Furlough Miles

After signing my furlough papers on the morning of October 1, I put Q in the trailer and headed 35 minutes down the road to the Johnny Meadows campground/Swallow Rock trailhead. What better way is there to curb crankiness about things I can't control than multiple hours and miles in the backcountry where there is no digital connection with the outside world?

Q, Taiga, Gidget, and I spent almost 4 hours traveling 12.2 miles (Swallow Rock → Allegheny → Tom Lick → Seneca Creek → Bear Hunter → Allegheny → Swallow Rock). We only saw one person and their dog the entire time (on Seneca Creek, of course, the only trail I ever see people on out there). While autumn colors are a total bust this year due to the drought, we did enjoy bits of color here and there amidst what was otherwise an absolutely GORGEOUS fall day. 

The prettiest mare and husky

Heading to the trail

Trail access involves crossing the stream first thing

Up Swallow Rock. The rockiest and slowest part of our journey

Tom Lick was so delightfully gorgeous and wide!

All of the planted red spruce were so pretty; there are lots of patches of red spruce that were planted in the early 1900s after the virgin forest was cleared

Had to take a token photo of the spruce tunnel on Seneca Creek

I saw a lot of native brook trout in Seneca Creek on this day

Junction with Judy Springs trail heading out right

Another year of drought has Seneca Creek looking LOW LOW LOW

Up Bear Hunter

Of this day's route, Tom Lick trail and a 1.3 mile piece of Seneca Creek were new for Q and I. Both were absolutely gorgeous and I will absolutely ride both of them again. The only caveat is that the creek crossing at the junction of Tom Lick and Seneca Creek is slightly tricky because horses can't safely use the washed out bridge and must cross the creek with it's incised banks. Not impossible or dangerous, but does take a little bit of careful consideration to select a path.

All in all, it was a really lovely ride. And I'm especially grateful it was because before I could enjoy another ride with Q she presented with persistent soft tissue swelling on her left foreleg. While she wasn't lame, the swelling was enough for me to call it a year for her. Better safe than sorry! We played this game almost a decade ago when she suffered a soft tissue injury on her left hind (also in the pasture vs on trail and also sans lameness), and I feel confident that she will bounce back just fine with ample rest! Still, the timing sucked and boogered my plans of fitting in lots of mileage with friends this fall. C'est la vie! We'll just enjoy 2026 all the more.