Recent Articles from BRMC Newsletters

Trail Talk

Another season in the mountain house has come and gone. The steamy summer nights have faded under the silently falling chill of autumn. Soon the trees will shed their canopy of leaves and blanket the mountain trails from East End to Ridge. If I were a talented writer I'd insert a haiku or sonnet to invoke a mental glimpse of the majestic serenity of the Bull Run Mountains in fall… but I think having the personal experience is better.

As you already know, the trails are open for your enjoyment every day from sunrise to sunset. However, you may not know that two nights a year we invite visitors to enjoy a post-sunset stroll at our Halloween Safari. This is an annual event held on the Friday and Saturday prior to Halloween. Visitors to the preserve are led on a flashlight-lit tour through the preserve where native species perform natural history skits at various locations. In the last newsletter I moaned about the trials of selecting a costume for this event. After countless hours of meditation and self-reflection about this issue, I'm happy to report I've made a costume decision. I won't reveal what my idea is, but I will give some hints: it is not moss, it has more than two legs, in nature this creature isn't very scary, if this creature weighed 180 pounds it'd be really scary, and it has never been used in past Halloween Safaris.

On September 25, BRMC held its annual Commemoration of the Engagement at Thoroughfare Gap of August 28, 1862. The Bull Run Mountains were the site of this strategically critical Civil War engagement. The skirmish was meant to slow the Confederate troops under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet. As in years past, this event combined great speakers, walking tours, exhibitors, live music, and Hog Wild Barbeque. Jim Burgess, Historical Interpreter for the Manassas National Battlefield, led tours of the quarry trench-site of the Civil War engagement where the stone used to build the mill was quarried. The first speaker, Marcia Markey, performed an incredible act portraying a resident of the Bull Run Mountains based on diaries, letters, and other primary sources. Our second speaker, Dave Goetz, shared his historical knowledge in his presentation entitled "The Life and Times of Singleton Mosby." Dave's passion for the subject was apparent in his presentations, delivered while wearing a Civil War uniform, and he really drew the audience into the story. The final speaker, Victoria Price, lectured with flare on women and their roles during this trying time in history. Between the walking tours and the speakers, everyone was treated to musical performances by Chuck Durfor and Evergreen Shade.

BRMC would like to thank all of the presenters, exhibitors, volunteers, and others for making this event a success. Thanks to all of those who attended the program and helped to support BRMC. This commemoration is an annual event—we look forward to seeing you the next time.

I'd like to thank our new visitors who have made the commitment to support by becoming members. We appreciate your support and enjoy seeing you on the trails. As a caretaker, nothing is more rewarding than to see people hiking the trails and enjoying nature, on this mini-oasis we know as Bull Run Mountains Conservancy.