Outing #1: Poor Farm Park

Brrrrr... Call us wimps, but the folks here at 1523 Hanover Avenue (or at least the adults), having acclimated to the new tropical norm, are going wobbly over the prospect of a sub-freezing morning at Poor Farm Park. Below is the itinerary for Saturday’s GORP outing, including directions, and a map, but unless the weather changes we will go to Plan “B” (Bowling) or Plan “S” (Snowman), as detailed below. We will let you know what the plan is by tomorrow evening at the latest.

PLAN “B” for Bowling: If the weather is too wet or too cold we will instead go bowling at Sunset Lanes on West Broad (6540 West Broad Street), meeting there at 10 a.m. Rates are $17 per person (shoes included) for two hours of bowling (2-3 games). Sunset Lanes is kid-friendly: anyone old enough to walk is old enough to bowl.

PLAN “S” for Snowman: If it snows and there’s enough snow for some fun, we will meet at Lombardy Park in the Fan and build a giant snowman, assorted smaller snowmen, snowforts and snowballs, as well as the famed Hanover Avenue Plunge. Coffee, bagels and hot chocolate will be served at our house, across the street from the park, starting at 10 a.m.

Hope you can join us on Saturday, wherever we end up...

–Ben and Mo

G.O.R.P. outing #1

Date: Saturday, January 26, 2013

Location: Poor Farm Park, Ashland

Meeting time & location: 10:00 a.m. at the Poor Farm Park playground

Travel time: 35 minutes from Lombardy Park in the Fan

Directions: Take I-95 north to Ashland.  Take Exit 92-B (54 west).  Stay on 54 west through Ashland; about 3 miles after you cross the train tracks in downtown Ashland (at Ashland Coffee & Tea), take a LEFT on Liberty School Rd. (VA 810).  (There is a sign for the park at this intersection.  If you pass Patrick Henry High School you’ve gone too far.)  Follow Liberty School Rd. into Poor Farm Park, and continue on the entry road, veering right, until you see the playground at the road’s end.  Park in the parking lot on the right, across from the playground.

Park website:  http://www.co.hanover.va.us/parksrec/parkinfo_pfp.htm (Note: the map on this site does not show the extensive wooded section of the park – the part we care about!)

Rough itinerary (which no one is obligated to follow):   Meet at the Poor Farm Park playground at 10:00 a.m.  At 10:15, we’ll head into the woods for a family-friendly (though not stroller friendly) loop hike, counterclockwise on the main trail, which roughly traces the perimeter of the north end of the park.  Much of it is single-track, part of which is hilly.  The main loop is not much more than 2 miles, but the trail network is extensive and not well marked, so we could easily add distance with unintended detours.  Also, much of the trail runs along Stagg Creek, along which there are many opportunities for improvised bridge crossings, rock skipping and general messing about.  About two-thirds of the way into the hike there is a good place along the creek – across from Abel’s “Island” – to take a snack/lunch break, as indicated (roughly) on the attached map. 

 

Once we complete the loop, probably by about noon, families can play for a while at the playground and nearby fields or dive back into the woods for some more exploring before heading home, with a pit stop (for those so inclined) at Ashland Coffee & Tea for hot chocolate and whatnot.

What to bring:

*  Water

*  Hat and Gloves, plus layered clothes appropriate for the weather

*  Waterproof jacket/shell

*  Backpack, with snacks and/or picnic lunch

Kids will probably get dirty and possibly wet, so you might also consider packing in your car a change of clothes.

Near the playground, there is plenty of open green space for soccer, frisbee, etc.

Safety:  We ask that parents be responsible for the safety of their own children. 

PLAN “B” for Bowling:  If the weather is too wet or too cold we will instead go bowling at Sunset Lanes on West Broad (6540 West Broad Street), meeting there at 10 a.m.  Rates are $17 per person (shoes included) for two hours of bowling (2-3 games).  Sunset Lanes is kid-friendly: anyone old enough to walk is old enough to bowl.

PLAN “S” for Snowman: If it snows and there’s enough snow for some fun, we will meet at Lombardy Park in the Fan and build a giant snowman, assorted smaller snowmen, snow forts and snowballs, as well as the famed Hanover Avenue Plunge.  Coffee, bagels and hot chocolate will be served at our house, across the street from the park, starting at 10 a.m. 

If Plan “B” or Plan “S” is necessary, we will alert everyone by e-mail no later than 8 a.m. on Saturday.  If you receive no e-mail from me, you can assume that we will be at Poor Farm Park.

G.O.R.P.