VIDEO: New Year's Day 2013

A little New Year's Day tradition we've been trying to do each year ... get the first four together for a little time in The Big Ditch for trail work, a hike or just good fellowship in the place we all love ... Linville Gorge Wilderness. This year we were short one Gorge Rat ... Kenneth Crump but he wasn't forgotten!

While the forecast was less than stellar we actually had a fairly dry time with only a bit of wind and misting rain during our hike down Jonas Ridge to visit Celestial Point, Rhubarb Point and the infamous Sitting Bear rock formation. It was a great way to start the New Year!

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2013 ... a hike with friends

Thanks for taking us along. I have dipped my toes into the Gorge area with a couple of short day hikes, but I need to get back for an honest to goodness over nighter.

STinGa

Great way to spend time with your friends. I will make it back to the Gorge this spring!

swank

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Originally Posted by STinGa

Thanks for taking us along. I have dipped my toes into the Gorge area with a couple of short day hikes, but I need to get back for an honest to goodness over nighter.

STinGa

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Something you most definitely won't regret! Thanks for watching!

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Originally Posted by swankfly

Great way to spend time with your friends. I will make it back to the Gorge this spring!

swank

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It surely was! Hope you can this spring ... a special time in the Big Ditch!

I'm envious Hawk-eye!:boggle:
Looks like a most superb way to bring in the New Year. I'll see ya' hopefully this spring.
BTW... Good looking beard goin' on, my friend!:shades:
HB

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Originally Posted by hangin' burrito

i'm envious hawk-eye!:boggle:
Looks like a most superb way to bring in the new year. I'll see ya' hopefully this spring.
Btw... Good looking beard goin' on, my friend!:shades:
Hb

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____________ditto!

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Originally Posted by Hangin' Burrito

I'm envious Hawk-eye!:boggle:
Looks like a most superb way to bring in the New Year. I'll see ya' hopefully this spring.
BTW... Good looking beard goin' on, my friend!:shades:
HB

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Wish ya could have joined us pal ... weather was nasty but held for us on the mountain just long enough!
Yeah the old beard is getting grayer and grayer ... what's up with that? Ha! :lol:

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Originally Posted by flatline

____________ditto!

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Thanks pal! Glad you enjoyed it.

Looks like a great time, Hawk-eye. Got to get myself back to the gorge this year, too much time in the flat lands is getting to me.

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Originally Posted by Catavarie

Looks like a great time, Hawk-eye. Got to get myself back to the gorge this year, too much time in the flat lands is getting to me.

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Thanks for watching pal ... yeah those flat lands'll git ya everytime! :woot:

Looks like ya' had fun on the Sitting Bear Luge.....
A Rat shy......well, still a good three of ya'.
What a way to bring in the New 2013......
Shug

Good to see you and the others enjoying that big ditch of yours.

Thanks for sharing.

Grtz Johan

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Originally Posted by Shug

Looks like ya' had fun on the Sitting Bear Luge.....
A Rat shy......well, still a good three of ya'.
What a way to bring in the New 2013......
Shug

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Thanks Shug ... needed you and Hickery there too! :woot: Hope to see more of the Ditch this year for sure!

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Originally Posted by born2roam

Good to see you and the others enjoying that big ditch of yours.

Thanks for sharing.

Grtz Johan

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Thanks pal ...

A great way to spend the new year.

Fronkey

Great way to start the new year. I'm very jealous! Now I want Gorge.....

Can't wait until May.........

hmmmm, my knees hurt just by watching:scared::scared:

Good to see Sitting Bear again....my memory says last time I hiked there it was up up up. And I remember pitons driven into it....wonder if they are still there or if it's a false memory?
Def. a nice way to ring in the new one.

Looks like a good place to hang out. Friends and hiking. Thanks.

That was a fine way to spend New Years Day

Friends and a beautiful spot to share

Thanks for taking us along

nice way to spend the day..thanks for taking us along

I never tire of seeing views of the Gorge, thanks for sharing Hawk-eye

Start the year as you mean to go on, all the best for 2013

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Originally Posted by Fronkey

A great way to spend the new year.

Fronkey

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That it was pal ... thanks for watching

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Originally Posted by SoundWitness

Great way to start the new year. I'm very jealous! Now I want Gorge.....

Can't wait until May.........

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I know what you mean pal ... me want more too! :woot:

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Originally Posted by peanuts

hmmmm, my knees hurt just by watching:scared::scared:

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Ha ... I was sore on the ride home but OK now!

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Originally Posted by MedicineMan

Good to see Sitting Bear again....my memory says last time I hiked there it was up up up. And I remember pitons driven into it....wonder if they are still there or if it's a false memory?
Def. a nice way to ring in the new one.

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Well back in my day there was maybe one bolt on it ... but I did see where some one has installed maybe a dozen different bolts. Little distracting for traditional climbing of this beauty to my way of looking at it ... but not my rock I guess :woot:

Here's a few pictures of me and one my climbing buddies back in the 70's on Sitting Bear

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3240/2...f6d1a8979a.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3226/2...3b3b4292cd.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3176/2...1fafbe566a.jpg

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Originally Posted by mbiraman

Looks like a good place to hang out. Friends and hiking. Thanks.

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It is a great combination ... friends and hiking for sure. Thanks for watching!

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Originally Posted by TZBrown

That was a fine way to spend New Years Day

Friends and a beautiful spot to share

Thanks for taking us along

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Thanks for watching TZ ... wish you'd been with us!

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Originally Posted by Ewker

nice way to spend the day..thanks for taking us along

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That it was Ewker ... when you going to visit with us? :woot:

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Originally Posted by Shewie

I never tire of seeing views of the Gorge, thanks for sharing Hawk-eye

Start the year as you mean to go on, all the best for 2013

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Best to you and yours too! Thanks for watching!

Hello there, Hawk-eye,

I’m feeling pretty special getting a video from you - very exciting! I liked the scene where you were all pretending to be lost, you were all pretty casual about it. lol That down hill looked step on camera, so it must have had some angle in real life – slippery looking too. Well, that was short and sweet, thanks for the good morning video, Hawk-eye!

P.S. Great photos of you on Sitting Bear, back in the 70’s! They would have been the days!

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Originally Posted by Bruciehi5

Hello there, Hawk-eye,

I’m feeling pretty special getting a video from you - very exciting! I liked the scene where you were all pretending to be lost, you were all pretty casual about it. lol That down hill looked step on camera, so it must have had some angle in real life – slippery looking too. Well, that was short and sweet, thanks for the good morning video, Hawk-eye!

P.S. Great photos of you on Sitting Bear, back in the 70’s! They would have been the days!

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Thanks Brucie! Yeah those pictures were back when I was young, skinny and immortal. I since discovered that old men don't bounce! :lol:

Happy New Year .... looking for more of you adventures to post this year!

Thanks for the video! I hope to catch the Gorge this spring! Maybe I'll see ya there!

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Originally Posted by Moondoggy

Thanks for the video! I hope to catch the Gorge this spring! Maybe I'll see ya there!

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That'd be grand! Thanks for watching.

An awesome way to bring in the new year! The old climbing pics are pretty sweet too! The big ditch is calling my name!

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Originally Posted by Hawk-eye

That it was Ewker ... when you going to visit with us? :woot:

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I wish I knew when we could get over that way. It is a place we would like to go hiking at.

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Originally Posted by medicineman03

An awesome way to bring in the new year! The old climbing pics are pretty sweet too! The big ditch is calling my name!

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That it was ... fun and awesome! :woot: Glad you liked the old pic's & thanks for watching

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Originally Posted by Ewker

I wish I knew when we could get over that way. It is a place we would like to go hiking at.

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Well ... we'll keep a candle lantern lit for ya pal! :woot:

What a great trip!!! It looked like fun. I am soooo loving the Celtic music background through it all with the tin whistle. Slainte from the Jerzybears!

Nice video,,,gorge is on my bucket list for this year! What a way to start the New Year out. :)

Thanks for sharing that, Hawk-Eye. A nice start to the year. Have a great rest of 2013!

Just wondering... do MicroSpikes work on mud? Hmmm...

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Originally Posted by jerzybears

What a great trip!!! It looked like fun. I am soooo loving the Celtic music background through it all with the tin whistle. Slainte from the Jerzybears!

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I'm rather fond of Celtic music myself! Thanks for watching!

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Originally Posted by Acer

Nice video,,,gorge is on my bucket list for this year! What a way to start the New Year out. :)

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It was a great place to ring in the year! Thanks for watching!

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Originally Posted by JayS

Thanks for sharing that, Hawk-Eye. A nice start to the year. Have a great rest of 2013!

Just wondering... do MicroSpikes work on mud? Hmmm...

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You're welcome! Hope you have a gud'n this year too!
Not sure how they would perform in heavy mud but it's an interesting thought!

sweet video, i love the hammer dulcimer music in the background!

I always enjoy your videos and photos.Got a chuckle out of your comment "Back when I was young,skinny and immortal. I since discovered that old men don't bounce." I have to agree with that.

so someone on belay was running the 35mm I bet, as much as you probably miss the frolicking climbing days I miss Koday Gold and Agfa APX ;)
So I'm thinking of a photo op, hanging off Sitting Bear ?

Good stuff, Hawk-eye. Great way to spend the day and hopefully many more days in 2013. Thanks for the video, the music, and the wisdom.

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Originally Posted by SQWERL

sweet video, i love the hammer dulcimer music in the background!

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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

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Originally Posted by ALBERTAN

I always enjoy your videos and photos.Got a chuckle out of your comment "Back when I was young,skinny and immortal. I since discovered that old men don't bounce." I have to agree with that.

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HA! Those were the days! Of course some of these days ain't so bad either! :woot:

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Originally Posted by MedicineMan

so someone on belay was running the 35mm I bet, as much as you probably miss the frolicking climbing days I miss Koday Gold and Agfa APX ;)
So I'm thinking of a photo op, hanging off Sitting Bear ?

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Well the one photo of Chip he's still off rope working the over hang problem out, the two of me are during the repel off the top after the climb. Yeah I actually do miss the film days ... but you sure can take a lot more digital photos for less money and instant gratification ... so there's the trade off I guess!

Hmmm ... not sure there'll be a photo op ... but back in the day the three routes we did on the Bear were mighty fun. Just have to live the memories!

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Originally Posted by Les Rust

Good stuff, Hawk-eye. Great way to spend the day and hopefully many more days in 2013. Thanks for the video, the music, and the wisdom.

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Well thank ya! Be careful how much wisdom you mine from my craziness ... after all as any Gorge Rat will tell ya ... "that boy just ain't right" :lol:

Thanks for the peek of the Gorge--your video showed an aspect I haven't seen in other videos--mighty steep going there. Perfect music to go with it too. Appreciate going along with the "Rats"!

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Originally Posted by KefWalker

Thanks for the peek of the Gorge--your video showed an aspect I haven't seen in other videos--mighty steep going there. Perfect music to go with it too. Appreciate going along with the "Rats"!

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Well thank ya! It's hard to show "steep" in photos or videos that's for sure. Sometimes it works. :woot:

Ahh, A small dose of the Gorge is a huge dose of medicine for the soul. Thanks for sharing!
Good choice on the background music, I love hammer dulcimer.

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Originally Posted by L.D. Cakes

Ahh, A small dose of the Gorge is a huge dose of medicine for the soul. Thanks for sharing!
Good choice on the background music, I love hammer dulcimer.

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Well thank you Cakes ... and that's a fact! Thanks for watching!

Wow! That's some beautiful country you all have--I can see why gorge hangs are so popular :D

I always look forward to next Hawk-eye video. Thanks for sharing!

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Originally Posted by timabababaluka

Wow! That's some beautiful country you all have--I can see why gorge hangs are so popular :D

I always look forward to next Hawk-eye video. Thanks for sharing!

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Well thank ya ... I appreciate that. Yeah it's a beautiful place for sure, hope you get a chance to visit it someday!

Thanks for sharing with us, maybe this will be the year I finally get to the Gorge
Looks like it was a lot of fun even with one missing ya'll had a great time and enjoyed the day.

LB

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Originally Posted by LazyBee

Thanks for sharing with us, maybe this will be the year I finally get to the Gorge
Looks like it was a lot of fun even with one missing ya'll had a great time and enjoyed the day.

LB

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Thanks! Yeah we had a great day for sure. Hope you do get to visit this year, it's a mighty fine place.

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Originally Posted by LazyBee

Thanks for sharing with us, maybe this will be the year I finally get to the Gorge
Looks like it was a lot of fun even with one missing ya'll had a great time and enjoyed the day.

LB

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Once you come to the Gorge, you'll be back!:thumbup1:

We aging women don't bounce so well either, I hate to say!!
:eek::eek::eek:

:D:D:D
Fantastic video (as always)!! I can't wait to get over to the Gorge myself.
It's near imperative at this point, given how much I've seen of that beautiful country from y'all.

Thank-yee for sharing!!

Thanks for posting! This place is on my "list". That trek down the hill to sitting bear was making my knees ache from here.