Hiding Place

As Winter approaches, and is now here, we shut down the filter system for the fish pond. Cutting off the water to the waterfall.

And this Song Sparrow promptly found a nice little hidey-hole. It spent quite a bit of time pecking at the "seaweed" on the rocks of the now still waterfall.

Swallow Falls - The Falls

While at Deep Creek Lake we visited Swallow Falls State Park.

We did not see any Swallows.

We did see some falls.

The map at the parking area shows four waterfalls. And we saw them all. 

There was a bit of confusion, quickly resolved, as to the start of the trail ... but we were warned that the trail was flooded out at Tolliver Falls. 

So we headed toward Muddy Creek Falls.

We accepted the risk, and had no serious injuries. No minor injuries either I'm happy to report. The trails were slippery though.

Muddy Creek is falling down ... and flowing toward a meeting with ...

... the Youghiogheny River.

Where we found ...

... the Lower Swallow Falls.

It was a dangerous place.

We laugh in the face of danger!

As did these chaps who we watched kayak over the Upper Swallow Falls, which is shown in the image below (sans kayakers).

One last falls to hike past without falling.

But first, a picture of a cool rock.

Tolliver Falls.

Image courtesy Marie Raupp

Where yours truly was the last to make his way across the flooded trail.

Safe across, an image looking back.

One last look up the Youghioghey River, toward the bridge on the road into the park.

Despite the threatening and at times rainy weather, it was a nice, if slippery, stroll.  And a good, and safe, time was had by all.

Another Climb

Our New England adventure began in the Franconia Notch State Park campsite in New Hampshire. Which was just across Interstate 93 from the Franconia Ridge Loop Trailhead.

We started up the Falling Waters Trail, the recommended route, a 2.8 mile hike that gains 3550 or so feet of elevation.

And the trail lived up to its name.

With many waterfalls.

And several stream crossings.

We had met a couple of hikers the day prior, while doing a short warmup hike, who told us that we were lucky as this is the dry season, and often the stream is just a trickle.

It was very pretty.

And very rocky. Nothing like the flat sandy trails in our neck of the woods.

And it was hot and humid. When we woke it was cool at our campsite. But that did not last.

We decided to go north to escape the heat and humidity of the New Jersey summer. Alas, it followed us. My clothes were soaked with sweat by the time we reached Little Haystack, at the end of the Falling Waters Trail.

Pretty yet visibly humid.

We took our time and stopped whenever something caught our eye ...

... like this slug ...

... these berries (very christmasy) ...

... and the many mushrooms along the way.

We continued upward, reaching the Alpine Zone. Where it seems you can fly drones, you just can't land them. Curious.

Eventually we reached the top where we were treated to fantastic views of ...

... fog (or was it clouds?).

There were a surprising number of people on the trail, although Patty selected the campsite so we didn't need to worry about parking, which fills up quickly. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

It was windy at the top, our sweat soaked clothes making it a bit chilly, so on went the rain jackets. And we headed on down (up?) the trail.

The Franconia Ridge Trail, the second leg of the loop. We'd summit two peaks, Lafayette and Lincoln, and be cheated of the sometimes fantastic views on each.

I never noticed what a giant Patty is.

The jackets came off shortly after this shot, as we heated up as we got moving.

A slight break in the clouds. That white 'line' center left in the image is the exit of the interstate for our campground. Yep. that's where we started.

This Dark-eyed Junco accompanied us for a short bit (where the rock meets the foliage in the center of the image). 

That ridge in the clouds it the third leg of the trial, the Old Bridle Path. We've some distance to go yet.

We made it to the Old Bridle Path, where sat a spell and chatted with a couple of hikers coming up the trail, who were covid refugees from Arizona currently staying with one of their parents in Point Pleasant, NJ. 

Sure, now that we're heading down it starts to clear.

Again we took it slow, stopping to smell the fungi as the saying goes.

Really, this couldn't have happened when we were at the top?

After a stop at the AMC's Greenleaf Hut to refill our water bladders and enjoy a cup of coffee, we continued on, and after 8.7 miles we made it back to that sign. Note may change of shirts. This one was soaked as well.

Fortunately the campsite had dryers (and washers). And showers.

This hike was worth it, albeit a bit of a slog at times. And I did not eat enough along the trail, and was out of energy for the last couple of miles. If I'm gonna keep doing this I've got to get in better shape. 

And training hikes around our place in flatland don't quite cut it. I think I need to build a mountain out by the back pond ...

Hocking Hills

Long ago, in the Before Times, we would go traveling. With friends even.

And on one such trip we visited several places, including the Green Bank Observatory.

📡  📡  📡  📡  📡

Recently our friend Terry passed along the book, Grandma Gatewoods Walk, by Ben Montgomery (a quick and enjoyable read). And at the end of the book, in the Epilogue, was the story of the Grandma Gatewoods Trail, at the Old Mans Cave section of Hocking Hills State Park.

And that was one of the places we visited on the "one such trip". Motivating me to process the pictures, and then write this post. 

Enjoy!

🚶🏻‍♀️  🚶🏼‍♀️  🚶🏼

It was a perfect day for a hike. Which made it very crowded at the park.

We started by walking down a Starway, that is Patty and Marie (who joined me at Green Bank) behind the wall on the right. 

And were treated to some spectacular views.

A theme that continued all along the trail.

As were stairs.

And green. There was a lot of green.

And waterfalls. That was a fourth theme.

Lots of waterfalls.

Very refreshing on a hot summer day.

The End.