees from the beginning. This was the perfect time of year for it – the time when the soft thuds of acorns hitting the ground could be heard echoing between the trees. The kids gathered acorns of 3 varieties, white oak, chestnut oak and red oak. After conducting a float test to see which ones were viable, they twisted off the caps and planted them in jars with soil. It could take anywhere from 4-6 weeks for the acorns to germinate, depending on the species. Somer species of oak will not germinate unless exposed to cooler temperatures such as the red oak acorn. We will keep these in the refrigerator to simulate the ideal physiologic environment.
mixture of acornsThe float test for acornsred oak acornsgood luck
In the mean time, we got to work trying out a cross cut saw. I recently purchased a Lynx 4′ cross cut saw for simple tasks around the property that would not require a chain saw. Safer and also a whole lot of fun. We cut a cross sectional cookie slab, and the kids got to work counting the rings…..104 in total! This tree had been around for more than a century. We applied a generous coating of pentacryl (a wood stabilizer to it) and will let it dry for another season.
Chasing frogsLynx 4′ crosscut saw. A lot of work, but a lot of fun.Pentacryl is wood stabilizer, it can help reduce “checking” as the wood dries. Wood “checking” refers to the splits and cracks that happen when the wood shrinks as it dries. Wood shrinks much more along the growth rings (radially) than it does across the rings (tangentially), so this can lead to cracking or “checking”. Pentacryl is applied while the wood is still green to help stabilize the wood. In many cases, the checking of wood is unavoidable. 104 year old chestnut oak slab with pentacryl applied. I will let this dry for another season before planing and sanding. It could make a cool charcuterie board or table/stool.
So while we wait for the acorns to germinate, the kids have learned a lot about oak trees, and their livespans and how like all things can be susceptible to disease. An adult tree could provide enough oxygen for 2 adult lifetimes. With the felling of this tree, we hope to raise several more in its place. Time will tell! Stay safe and healthy out there everyone.
WAY NORTH 