Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Well, Jane got another itching to go RVing, and so made a reservation for two nights at Medoc Mountain State Park. This park became the 22nd North Carolina State Park (of 41 total) that I have visited. We shoved off around 3 pm with Zorro on board. He had been watching us prepare and load the RV throughout the day and willingly embarked. After escaping the Raleigh traffic, the 1.5-hour drive to the park was very pleasant.
At the park, we first perused the Visitor Center. There we learned that for about a century, the area around Medoc Mountain was famous for its grapes. In the 1830s, Sidney Weller started a successful scuppernong vineyard that was eventually sold to the Garret family who named it Medoc after the wine-producing area in France. By 1886, Medoc Vineyards covered 85 acres and was purportedly the largest east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1917, National Prohibition shut down Medoc Cellars. The vineyard continued to produce grapes, however, this production gradually diminished. BTW, Medoc “Mountain” rises to a soaring 325 feet asl.
At the Visitor Center, we also learned about the native Americans in this area. The Hilawa-Saponi tribe has almost 4,000 members and is the third largest tribe in North Carolina. (Hilawa is a contraction of ‘Halifax’ and ‘Warren’.) Today the tribe runs a charter school and administers economic development projects. Since 1965, the tribe has had a powwow every year (the 3rd weekend in April) featuring dancers, traditional foods, and sales of handmade pottery, jewelry, and leather goods.
We then proceeded to the campground and quickly set up at Site 34 (electricity only). The weather was pleasant, so we covered the picnic table, poured some refreshments, and played board games outdoors. After eating indoors, we sat outside awhile and allowed Zorro to explore the site before heading to bed.
 |
| Visitor Center – Medoc Mountain State Park |
 |
| Haliwa-Saponi Beadwork |
 |
| Zorro was Ready for Adventure |
 |
| Our Humble Abode – Site 34 |
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
The weather has been unseasonably cool, so I slept well but turned on the RV heater upon arising. Mid-morning, we headed out for a hike starting at the campground. We covered about 6.5 miles on four trails: Campground Loop, Stream Loop, Fishing Creek Loop, and Summit Loop. The scenery and terrain was varied and very pleasant. We walked through natural Piedmont forest with patches of flowering mountain laurel and along both banks of Fishing Creek. The 3-mile Summit Loop trail surrounded an area that had been control-burned in 2018. The contrast between the charred black forest on one side of the trail and the unscorched green forest on the opposite side was impressive. Along the summit trail, we encountered a family cemetery and noticed piles of native stone in patterns suggestive of the historic vineyard rows. On returning to the campground, we crossed a large field at the campground picnic shelter and playground area before Jane led us through an improvised short-cut through the woods.
Back at the RV, the weather had turned colder, cloudy and windy, so we stayed inside and spent the evening eating supper, working a small 300-piece jigsaw puzzle, watching television, and reading before turning in for the evening.
 |
| Along the Trail |
 |
| Playground beside the Picnic Shelter Area |
 |
| Little Fishing Creek |
 |
| Crossing Little Fishing Creek |
 |
| Evidence of the 2018 Controlled Burn (right) Contained within the Summit Loop Trail |
 |
| Vinson Family Cemetery along Summit Trail |
 |
| A Happy Hiker |
 |
| A Curious Forester |
 |
| Flowering Mountain Laurel |
 |
Our 6.5 Mile Hiking Route from the Campground, along
Fishing Creek, and along Medoc Mountain Summit |
Thursday, May 4, 2023
We headed out this cool morning around 10 am for a bike ride. We rode paved roads about 2 miles to and from the trail head. In total, we rode about 8.5 miles on three trails: Weller Loop, Bear Swamp, and Saponi Loop. The first two trails were relatively flat and easy, and portions paralleled Bear Swamp Creek. Saponi Loop started with a steep climb that about did me in. But, after a strenuous climb, the rocky and rooty trail became more manageable. Although the ride was a bit jarring, the scenery was excellent. However, Jane and I were happy once we made it back to the smooth asphalt on the return trip to the campground.
 |
| Crossing Bear Swamp Creek on the Saponi Loop |
 |
Our 8.5 mile Bicycle Route from the Campground and
along Weller Loop, Bear Swamp, and Saponi Loop Trials |
Back at the RV, we relaxed and ate lunch. The campground was becoming deserted, so we let Zorro outside to explore the site some more. We then packed up, drove to the campground dump station and departed for home. The trip back was also pleasant except for a road construction delay near home.