Chasing ice

 

Thursday after lunch I took off to go look for ice along the bluffs of the Kickapoo River. I waited until after noon to head out as I was hoping for it to warm up above 10 F. It did, but the windchill was still at something like 9 F, if you were facing the winds.

I knew that hiking along the bluffs would keep me on the east side of the river with the forest and the bluff blocking part of the cool breeze. However, since the sun never shines on this section of the bluffs ... except on late summer evenings, it would be chilly next to the rocks.

That is perfect for the formation of little ice falls. Last year there was almost no ice or water in this area due to the drought we'd been having. This was promising sign to see. There is a small 'pond' under the rock that was frozen solid.

Light reflects strangely on ice and water which is why I took my Infrared Camera again.

I'm not sure why the mosses don't turn out with the same amount of colors. I suppose it is just how the light reached the moss and the ice in these two areas.

What the ice looks like in camera:

I channel swap, which means I swap the colors and blue can become pinkish, reddish, or with this filter more orange colored. The ice will almost turn blue with most filters [except the 850nm range which is a B&W filter...very useful for white fluffy clouds against a black sky]

Here was another unpredictable shot. I thought this would just turn out yuck with nothing fun. I wanted to see if I could differentiate the ice hidden inside this fern and moss covered area. It turned out to be my favorite shot of the day.

Some IR photographers call this 'Candy Colored' and I think it is! But the detail in the ferns turned out pretty neat. 

I did take some normal shots, but not many.

Hiking down Willow Trail.

Long Tall Shadows on old 131 Trail.

Charlie, the Explorer. 

9-10 Trail and bluffing

As you can see by the 'map' of my walk with Charlie, we ambled and rambled. We took our time to explore off trail as well as explore the trail.

The 9-10 Trail has two river access campsites. I'm not sure I'd want to camp with the skeeters. However, what cooler way to find a campsite than to Kayak or Canoe to it?

Since the Kickapoo is so prone to flooding, there are warning signs at the trail head for those who hike/bike/or ride their equine in. I imagine a person could walk their tent and camping stuff into these sites much easier than trying to drag their equipment up the hills.

However coming in from the river would feel so much more remote.

Canoe or Kayak access to camp S.

The trail is fairly wide to start with and nicely forested. Charlie lead the way.
This part of the trail is basically a way of keeping equine and other trail users off the highway between Bridge 9 and 10. Thus the name, The 9-10 Trail.

We broke out into a mowed path with the woods on one side and a corn field on the other. 
Yawn.

I turned around at the end of the trail not far from the trail head of the Big Valley Trail where it meets Hwy 131. We walked back. And then I kept an eye out for an old equine trail. They are faint and hard to spot, but the deer and other critters still use these old trails.

I ducked through the underbrush and ...

there it was... no words really to describe the feeling here...

and then there were the mushrooms...

and

Charlie was rather unimpressed. 

But he tolerated me saying ... ohhhh....

ahhh

Charlie LOOK!

Unless I said 'Cookie', he was just going to sit and watch me. What a good little trail dog.

We found our way back out and I headed across the bridge to check out part of the Dutch Hollow Trail. I found an old alternate route that was no longer maintained.

Charlie and I paused to find a safe way down off the bluff.

We finally found the old trail down.

More 'shrooms...

We headed back to landing #10 and crossed the 9-10 trail off our list. However, I do want to go back once the leaves have fallen to see all the rock formations in all of their glory.

And find 

more old

trials.

Road Trip sort of

I had to go to LaCrosse for an checkup on our Subaru. I generally take a quick little side trip while I am there.

Yesterday I went over to Goose Island. It is a nice county park with little roads going to different parts of the island. I think there are something like 8 or more picnic shelters that can be reserved and several playgrounds. All along the river access are picnic tables and some trees for shade. There is a campground for tents and a grounds for RV's.

It is on a slough to the Mississippi River and between LaCrosse and Stoddard Wisconsin. It is beautifully maintained and the county road GI is well maintained with wide shoulders to pull off on.

I try to get there a couple of times a year just to enjoy driving around the place and seeing if I can find something to photograph. I'm always on a time crunch as the other half is keeping tabs on my time. I called him to let him know I was taking a drive through the park. 

Time to test more with that long lens!

Here is Chippy! A seven striped Chipmunk. I was tickled that he just sat there while I took his photo. I stayed in my car as not to spook him.

I saw this doe along the slough, so I parked the 'Ru and walked slowly back up the side of the road.

I was able to take 3 shots of her before she took off, bounding through the low lands.

Along WigWam Slough, I found these turtles. I've cropped this but if you can look at it full sized it looks like the turtle on the right is 'snarling' at the one on the left. 

So do you suppose turtles fight?

Ninja Turtles!

A view of the bluff on the other side of highway 35. In regular color and then in Infrared. Wink...wink. You know I couldn't help myself!

The shots were taken in different spots on the county road.

It was warm and the sky was amazing. The clouds kept changing and developing beautiful Cumulus clouds. 

I'll be headed back to get new tires next week. I'll grab my gear and walk to downtown LaCrosse and visit the Riverside Park while I wait for the car to be fitted with new rubber.

Perhaps I will be lucky enough to see one of the Steamboats go by while I am there.

Big Adventure!

"Okay Charlie, you take care of Dad," I said as I donned my coat and made a last second check of my camera stuff.

I was only going to take my 35mm lens, it works well for night photography and I've used it for shooting the Milkway with some success.
I didn't grab the better of the two tripods and settled with the one that I trek through the woods with.

I was a bit nervous about one...meeting up with other photographers, but I figured Kristi would probably be there. [Kristi was the one I met at the fair and she told me about the Camera Club.] I got there a bit early and joined some men sitting just outside the room the club met in.
I was also a bit hesitant to leave Rich and Charlie on their own. Would Rich hear Charlie when he had to go potty? He usually doesn't even though they are only a few feet apart. Rich can be so engrossed in watching whatever program is on, that he can't seem to hear a thing.

By the time the meeting was over and I drove to the Riverside park, I was done being nervous.
The Rotary Lights were almost overwhelming. I'd seen them briefly in 2010 but had never actually gone and walked through the display.

I pulled on some snow pants in the parking lot, grabbed a hand warmer and opened it up. I dropped one into my hunting glove/mit and checked my camera settings before I even left the Subaru. The outside temperature was 19 degrees and calm.
I zipped up my coat, grabbed the tripod and walked towards the river.

I was fumbling around with my glove/mitts and tripod when one of the other members walked up to me and started to set up. It was Kristi, she said that she had decided to come to the park after all. She commented that she'd wander around until she got too cold.

I was grateful for her company. We spent an hour or so wandering around slowly trying out different settings to take photos. What really amazed me was while we were taking shots or setting up the people that were walking about were so nice! The groups of teenagers would say hello and then duck out of our way with a *sorry* or *pardon me* tossed over their shoulders.

To capture the whole view of the park, you have to drive over a bridge to another small park and you can 'shoot' the lights reflecting on the water.

I did want to do that but it got late and I realized that Rich may be worried or he may sit up and watch for me to come home.

When Kristi said she was cold and her hands were numb, I walked backed to the parking area with her.

I called Rich from the car and told him I was just leaving the Riverside Park. He sounded a bit disappointed and said that I was still an hour away.

I agreed and told him that I'd had a really great time and got to see some amazing lights.

As I came down the drive way through the woods, I could see the porch lights turn on. Yes, he had been watching.
Both he and Charlie seemed relieved to see me.

It was a wonderful adventure.

I need to figure out a time to get back there again this season. This time from across the river.

I hope to skip out with Charlie today to the Kickapoo Valley Reserve to walk along one of my favorite trails and perhaps get a photo worthy of a Christmas Card!

Hiking is good for the soul

Sunday was foggy and misty. Damp, dreary, and basically an ugly day. The sort of day that most people would cuddle up with a Kindle or a book and sit on the couch to read.
I thought it was a marvelous day to hike.

I packed some dried apples that I'd done this fall and water. I chose my clothes for layering. Hiking in the damp chilly weather can be uncomfortable if one is too warm or too cold.

Water, snack, compass, phone, camera, spare batteries, and a second pair of gloves...all check.
Area I was going to hike? Memorized. I'd downloaded a file of the place on my cell phone also.

I parked and got out. This was an exploration trip. I wanted to see how easy the trail would be. I wanted to find a scenic and rather easy hiking area to take friends to.

This is Old 131 Trail in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.
In the summer it is a multi use trail. In the winter it is a CC ski trail that allows hiking alongside the groomed trail as well as snow shoeing. I decided to park along County P and hike south to the ponds.

The trail looked rather easy and level on the map, it followed the valley along side the Kickapoo River.
I wanted to see how long it would take me to hike quickly to the ponds. There is an observation 'deck' that faces east over one of the ponds.
I'm thinking it would be an amazing spot to watch a sunrise.

However, I am getting ahead of myself.

I was chilled right away. So I set a fast pace and headed south. I'd brought my ancient GPS device and tried to set it to the Trip Setting which would tell me how far I was going and the speed at which I traveled. I had a hard time making it work, for some reason the menus were evading me.
I dropped it back into my pocket.
I had an app on my cell phone called Sun Locator Lite. I could bring up a map from it if I needed to...if I was able to get reception!

I got to Bridge 15 much faster than I anticipated. I slowed down and looked at the river.
Through the trees I could see a rock formation.
I went off 'track'. I followed a deer trail alongside the river and had to negotiate a lot of piles of dead trees and wood from an accumulation of flash floods along the Kickapoo.

I was stunned when I came around some trees. I think I even said something like, "Holy Cow" or "OH my God!" or perhaps an "Oh Shit!"
I know, potty mouth right? I probably let my sailor mouth run off a bit.
Be still my beating little stony heart.

I continued along the river.

I decided to just stand still and look for a bit. The scenery was incredible and very hushed. The only noises were that of the river flowing.

All I kept thinking is, do I have enough time to stay here and explore? Should I follow the river? Common sense said I'd come back to the next bridge. The Kickapoo is known quite well for its twists and turns.

I looked up between the above pictured bluffs and saw a river of ice flowing down through the trees towards the river. I imagined myself exploring that area.

I turned around and retraced my steps and went back to the bridge. I put away the camera and shouldered the back pack. I hustled along crunching in the left over dusting of snow and ice covering the blacktop trail.

It seemed only minutes before I arrived at the next bridge. Bridge 16.

I was on the lookout for a way across the river that would connect this trail to the Little Canada trail across the river. I'd taken that trail last winter with the neighbors.

I enjoyed the view from the bridge for a bit and then checked out what I thought was another trail. It was just a short path to a summer campsite.
I turned around and kept up the fast paced march.
Here I walked alongside the river. I could see the hills and forest of Little Canada. I had ridden that trail in 1996 through 1999 when the reserve had changed hands.

I came around a curve and slowed down. I could hear water splashing. It reminded me of the Artisan wells that dotted the areas. I thought they had all been capped.

Color me tickled. I found one!

I came back out on the trail and saw the frozen ponds ahead of me. To my right a sign indicated a camp site and a horse only trail. I noted that it said NO bicycles and thought it was ironic that someone had taken a 'fat' tire bike down the trail.

I walked the trail and tried to recall if I'd ever ridden this trail. I must have at some point. I returned to bluffs. I know I'd hiked the bluffs above this point and ridden my mule also.
But I was stopped in my tracks again.

Why wouldn't I be?

I walked around another pile or two of flash flood debris and stopped. I had found the place.

What place?
I don't know, a place that gave me pause and gave me a sense of something not felt in a long time.
I let out a breath and stood still just letting my senses drink it all in. I felt calm and relaxed in so many ways.

I heard a squeak and looked up. A Bald Eagle landed in one of the pines above me. I just watched. I didn't attempt to pull out my camera. I was just happy to be in the moment.

I had reached the 'spot'. I unpacked the dried apples and chewed on them. I'd bring my friends back here and share this with them in about 10 or so days.

I sipped my water and decided that I'd take a look at the observation 'deck' at the pond and then head back.

I got out my compass and noted that the observation bench and area faced east. As I'd said earlier, this would be a great place to watch the sun rise. I noted that I was about equidistant from the parking on County P or the parking at the KVR building.
I think the hike would be fairly easy as it is along an old road.

I turned and waved to the bluffs and headed back.

So much more to explore.

Gone Fishing

We do a daily morning list nearly every day to set out two things that should be accomplished.

This is to assist with Rich's Aphasia and mild Apraxia. He has had some difficulty processing new things. We found out that spoken language is harder for him to recall than things that are visual.

So to help with the memory issues we have been making our morning list each morning with our coffee.

The list can be super simple.
Mow yard
Move hoses
or
Do Speech Therapy Homework
Move water tank

Yesterday we thought about the list and I started getting some things together. Rich looked up and said.
"Fishing. I'd like to go fishing."
Then he went on to say that the fish are probably not biting, or it won't be any good or there may be crowds.
But I got the hint and said, "Fishing would be awesome. Let's go fishing."

I headed out the door and did chores while he got the fishing poles together and arranged his little tackle box.

Off we went. He wanted to go to the place where he and Daryl had gone a few weeks ago. That is all he has been talking about for a while now.
I knew where Blackhawk Park was, but insisted on asking him which way did we need to go?

He gave me directions.
I really wanted to go to a place just south of Ferryville below the lock and dam. However, Blackhawk it was.

The little fish were biting but no big ones. The waters had receeded in the park leaving some brown stained shorelines along with gnarly trees. All neat things to get your fishing hook snagged in.

The snags made for an interesting composition with a long exposure at least. I sort of cheated. I love fishing, but love photos of water too.

I took out my Infrared filter and attached it to the camera.

Things look so much more interesting in the bright sunlight with an IR filter.

The fish weren't biting here either. So we drove left Blackhawk.

Rich said we should have brought snacks and said he was hungry. I suggested we drive over to The Bright Spot in DeSoto and have lunch.
As luck would have it, fish dinner was on special. So we had our fish dinner anyway!

We drove past the Veteran's Park in DeSoto, and then checked out the landings on Hwy 82. The wind was gusting by then and so we decided to call it a day and head home.

The day was not a bust. We'd enjoyed each others company, went out to lunch, and scoped out places to fish.

It was a good day.
We'd gone fishing.

And I got a few IR shots that turned out pretty nifty.