Summer is almost over, and I finally realized that I hadn't take time to "play"...to rejuvenate for the upcoming school year and the adventure ahead. My schedule has been rather crazy and hectic since last March when I was asked if I was still interested in and wanting to go Antarctica. (Heck yeah!!!!) But, it's made for a whirlwind all the way around and has left me feeling a bit out of sorts. That's why I gave in to the PA hills that were whispering my name...wooing me...beckoning me to get lost for a while...to get my senses put in order.
Because we've had an unusually rainy summer, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the water levels for Pine Creek were higher now than when I kayaked 17 miles down Lower Pine this past April. Do you have any idea how far 17 miles is by kayak...when water levels are such that you MUST paddle virtually the entire way?!?!? Except for the Owassee Falls area when I took the outside route and got wedged between boulders in the middle of a set of rapids because my river reading skills suck, and I subsequently found myself in a very precarious situation...between a rock and a hard place (aka boulder!) so to speak...but that's a story for another day! Let's just leave it at this--all's well that ends well! Regardless, my memory "lapse" resulted in me excitedly making reservations for Saturday morning, but I decided to do 10 miles in Upper Pine instead of the longer 17 mile sojourn down Lower Pine. I'd never kayaked Upper Pine and heard that some find it more appealing and enjoyable. Why not? After checking in and gearing up, Pine Creek Outfitters dropped us off in Watrous, and I couldn't wait to get my kayak in the water and get going!
The first mile had a couple of VERY fun little runs, but I quickly realized that if I didn't slow down, I was going to cover 10 miles before I knew it. So, I kicked back and relaxed...or tried to. I really had difficulty doing so as I'd been going at a break neck speed since early spring. And, most people who know me will tell you two things about me. I'm driven, and I'm intense. (But, MUCH better than pervious years!) So, this semi-float downstream was going against that part of me. I was having a difficult time slowing down and enjoying our first hot day of the summer.
...on a lazy, hot summer afternoonRest assured that I ultimately found that relaxed "groove" I'd been longing for, stopping to take pictures of wildflowers, visiting with other kayakers, canoeists and rafters, doing a little PR for Project SCINI and PolarTREC and even pulling to shore a few times to soak in the peace and quiet.
Chillin' on Upper Pine Can you see how this wildflower got its name?on Upper Pine Creek, PA
As I was hauling the kayak on shore in one spot, I looked down to find a crayfish scurrying for cover. "Oh...why not!" I decided to see if I still had my crayfish hunting/spotting/catching skills, as I used to catch and use them for bait when I was younger. I'm happy to report that I had success on both fronts but this time employed the "catch and release" philosophy.
A little further down creek, I pulled off in a little inlet area to grab a snack. Boy! Was it HOT!! As I got out, I looked down and could NOT believe what I saw!!! Pollywogs!! A bunch of them!!!! I hadn't seen pollywogs in years!! And as a result, I was immediately transported back to my childhood. I used to go to Little Creek, dam up an area to trap off pollywogs (tadpoles), catch a bunch, take them home and watch the metamorphosis. When they had their legs and were much bigger, I'd take them back and let them go. Next year would come, and I'd repeat the process....and I never tired of it even though I knew what was going to happen. As a sat in the water--I said it was hot!--eating my Clif bar, I felt a little sad. So many things that I saw daily or even nightly as a child...so many sounds that filled the air on summer days and evenings are now an uncommon occurrence. Lightning bugs, tadpoles, snakes, crayfish, salamanders, gi-normous snapping turtles, praying mantises, bullfrogs, peepers...even toads. I get extremely excited when I see a toad today, especially the teeny-tiny ones. But, what a shame that kids today can't/don't experience the nature of my childhood. Most will never know what they are missing, and that makes me very, very sad. What have we done?
Needless to say, it was time to hit the watery trail once again. I continued my journey back to Pine Creek Outfitters, imagining, as I often do, what this area must have been like in "the day" before people left their imprint. If you research the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon/Pine Creek area, you'll quickly learn that loggers and trappers raped the area, leaving it in a most deplorable state. I pray we've really learned from history past.
what this place must've been like in the 1800'sUnfortunately, I soon found myself at the end of the line. I don't think I've ever seen a more depressing sight; although, something tells me that watching Antarctica from a departing flight will top the scene that laid before me that Saturday afternoon.
I behold the saddest sign ever!As is often the case, I HATE going home once I'm down here, so I changed into dry clothes, threw the hiking boots on and headed for the Colton Point side of Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon. It was time to hit the Mid Trail and the Turkey Path. (Did I mention I picked the hottest day of the summer to do this?)
the Turkey Path This is a much more scenic hike than Turkey Path on the eastern sideI'm not really sure what I was thinking, but I was surely enjoying the many vistas afforded during the hiking portion of the day and had already decided to come back and do it all over again the next day!
These hills go on and on... West Rim View of the Grand Canyon of PA's Grand Canyon and Rail Trail One of many vistas on the Mid Trail in Colton Point State Park in PA"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." ~John Muir
I also discovered some interesting things along the way.
Beautiful colors and textures! Can anyone identify this mushroom? Turkey vultures are UGLY!! I have no idea what this is...it felt soft and was flying saucer-ish in shape. Ideas?Look how tiny these mushrooms are! Stinging Nettle strikes with a vengeance! Millipede in action
After having arrived back at my car, soaking wet and exhausted-did I tell you how hot it was?? I found myself both strengthened and soothed. My senses had been put in order.