Holiday Weekend

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve closed all trails but old Hwy 131 and Star Valley to bikes and horses. This was because the Kickapoo River likes to come up fast, crest, and come down quickly when it floods.

If we get a half inch of rain right now, the rivers and streams just fill up and overflow their banks.

I thought it would be fun to check out the bridges and the places where the river had crossed the old trail.
Keep in mind that this trail was the original Highway 131 that was closed in the 1960's when the government built a new road that didn't flood. The intention was to put up a dam too and make a manmade lake for tourism.

Anyway I've gone over that history before on one of my older blogs.

The point is, the old road is maintained for bike riding, walking, riding horses, and in the winter one can cross country ski a groomed trail along this same path. Walkers are welcome if they stay off the groomed parts.

I took my Infrared camera because bright sunshine, green grass, 

water, and clouds make for 

more interesting photos in IR.

The water was brown and a bit angry. The river had come up on two of the bridges but by the time I got there, it was already receding.

Looking at the other end of bridge 15.

Angry waters...

Just around this bend was what is called a log jam. The Reserve posted this shot today to show anyone who thought of canoeing, that the river was still a bit unsafe and to use caution. Also a person would have to pull out of the river do a portage to continue.

People are asked to use common sense and caution. This quiet little river has its ways of being sneaky. I kayaked it last year when all was calm and quiet and it still can be a challenge.

I promised hubby that I wouldn't ride through any of the water that was over the trail. This part was only a few inches deep, but further north of this spot it could have been as deep as a foot or so. 

I was just more interested in seeing the water on the trail.

Photo taken with my IR camera.

I just wanted to explore the beauty of the water and the reflections. 

I enjoyed my time on the bike even stopped to visit with this little guy. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use my Alien Tourist.

I went to bed early and woke up at 2AM. The smart thing would have been to go back to bed. I don't always do the smart thing.

I wanted to see the Milky Way. The photo stinks, but there it is. I went for a walk in the dark. It just seemed right at the time.

I stayed up after I got back home. I asked Charlie if he wanted to go out with me to see a foggy sunrise.

And it was amazing...

By 7AM I was ready for a nap. That is exactly what I did.

The 4th of July was super chilled here. I read a book while sitting on my little rocker on the porch.

Why not?

It was just perfect. Naps, beauty, reading, and rocking...

Except when I went to take a shower and found out that the water heater was ka...put.

Oh well, even that won't wreck our holiday weekend.

Tomorrow morning, I am meeting a friend from the gym and we are climbing a bluff just before dawn to watch the sun rise and welcome in the day.