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rough trip
Aug. 31st, 2010 10:47 pmI went on a photo expedition today. Ugh. It was mostly sunny and hot, though that wasn't my main problem. The big thing was that many sections of woods are impassible.
I went across the fields near our house, then struggled through a narrow section of woods into the fields beyond, then walked across several more. At that point, I planned on following the open area under the power lines, but it turned out they were blocked by brush. I tried getting around the brush by going into the woods, but the underbrush in the woods was too dense. I was trying to get to the river, but I had to turn back. If I had studied the satellite photos better, or remembered them better, I would have found the route. But I didn't so I went back home. By the time I got back, my shirt was drenched in sweat. I rested and rehydrated a bit, then got in the car and drove to the river.
The bank was muddy, so I hiked down a path on the far side of some woods. After a while, I pushed through the woods and made it to the river. I walked in the river for a while, then tried getting up to a road on the far side. I couldn't find a way without walking through people's yards, so I went back to the river. I walked further up, then decided I didn't want to walk in the water anymore (it's a bit strenuous), and went into the woods. Big mistake. The underbrush was pretty much impassible. I tried following some deer trails at first, but the deer must have learned to crawl on their bellies, because they were tough to follow. Then the trails petered out, and I was left in the undergrowth, trying to find a way out. I should have headed back to the river - at many points. Sometimes I was crawling, sometimes I just forced my way through the dry bushes. Not fun. Finally, I made it back to the river near the road. That part that was muddy? Way muddier than I expected. The soft, squishy mud was over my ankles.
I was in rough shape by the time I got home. A little scratched up, exhausted and dehydrated, and a huge blister on the side of my foot from my expensive sandals.
The best pictures I got were very near home. I saw a little wildlife. Turkeys. I scared up a pair of deer, catching a glimpse of one as it hightailed for cover. I found a blue jay feather. Caught a glimpse of a heron up the river, and saw it take flight when it saw me (at a distance). Big freshwater mussel shells. Little fishies. Manymany dragonflies.
Cyn asked if this was like the tunnels hike in Hawaii. No, that one had a payoff. And was much more interesting along the way.
I went across the fields near our house, then struggled through a narrow section of woods into the fields beyond, then walked across several more. At that point, I planned on following the open area under the power lines, but it turned out they were blocked by brush. I tried getting around the brush by going into the woods, but the underbrush in the woods was too dense. I was trying to get to the river, but I had to turn back. If I had studied the satellite photos better, or remembered them better, I would have found the route. But I didn't so I went back home. By the time I got back, my shirt was drenched in sweat. I rested and rehydrated a bit, then got in the car and drove to the river.
The bank was muddy, so I hiked down a path on the far side of some woods. After a while, I pushed through the woods and made it to the river. I walked in the river for a while, then tried getting up to a road on the far side. I couldn't find a way without walking through people's yards, so I went back to the river. I walked further up, then decided I didn't want to walk in the water anymore (it's a bit strenuous), and went into the woods. Big mistake. The underbrush was pretty much impassible. I tried following some deer trails at first, but the deer must have learned to crawl on their bellies, because they were tough to follow. Then the trails petered out, and I was left in the undergrowth, trying to find a way out. I should have headed back to the river - at many points. Sometimes I was crawling, sometimes I just forced my way through the dry bushes. Not fun. Finally, I made it back to the river near the road. That part that was muddy? Way muddier than I expected. The soft, squishy mud was over my ankles.
I was in rough shape by the time I got home. A little scratched up, exhausted and dehydrated, and a huge blister on the side of my foot from my expensive sandals.
The best pictures I got were very near home. I saw a little wildlife. Turkeys. I scared up a pair of deer, catching a glimpse of one as it hightailed for cover. I found a blue jay feather. Caught a glimpse of a heron up the river, and saw it take flight when it saw me (at a distance). Big freshwater mussel shells. Little fishies. Manymany dragonflies.
Cyn asked if this was like the tunnels hike in Hawaii. No, that one had a payoff. And was much more interesting along the way.
