Exploring

 

Mr. Charlie and I went Exploring last week on Saturday. We left early and got to the Reserve before most people are getting up and about. I like it that way especially when I take my UnCharted Trails.

Actually, they are trails from long ago and are no longer included on the maps. They are perfectly fine for walking though and equine traffic would have damaged the sensitive plants that are in certain areas of the reserve.

I decided to walk along the base of some bluffs alongside the river. I'd gone this way in the late fall and thought it would be nice to see if any ice was forming along the NW facing bluffs.

Charlie and I saw some Coyote Hunters getting a lecture on something from the game warden otherwise, we saw no one. We turned off the main trail and found our way to the bluffs.

The bluffs sometimes have some incredible ice formations on them and in other spots they have some of the most interesting looking roots and fern growth.

This tree stops me in my tracks every time I walk by it. The twisted roots cling to the bluff and variations of cooler weather ferns hang out with it. Behind it on the rock are various colors of lichen.

To me, it is a wonder.

The edges of some of the bluff tops did have ice forming on them.

This one below is spectacular depending on the year. In past years I've observed these bluffs from the other side of the river. I wanted to see it up close. As melts and freezes continue, it becomes a river of frozen little waterfalls. 

More ice shot with the infrared camera:

When I got past these bluffs, I came to a spot where I'd have to climb rock or go up a valley to head further north. I decided to just end the hike here.

I peered at the huge chunk of rock upstream and noticed it had a gap in it that cannot be seen from the other side of the river.

If I am correct in my thinking, this is the same rock seen from the other in 2017.

And...I think I know how to get to it. Looking at the topo map, it will involve some rather difficult hiking.

That is one of my goals this winter or spring is to check out that 'hole'. It may not be possible, but how will I know unless I try?

The view from bridge 16 with my infrared camera. I was shooting for the black and white effect and was pleased.

I'll be returning to this bridge in the next few days to check out some more ice features and study that bluff from the west side of the river.

Rock Faces and the mystical hike

A while ago I met Aurora through reading some other blogs. We discovered that we both enjoyed photography and admired the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. On a whim I said we should get together and take a spring hike.

Yeah. I things like that don't often happen do they? I mean we all would love to meet some of the folks we interact via the internet. I did that years ago. Met up with a fellow horseback rider in Virginia when I went to visit my brother. She drove me up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway where we went hiking. Another time I met another photographer whose specialty was in Infrared. 

None of us turned out to be an Axe Murder-er-er...

Oh and there are plenty of folks I'd never want to really meet up with.

There is a lot of fun in meeting other folks. Especially those who have the same interests. The whole idea was to find a fascinating area and explore it with all of our senses. Enjoying the outdoors and the landscape was the main reason we got together.

After consulting with the Charlie the Trail Boss, we headed out to a very very secret and very unknown trail. The land varies with each sweep of the hill or draw. The pines  whisper of things long past. If a person stands quietly they can hear the old forest talking.

 
Really.
That is how it feels.
We made our way slowly along the valley with steep hills rising above us and a creek on our other side. 

Believe me, the colors and the amount of incredible spring flowers was nearly overwhelming...

I was keeping an eye on Charlie who loves to adventure ahead on the trail when I realized that Aurora had stopped. I mean like statue stopped. 

Charlie was watching her intently.

We were at the pine forest where the little bluffs started. 

I asked her if she was alright.
And her reply didn't surprise me. It went somewhat like this:

I'm just soaking all of this in. You probably see this all of the time and yet I am struck by it. I just...have
to stand here and...

That may not be her exact words. But I knew exactly what she was feeling. In 1997, I was with Rich in about the same spot staring up at the trees---, the bluffs, the angle of the hills, the pines,----  and suddenly I was overwhelmed by it all. I'd come from Kenosha, land of flat and here I was suddenly immersed in what felt like a primitive forest or land.

At the time I was speechless and all I could do was sit on Buck the mule and stare. I was positive that fairies and dragons lived in this land. 

I stood silent so pleased that this land struck her in the same way it had struck me so many years ago. 

After all, didn't a dragon just poke his head around this stump?

Oh wait. I see him!

The Rock Faces!
Aurora asked if I saw the face in the rock. I said I did! She saw one face and I saw different one. 

Here is the one I saw. The Sad Face. It looks like a statue from the Roman Empire that has been tilted. 

Can you see it?

Aurora will have to show 'her' rock face. Hopefully I just did not pressure her!

We left this valley and headed out the ridge. 

More about that maybe next time. 

I had the best time. Our hike/walk/adventure was fun. I enjoyed it with Aurora and seeing things through her eyes as she looked around. I do have to admit. KVR is overwhelming in so many ways.

I don't like to leave, I'd rather stay in the forest and hills and listen to the trees. Or...sit on top of Blackhawk rock and watch the world below awaken at sunrise.

Wait.
Can I just turn into a Wood Sprite?

Gone Hiking

Saturday looked like another dreary winter day. With very little snow and a 'brown' look to the frozen mud and woods, it wasn't exactly cheery looking.

I decided that it would be perfect for Charlie and I to head to the Kickapoo Valley Reserve to get my new yearly pass. Honestly, the $20 fee is reasonable as far as I am concerned. I don't mind paying it for access to about 8,600 acres of unique landscape.

I feel pretty lucky to live within a half hour's drive to get there and choose a good trail to hike. Last week the neighbors and I 'did' Warner Creek. This week Charlie and I were going back to Wiester Creek.

I just packed water and some emergency supplies. I wore a bright red cap too as there is public hunting allowed on the Reserve.

I am horrible at taking 'selfies' with my camera. However I thought it would be fun to see how Charlie's attitude about 'road trips' has changed over the past year.
I pulled over to snap this. Note that Charlie is indeed looking as if HE were the Navigator!

He now understands that we are travelling somewhere when I put his harness on. The past few times he has run to the passenger side of the Subaru and waited for me to set up his car seat.

I got to the little parking area and snapped the leash on Charlie. Off we went. I found it a bit unusual that the 'Ice' signs were not up, but it didn't bother me, I knew where we were going.

I let Charlie loose and immediately he took off following the tracks of a raccoon. I called him back and snapped up the leash. I doubted he'd find the raccoon, but I didn't want to take the chance that Charlie would corner him. Charlie is tiny and a raccoon...well, much bigger than Charles.

I wanted to head down Wiester Creek to the place last year where we'd seen what we dubbed the Orange Sherbert Ice Formation.

I took an old horse trail that ran just above the creek. The trail hasn't been used by equine in at least 20 years, but the indentions are still evident.

I think you can see why I like hiking in the winter time.
There is also the bug factor.
No Bugs!

Charlie suddenly stopped in the trail and stood as tall as he could.

Of course I expected him to say...'DANGER!' He didn't, he just listened and looked. Across the valley a combine fired up and started to work a corn field. No danger, just noise.

On we went until we came down to a draw with an ice flow.

Fresh tracks of raccoon among other kinds. They followed the ice flow to the creek.

Coyote tracks:

I stepped into the middle of the creek that had a little rock island.
And there was the ice in various stages of melting and forming.

Last year I couldn't get near to the orange looking ice because of the brush in the way and the shape of the creek itself.

Hopefully we will get some good weather for the ice to become 'more creative' and exciting.

Charlie and I hugged the bank and used an old trail to walk along the creek as far as we could heading back.

We found some interesting patches of ice hugging the crevices of the rock formations.

We spent quite a while here just sitting.

I had a lot of things to mull over and this was the perfect spot to do it.