Lots of Orange and chasing Fall

Can't sleep? 

3AM and the house is silent. Too quiet.

Since nothing else worked, I got up. 

I lit up two candles and then noticed the nice light that shone on the fall decorations. I couldn't help myself but to set up the camera and see if I could capture the orange light tossed off by the candles.

By the time the sun rose, I was ready for something else to do. Charlie and I decided to take a very early morning walk. This is where our driveway meets the ridgetop.

I spent the rest of the morning clearing burdock and making brush piles in the mule's winter pasture. I cannot believe how many burdock plants there are! 

This area can't be mowed as it is full of rocks and logs.

We decided to take a break and hike the Rockton Trail on the Reserve. Bright orange and yellow were the colors of the day. There are some bow hunters in parts of the Reserve, but they are usually not near any well used trails.

However, bright colors are best thing for hiking at this time of the year. 

I parked at the Rockton canoe landing and headed down the Old 131 trail which is paved. Actually, it should be called the Old County P trail. The northern part of the Old 131 trail [as it is named now], was actually a county road that met up with the old highway.

Any time there was a heavy rain the County Road was closed due to it being right next to the Kickapoo.

You can see that the trail had river water on it from Tuesday's rain.

The river. 

I was standing on the paved trail when I took this shot.

One thing most people miss while biking, hiking, or riding horses on this trail are the cold rock vents. These little bluffs have cracks and vents in them. On a warm day you can stand on the trail and feel the cold damp air coming from the rock face. I've walked up to the rocks and cooled off on hot days.

The loop I did stayed mostly on the Ho Chunk land which is open for public use. This covered bridge replaced the county road bridge over a small stream.

After the bridge, I followed the Indian Creek Trail to the second Ho Chunk bridge. This trail leaves the Old 131 Trail and used to be a secondary road also.

Charlie perked up once we got into the woods again.  This section was rather muddy and the little dog really got his little jacket full of mud splatters.

When I got back out on top of the ridge I came across a gent who just loaded up his Spring Spaniel. We talked about Pheasant Hunting, Quail, Deer, and dogs. He was also a Forester who helped people decided what trees should be taken and how to keep a forest producing. He had a lot to say about clear cutting and poor forest practices.

We probably talked for a half hour. 

When we finally got back to the Blue Beast, there was a mom and two grandma's loading kids into strollers for a walk on the paved trail.

I was done chasing colors and leaf peeping for the day. Brush piles waited for me at home as well as a Charlie bath.

Charlie did not like his bath.

Another beautiful fall day completed.