Exploring

I know this trail well, I've done it several times but never in the winter. So after discovering this valley of ice one of my friends who I met through the gym asked if she could go along. She wasn't sure if she could handle a long hike but I told her we could cut it short.

I told Pat that my favorite way to hike was to stop and look at things and not hurry as if we were in a competition.

I found out that she is that way also. When she found Turkey Tail Mushrooms on a log she had to stop and investigate and photo them. We found tiny branches with burls on them and she collected them along with some fascinating Lichen we found on a stick in the trail.

This is Pat's winter Lego person investigating mosses we found on an old white pine stump.

I was 'hunting' ice and we found quite a bit of it.

We stopped here and I was enamored with the ice and the pines. Pat found more fungi and interesting pine cones. She explored mosses and whatever else captured her attention.

We marveled at the Hemlock trees that clung to the small bluffs.

We had a pretty good laugh at one of the little stream crossings that had thin ice and water flowing. 

I tested the ice like a goofball and jumped on it.

I broke through the ice. I fell on my butt with my boots in the water and jumped up and across the stream.

I'm not sure what Pat thought, but I laughed with such joy that she decided join in. My one foot probably got wet but my butt was dry.

I asked her if she thought I was crazy and she just smiled. Then she bent down to take a photo of the tiny stream. She jumped the stream and went on.

When we got back to the parking area, I informed her that we'd done just over 5 miles and I asked her how she felt. She said fine. The point was, we were going on an adventure not on a strict hike. The steps went by as we enjoyed nature and each others quiet company.

I asked if she'd do it again. Affirmative. She enjoyed herself.

Through this past year and the death of my husband, Pat has quietly given me support and listened to me without judgement. She doesn't tell me how to get through it and offers none of the platitudes that others give out. On some days when we meet at the gym and work out with the group, she brings me a 'Care Supper'. 

I am finding that this quiet unassuming southerner is probably one of the best girlfriends I could ever have.

I am looking forward to more exploring with her. They will be trails I've already familiar with, but to take another person with fresh eyes is always a special delight.

 

I don't

 ...watch TV or the Superbowl as most of Television doesn't interest me. 

However I will only say this...

I love this quote that I saw when I watched the news.

That's all folks. I will repeat this to myself over and over.

"The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate is Love"

Winter Discovery

 Serendipity is an incredible thing. 
The shot above was just that.
I turned around and saw this
incredible light while hiking.

So, on Wednesday Charlie was not going to let me go alone again on a hike. So I picked a place close to home once more and took a trail I have never taken in the winter time.

I wanted to change things up a bit. I always go to the same spots in the winter to look for ice formations.

I thought I'd try something different.

Boy, 
am I glad I did!

I took this trail which I only visit in the spring time as it is full of Virginia Bluebells and this is one of the finest places to listen to the Spring Peepers sing.

Spring view ... 

Below, not a great shot, because I used my little pocket camera....
Winter view.. [sorry it is such an awful shot the white balance was completely blown away!]

It was quite frozen. By next week, when it warms up for another thaw, the view will be quite different. 

Below is a view from the other side of that little bluff.

Charlie and I followed another trail I've never done in the winter. I had an idea that I'd see more 'ice caves' on this particular trail. I did. 

I counted 6 rock shelters and deep ravines. They all have water that seeps out of the rocks. This drains down into a valley and out into the river. 

It isn't so noticeable the rest of the year, because the water is just gently oozes out of the rocks and follows the ravine down through the thick woods.

The winter temperatures change that and freeze the water as it gently comes out. 

I wanted to see what the wetland looked like in the winter. Part of the trail goes through a large steep valley that is quite soggy.

Summer view:

Winter view:

In the spring, this portion of the valley is full of one of the very first spring plants that flowers. The Skunk Cabbage. 

This is where I stopped hiking for the day and just did a bit of exploring. The icy valley is huge and begs to be explored. 

We spent some time walking around. Charlie did his dog thing of sniffing and following tracks and I just fell in love with the lighting and atmosphere of this particular place.

Here Charlie just checking things out.

In the first shot he is looking down the valley
where the water eventually goes to 

reach the Kickapoo River.

The steep hillsides with the noon sun shining through the trees created

a magical atmosphere.

This is the valley to 
the North.

Cellphone shot attempt at a panorama view 

of the valley to the west.

I think I found my 'new' favorite place to go in the winter at least until I explore it more.

Another Hike

 Life is Movement and a dirty car.

In most sections of this trail, I was the only one making human tracks.

The weather broke with sunny skies and tufts of brilliant white clouds. As much as I hated to, I left Charlie at home for a day of rest and headed out to my favorite close to home 'haunt' at the Reserve. I thought I'd try a different combination of trails that would add up to a 7 miler.

Though towards the end I skipped one section as the snow was deeper on that trail and no human or animal had yet walked it.

I opted for the short cut and ended up with 6.33 miles [according to Garmin]. The snow was not hard and not compacted. It felt like walking in sand. Also, our snow is only about 2 to 3 inches deep in most places but in drifted spots it was knee deep.

Part of the trail did involve walking on the road for a bit. 

Bridge 14 over the
Kickapoo River

During all the summer months, this backroad is full of tourist traffic and loud motorcycles  on their way to one of the state parks or to the biker/hiker/canoer bar that is located on the edge of the Reserve [Rockton Bar]. 30 years ago it was mainly canoers and equine riders that went to the bar-restaurant. They DO serve awesome food.

On my walk through this time, I didn't see a single vehicle. Maybe that is why I like winter hiking so much.

I didn't freeze on this hike. In fact I had to stop at one point and take my sweatshirt off and tie it around my waist. I got that warm by late in the afternoon.

The only other person I saw on my wanderings was Jesse the cop/land manager who was grooming the cross country ski trail [bike trail in the summer]. We waved.

I did have a few successful 'Landscape ICM' photos.

On a whim I did these. To me they are just interesting, I wanted them to feel like paintings.

The pines

Windblown

Lone oak

Valley Boy

 The temps finally came up Sunday but the winds were wicked. Charlie had been bugging me, so we got out for a walk along the neighbor's field. We could walk along the forest edge and get some protection from the wind.

Charlie stops to inspect the Log Skidder. There is a lot of waste with this logging operation. The wood they leave behind could warm thousands of homes. 
The Skidder was quiet and Charlie decided to go up and give the tire a bit of his doggy business. 

We dropped down into a very steep 'ravine' or what we call a dry run. It is like a narrow ravine shaped from years of run off. This particular one has a spring have way down its 1/2 mile length. In the winter the water seeps from the spring and freezes in layers over the boulders and mosses.

Charlie knows where I want to go and he keeps an eye out for anything and everything.

The ice from the tiny spring appears to be blue green. It could be from the 'gumbo clay' that it passes through.
I seriously don't know what gumbo clay is, but it is greyish green and can be molded when wet and falls apart when dried.

We explore, we take some cellphone shots and we head up the steep side of the hill. The climb out is 248 feet of elevation change. I do it each winter a few times because I find the blue/green ice so fascinating to see.

We did it once more. Into PeeWee's Valley to the blue/green ice and out. Below is a mini video looking back at what we climbed out of.

This is a shot from 10 years ago when Morris [my Jack Russell] and I explored it for the first time. Yes, the shot is terrible, it was from my old point and shoot camera and it is what it is.
However it shows how much this ravine fills with ice over the winter.

The ice is easily 4 feet deep.

Our tradition continues.

Last days of January

I needed to get out with Charlie as we were both going 'nuts'. It warmed up just enough to feel sort of okay with a face mask.

I drove the short distance to the local DNR land at Tainter Creek. My big surprise when I got there was that the DNR had mowed the flats down. The tiny bushy trails were gone and the area was cleaned up. I imagine it was time so that when Trout Season opened, the anglers [and people like me] could walk along the stream and enjoy its beauty.

Tainter Creek is in one of the most steepest valleys in our area. If we get a flood, this place is under water. 

Roads quickly get washed out and slowly get repaired.

2018 Washout:

But all is good now. We got there on the 30th when the sun was disappearing over the southwest hillsides. Part of the valley was sunny, the other half was in deep shadow.

Sign for this area

Most of this first walk was in shadows and between the shadows and the stream and a light breeze, things got pretty chilly.

We didn't make it all of the way around because 'someone' got cold. Probably from me stopping and taking so many photos of the ice and water.

And this little guy sat in the cold and ice to watch a squirrel tease him on the other side of the deep stream. 

I went back the next morning and left Chilly Willy Charlie at home to recover. This way the only feet that would get cold would be my own.

The warmth could be felt from the sunlight in the morning and the glow from the hillsides were reflected in any open spots.

It was simply stunning.

My feet did get a bit cold while standing in the deeper snow and squatting next to the stream. But it was all worth it.

Tainter Creek DNR land is worth the look.

In the spring the ephemerals are all over this valley. Blood Root, Virginia Bluebells, Dutchman's Breeches, anemones, Trout Lily's and so much more.

I've rarely ever visited this valley so close to home in the winter. I am glad I did.

My feet did warm up once I got to the road and walked back to the parking area. 

I'll go again once the weather makes another change.

Charlie?

He said he'd wait for the next big adventure which we had planned for Sunday.