cbellamy@heraldsun.com; 419-6744
DURHAM -- "Chocolate, already!" exclaimed Avery Harris, 9, as she made her way up the Buckquarter Creek Trail during the Eno River Association's annual New Year's Hike on Friday. The chocolate, in the form of old-fashioned campfire s'mores, would be waiting at the end of the two-mile trail at the picnic shelter at the Few's Ford Access Area, where more than 300 hikers showed up to sign up for the Buckquarter hike or another longer, 4- to 5-mile route.
Avery, of Siler City, wasn't the only hiker who had chocolate on her mind. Jacob Simon, 9, said his reason was about 70 percent chocolate and 30 percent nature. Jacob, who said he has been on numerous hikes before, commented on the soothing sound the river made as it splashed across rocky areas.
Hikers cited other reasons for coming to the annual trek along the Eno. Avery's friend Erin Timmerberg, 9, of Raleigh, said she liked the exercise and being outside in the natural world. "I think it's a lot of fun because there's a lot of up and down, and the river's really pretty," Erin said.
Erin's mother, Carla Timmerberg, said the hike was her first time at the annual event. The hike offered an ideal way to work off holiday calories, and was a good way to start a new year.
The description of ups and downs proved true. Recent rains have made the trails muddy, and hikers, many carrying walking sticks, had to be careful about footing and watch for holes.
Before the hike began, Kathy Lee, education director for the Eno River Association, told the hikers about the challenges of both trails, warning that even the shorter trek had some "tricky sections."
The shorter trail, with more than 200 hikers, proved the more popular one. About 100 hikers took the longer route. On the shorter trail, some hikers with cameras in hand took to the banks to frame some pictures. There were plenty of dogs, too -- from Labradors to poodles to dachshunds to Rottweilers.
Barbara Baker of Durham, who is a veteran of many hikes, said the annual hike is a chance "for the people of this state to get out and see some of the natural resources of the area." She and her husband Don Kritsch will lead a hike in February along part of the Buckquarter trail.
The hike is one of Durham's longstanding New Year's Day traditions. The Eno River Association raises money to preserve land along the river, but the hike is not a fundraiser. Lee called it "a celebration" and a good way to start a new year. Robin Jacobs, executive director of the association, said the hike also makes people aware of the Eno as a resource.
As hikers ended their trek, the smell of wood smoke came from the picnic shelter, where hikers could refresh themselves on s'mores, popcorn and hot chocolate. Avery Harris was eating a roasted marshmallow and said she had not yet got a hold of the chocolate, but that the marshmallow was a good reward for the hike.
