Saturday, November 14, 2020

Friday, The 2nd Day Of 4 - 2020/11/06

Friday morning early, the moon so bright I got up and out without turning on a single auxiliary light source. In moonlight here, even before 6am with my phone camera using the slow shutter setting.  I didn't need the light to walk about, find the picnic table, sit down at the picnic table or to start my coffee and oatmeal water.



 In no hurry to get out on the bike, I went out for a dawn walk and to do some exploring.  There were other plans for the rest of the morning, suiting up for some more bike miles would wait.

The tree in center image fell into the crook of an adjacent tree...it was never, ever going to tip over.

An abandoned picnic table, in fact, an entire abandoned campground loop.  I have to speculate that it was either because of high water (beavers) or the many dying trees that seemed to be falling everywhere.  The log benches in my campsite were from and were covering a couple of the stumps.  The sun is just a glow on the horizon, not officially up yet.



You know how beavers are...patience is paramount.  Wait, sitting often required and quiet is best, I know because I've done it.  I've waited and watched numerous times and Friday was a perfect chance to do it once again.  Later that same evening while sitting around the campfire there were two loud crashes in the dark.  It might have been spooky for someone that didn't know the industrious swimmers were nearby but I had done my exploring and was wise to their industriousness.

An early swim


 

Friday morning's plan was to be a hike into the woods, the emphasis less on the hike and instead on rigging my hammock and tarp, loading, carrying and using my pack, its first trip.  As mentioned in the last post, I camped at Perch lake and the Rainbow Lakes Wilderness Trail had a perfect access trailhead right across the road.

There was no real planned destination or distance, the goal just to do some walking and carrying of the pack, then pick a spot to setup my resting spot.


I didn't know going in but figured it out very quickly....the Anderson Grade had been one of the area's many narrow gauge railroad lines, all built to remove logs and send them to market.

I was proud of myself....



Delicate magic....

This USGS topo map from 1953 is part of my Avenza collection and was referred to a lot all weekend.  Buro Lake is west of where the blue dot is, marking my lunch stop location.  The old railroad grade is on the map as are many of the old abandoned (even in 1953) narrow gauge lines.  The "Camp" up in the right corner is one of the CCC camps that I passed.







 





Back to camp...look at this...a week into November and I'm comfortable in my Tshirt; it was as warm and inviting as it looks.

Another little side Forest Road...another quiet little rustic boat launch.


 

The photo above was taken on the way out to the blue dot, the edge of the National Forest..  Someone's driveway continued east and there was a realtor sign...For Sale.  So if you're looking for privacy...

This was at the blue dot while I was turning around....and in the process of slowly as in slow motion, laying the bike down.  Left foot on slippery leaves into a muddy wheel rut.  Foot slipped down....I pulled it back but not quite far enough to get the bike vertical.  Repeat, maybe 10 times, patiently but to no avail because the slide that my heel-less boot was making was getting deeper and slipperier.  Finally, I just let it gently down on the left side engine guard.  It was an easy lift but for a long number of seconds, I'd have given a reasonable sum for some boots with heels.

When you get to Heaven's Video Store, look this one up.

A small trail off to the south, this amazing high bank above one of the branches of the White River.

 

Johnson Springs...



One of many trailheads into the Rainbow Lakes Wilderness Area.  Some folks hiking to the interior, maybe a day hike, possibly an overnight.  This fellow was in his hammock, almost too deep into the woods for me to see.

I love this autumn light but it makes for tough riding....shadows and glare all day due to the low sun angles, every direction but north.

This was the 2nd little track I took off the main fire road.  The first one obviously an ATV trail, too wet for me on Friday.  This one, other than a few errant branches, was fine until it dead-ended.

I followed these old boys for a few miles at 25mph, not a hardship in my mind.  Later, they were at the pumps in Drummond and a hearty wave was had by all.

 

The only 'food' purchase I made while at camp.


Long shadows mid-afternoon....


 Back at camp for dinner, a bit earlier than the evening before.  This is a hot ham and cheese, some spicy mustard and the secret ingredient.....green bean casserole without the green beans.

Outstanding!!


Friday's road mileage...

And the topographic version....





8 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, can't tell if he saw me or not. No tail slaps and I've witnessed that before.

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  2. Yikes! Those 2 pictures and description of your hot ham and cheese, and my mouth fills with saliva! Nice job!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! It was so good (lots of ham, cheese and non-green bean casserole left) that I enjoyed it again the next day.

      Keep those happy thoughts....I'm out of town for a few days, will be next weekend before you get to take a fresh look.

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  3. It is great, isn’t it, being alone in Nature....

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    Replies
    1. It's always been good, feels better now to me than ever.

      Yes!

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  4. Great stuff. I'd forgotten how quiet it is in the fall. Thanks for the reminder. Watching your hammock video sent me searching for info. Found an "instructional" video offering 30 different approaches to getting into a hammock at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-BRi-2UT00

    You've probably seen it.
    Thanks, Scott

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Scott, 30 different exit strategies may be more helpful in my case.

      It was lovely quiet up there that first week in November.

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