Foothills Trail

Trail

          Went back to work Thursday the 5th- bummer -like to work and like my job, it just gets in the way of being me! Tuesday, Gracie and I drove to the Foothills trail and hiked. Boy was it cold and clear and windy and an exhilarating experience, felt like I had just eaten a peppermint  patty [ old TV commercial ] ! We hiked from the Laurel Valley Access toward the Laurel Fork Falls Area, that's over a six hundred foot elevation change in a short period of time. We moved fast both up and down the mountain, breathing hard and quick trying to stay warm. We stopped for water and I shed my fleece and hat and cooled down a minute, having warmed up too much. The trail crosses an old logging road which we turned left on and followed it until it dead ended into the main gravel road which cuts through the Jocassee Gorge Area. We then traced our footsteps back to the truck. Only gone about three hours, but they were a good three hours.

          Monday morning the 10th of Jan. we headed out to see the lakes, didn't take the canoe and wished I had  as soon as we got to Lake Keowee. It was overcast and still, not a sound except for the lake sounds and noisy  bird sounds. The lake is about five feet below full pond and a lot of shore is showing. Walking along the shore in the sand  near the boat ramp, I spotted a bear track- always heart warming to see bear sign. This was a big print, larger then my hand,and a line of smaller prints were following alongside. The prints disappeared at the cement boat ramp either going in the water or to the parking lot. Took a picture of the bear claw print, but still haven't been able to down load onto the computer. I will be getting another camera real soon, I take quite a few pictures on my journeys and feel slighted not being able to do so now! The camera phone just doesn't do what needs to be done!

          We left Keowee and drove to Lake Jocassee, entered a different time warp zone! Fog on the lake was thick as mashed potatoes covered with cotton balls. Gracie and I hiked the Bear Cove Trail to the lake shore and pushed our way through the cotton ball fog stumbling over lumpy mashed potatoes and slick red-eye gravy. Jocassee is about twenty-five feet below full pond, so the shore line around the lake is wide, rocky and steep. We walked just a short ways on the shore, fog so thick could not even see the mountain range on other side of lake.  Reminded me of the time a couple years back when we were taking a canoe trip across the lake and going to camp over night on the Foothills trail.. Fog thick that morning, right tight to the shore and surrounding the truck as we unloaded the stuff from truck to canoe, almost couldn't see between the two. Had the canoe loaded, parked truck and had to call Gracie to come lead me to the big red canoe, fog was so heavy. We got in canoe and started paddling across the mile wide lake where we would stop for a break  and let the fog burn off before making the long trip to the other end of Lake Jocassee.Normally takes me about thirty minutes to cross the lake, one easy relaxing stroke at a time, not that day! All we see is white and the paddle in my hand, I'm paddling a straight line, a bee line if you will, toward the opposite shore. The clock is ticking! I'm really having fun cutting through this heavy fog and am in no hurry, but I slowly realize that this is taking an awfully long time to reach the other side.Pulling my GPS unit out of my dry bag, turning it on and waiting for it to read  the satellites above me, I see trees off to my right- this should not be! Yes the story of my life, I'm spinning around in circles in a fog induced state goin' no where! North is the direction we want to be paddling, so I pull up the compass on the GPS and point north. Still buried in the fog, but now have a plan in place.  We get the canoe squared away and try again. Success! in just a few minutes we not only see our target but also the fog is lifting, revealing a clear sun filled sky and calm clear waters.

          Our next stop was into NC to the Whitewater Falls. I could hear the falls,but not see them, still too foggy! We drove a big loop thru NC and returned home much later than planned. Always good to see new and old haunts, keeps us grounded to what's important.

          On the land or in the woods,

          Turtle

2012 is going to be a good year!

View from top of Sassafras

          Happy New Year from the Upstate of SC. We have trails to hike and lakes to paddle.We have nice clean State Parks open to any one who wants to get outdoors and play. Come and join us this year as we explore the Upstate of SC! This may be the year we get snake bit, or fall and break a leg, or have a branch slap us across the head and knock us out cold, WOW! any thing can happen. Maybe just the same ole steady careful plan ahead and follow the rules kinda year. Who knows what will happen, the main thing is to get out and do something. God created all of this for us to enjoy- So Enjoy His creation and get outside and play! Meet new people with a smile and a "How are you this beautiful day?"

          Turtle         

December 2011

Chattooga River

Sorry can't remember name of falls!

Chattooga River

         

          December has been a slow month, but a good month. Seems as if we've gotten a lot of rain and gray skies, something that we really needed. The lake levels are coming back up to full pond and the creeks and streams are flowing at a steady clip. We were out at the Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve a couple of days ago and the small stream which flows by the trail was full. It talks when there is enough water to loosen up her vocal cords.Well, really sounds like a happy baby being bathed in the kitchen sink with all the gurgling and splashing going on. The sun was shining and an easy breeze was coasting around the naked trees. We could see through the woods, saw several rock formations that we hadn't seen before. The hills aren't quite Mts. yet, but still a good muscle stretching hike.  The first part of the month we went to the Chattooga river during a steady rain and I was once again impressed with the power fast moving water generates. Gracie would step into the water  [ she is a yellow lab-therefore she will get in any and all nearby water  ] I would say " You better get out of there, I'm not coming in after you!" She just looked at me and kept on swimming. She never was swept away!
           These pictures were taken in April when the river was not as wild. I know it will be hard to believe,but I forgot to take my camera with me. Used my cell phone to take pictures, but could not download them to my computer. Even took some video, but could not download it either. I have- new camera, new computer, and maybe even some training on how to be more electronically savvy on my list for this year of 2012. None of that will do me any good if I don't take a camera with me.

          Hope to get out more this year! "Hiking is good for the soul"  I said that, it really is true. If all you can do is walk around your neighborhood- then do that! It will be good for what ails ya!

          In the woods or on the water,

          Turtle