VSP Mason Neck

Because this is a park so close to home I brought some guests.  The pictures below were taken by +Megan Gee and we were also joined by +Josephine Gee

I had a blast showing Mom and Megan the in's and out's of Geocaching and the Tail Quest.

At all Virginia State parks the trails are very well labeled.  Its really nice to not have to carry a map around because trails are blazed with colors and intersections are clearly marked well as you can see below.

Also if you find yourself at the park after hours there are numerous visitor centers that have all of the information in one kiosk that is on all day.  You can get maps printed, information on the park and even information on the next park you

Leo wore his pack today.  Even on days that are heavy trails or long length/duration I still need to train him for the times that it will be long or when he will need 3 liters of water.

What did I expect before I left home:
Mason neck is my backyard state park.  I generally expect a shorter hiking day with many changes in scenery depending on the season.  The animals, trees, foliage and trails all feel different depending on the day  and weather and we all know Virginia can through all 4 seasons at you at once. Another hidden gem on the way to Mason Neck is the Pohick bay regional park.  When these parks are working together in this area there are many things to do with your dog.  For example at the end of the summer you can hike the trails at Mason Neck and then take your dog to Pohick Bay for the annual dog swim at the pool.
The park also attracts several other migrating and non-migrating species of birds, including whistling swans and assorted species of duck. Bald eagles also inhabit the area. The park boasts forests consisting of oaks, holly, hickory and other species of trees.

http://www.virginiaoutdoors.com/parks/details/mason-neck-state-park

Weather of the day:








The trip in 140 characters: tweeted later after I wrote it in my journal.

I do believe Leo (my dog) and my Mom are better geocachers than I am.Good thing they are on my team.
— Topher Gee (@WVUGEE) April 28, 2013

Most interesting thing to see:
For the first time on the Trail Quest we found an animal not in the Aves (bird) family.  When we were looking at some interesting posts that we haven't seen before, Megan the guest photographer for the day got very close to stepping on the snake pictured below.  It turns out the sign posts are for areas that need extra conservation and this little ribbon snake was hopping the border.  Would you be able to see him in the top right picture?

Extra items/needs:

• Bring Binoculars.  There are many bird perches, bird blinds, high trees and many areas to see animals in a natural habitat.  If you are a photographer our guest photographer recommends bringing a telephoto lens.

Trails Hiked:

• Meadowview Trail- the newest of the park trails
• Dogue Trail - pronounced like Rouge... yes we looked it up on the trail.
• Bay view Trail - an enjoyable loop trail with a great view of the bay and a bird blind towards the marsh.

VSP Mason Neck Garmin adventure 

Tree-Mendous Fact:
          Boxelder - mature size: 30-60 ft.
The common name comes from the wood's resemblance to that of a box shrub and the resemblance to those of elderberry.

Random Quote: French Soldier: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

Worst part of the trip:
This trip on a whole was great.  The only bad part of the trip was that we as a group were prepared for the highs for the day rather than the 40 degrees with wind that we saw for most of the morning.  All in all we just put on sweatshirts and jackets and just kept walking.