You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
The little window in our study is the only one facing out to the rising sun, and some cats will await the sunrise
for as long as it takes.
We've interrupted an earnest cat conversation, and they've shut up immediately.
-- Sorry! Carry on.
Distrustfully, they resort to whispering.
The Augusta Springs Wetlands
We're proceeded by some tree service trucks. We've had a few days of very high winds overnight, and likely they've come to check out the power lines that run through the site here. 17 February 2022.
We'll take care to stay out of the way, but the deep throaty buzzings are coming from over the far side of the pond.
Sunlight is plopping through from time to time, very appreciated but not frequent.
A cold and nasty swamp, unless you pick your season more carefully
One of the creeks running down through the wetlands, bound for the south, as we should be, too.
This is our main boardwalk, built along delightfully flowing lines. Those tiny green spots in the trees on the left are actually a forestry squad of five friendly big guys with chain saws.
Having assessed uncounted boardwalks over wetlands round the world, over the years, we're delighted to rate this one as amongst the nicest.
Terra firma, and some of the forestry chappies' work
The pond foreshore, directly under some wires, recently cleared out
The Call of the Uplands Trail
Here is the recently-provided 'signage' for our detour up to the right, like . . .
. . . this.
-- Don't touch anything! Just tiptoe past.
A member of our party has identified the unmarked place where our central uphill path diverges onto the ridgeline.
-- Straggling is permitted if necessary, but not for mere indolence.
Up onto the ridgeline . . .
. . . and pleasantly along the ridge on such a fine cushy bed of leaves for the old knees
There are definitely some newly downed trees from the storms, but we remember these from past excursions.
Those are new.
-- Step carefully.
Here's the intersection of the Uplands Trail itself crossing over the ridge with the new trail coming up along the centre, and today . . .
. . . we're venturing out farther along the ridge, perhaps to find out what's what.
That's one 'what' but it's not for us -- we continue along the ridge.
A beautiful (and mostly level) trail northward
With a few minor ups and downs as we're winding amongst a number of creek-forged little valleys all over the place
With no particular destination in mind, we're contemplating turning back soon . . . or now.
Retracing one's steps (the bus doesn't run here anymore)
A few little downs, and then ups . . .
. . . back to the intersection with the proper Uplands Trail, and now . . .
. . . turning left down the other side of the ridge
That's the apparently unnamed creek running down this eastern side of the ridge. (It's not the 'Montgomery Run' shown on the map below, which must be some 400 meters farther to the east.)
The stragglers with the camera are feeling, not guilty exactly, but susceptible to criticism.
The bridge at the bottom
A meander
A woodsy tinderbox
This one is our favorite derelict vintage car, amongst several out here to choose from, and . . .
. . . another one we hadn't noticed before today, stuck under these trees.
More meanders. Nothing's in a hurry out here.
Back round the boardwalks of the basic trail
The water looks mighty cold, and . . . are those geese parading round out there?
We get closer to investigate.
Yes, geese. We count six of them, three pairs.
Four are obvious, the remaining two are in the upper right of the pont
A mighty cold swamp
The geese from another angle, all six fairly noticeable now
Back to the main path to resume our tour
Nasty stuff this is.
Our diligent foresters are taking a doubtless well-earned break.
Our superb boardwalk, being solemnly appreciated by the rest of our party
We remain thankful for our boardwalk through here.
The park's sole amenity (not counting three picnic tables) -- an outhouse, best avoided if possible
And a bare ruin'd tree with intriguing symmetries (Where late the sweet birds sang)
No time at all for stragglers
The rural road back to the I-64
Context:
The trail map at the carpark shows the red loop trail and the light blue Uplands Trail, with an already existing crossover path. We've helpfully added the approximate track of our new trail up the ridge, and on this occasion we were continuing that new blue track about 20 minutes out farther north. |
What's next, then? The Outer Banks of North Carolina, very out of season
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All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 10 March 2022. 
