Nickell Branch 2.0 LBL

The weather has changed! Yesterday it was really windy! Then it rained and the winds died down. Then it rained again and again and again. We did not move yesterday but Moki and I got out between drops and walked a short portion of the Honker Trail. We’ve walked this before but this time we noticed blue slag along a section of the trail, an indication an iron furnace used to be in the area. We got quite the rain overnight but it let up this morning so we headed north stopping twice to explore. Our first stop was in a tiny bay that provided access to a road leading to Homers Garage. Homer Ray owned Ray’s Garage and was a holdout not leaving the LBL until 1969. The only remains of his garage are an old school bus and the foundation of what was probably a house. After visiting the garage we pulled anchor going a few more miles to another small bay. Here Moki and I hiked to the Marlor house AKA Hotel California. Hotel California is the shell of the former home of Captain Grover Marler who was a riverboat captain. He’d built the house to be a retirement home for he and his wife. Our final destination today is Nickell Branch. We were here about a month ago and it will be our last 2.0. From here on we are back in virgin (well for this trip) territory. There’s a great trail here which Moki and I will hike weather permitting before we leave in the morning.Read more