STOKES
Moore’s Knob in Hanging Rock State Park
2579′
#35/100 North Carolina county highpoints
In the 1980’s a pair of entrepreneurs decided to design something for the burgeoning exercise industry and created:
THE STAIRMASTER
StairMaster, meet Moore’s Knob loop trail.
Although this 4.7 mile loop begins near a peaceful lake, it quickly succumbs to one long stair climb.
And what do we find on the summit rocks?
Germans!
We can hear the German language as we approach the top. Loren is very pleased to brush off his conversational German skills and chat them up. The children had been born in North Carolina when their parents were working here, and this was their first trip back since they were little kids.
The last set of stairs leads to the top of the observation tower!
We also hear and eventually see the Black-throated Green Warbler, although this is NOT my photo:
We descend on the other section of the loop, which is longer, but less steep–so fewer stairs!
Note to ourselves:
Begin the next 5-miler BEFORE noon, especially in the warmer months.
My.Bird.Walks. 
Thanks, for this visual & verbal record of this modest feat (with a couple of bird identifications). I wish I could share them with my daughter Sarah.
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