Following several days of on and off rainfall, I woke up at 3:15 yesterday morning, leaving the house by 4:30 en route to the Piney Falls State Natural Area. It’s a 40 minute drive, including a slow start with poor visibility, as the mountain where I live was blanketed in a cloud. Even so, I managed to arrive before sunrise to begin my trek through the forest.
It’s always just a bit spooky walking through woods in the dark, where every noise from the peripheral draws ones attention. So, in order to make my presence known, I make sure to clank my metal trekking poles along the ground and rocks as I’m hiking, loudly clear my throat, and, on occasion, blow my nose without a handkerchief.
In addition, and as a fail-safe to minimize the likelihood that a bear may come too close for comfort, I’ll sometimes sing the song You Don’t Mess Around with Jim (Jim Croce, 1972) as I’m hiking. Really, though, my voice isn’t that bad, lol.
As a footnote, the sound that I most like to hear on such hikes, when the trail turns around a bend in the gorge, are the first sounds trumpeting the proximity of my destination: the waterfall!
For clarity, these photographs and video highlight the cascades above Lower Piney Falls, a scenic waterfall without easy access. However, if interested, and when water isn’t flowing too forcefully, I’ve found a way into the gorge.
If you’d enjoy seeing my photography behind glass in a frame on an empty wall in your home or office, you can visit my gallery to select the best suited print, including: framed, canvas, metal, poster, acrylic, art, wood and tapestry.
I appreciate your visit, thanks very much!
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