weekend in the woods

Posted on | March 5, 2007 | 2 Comments

SB and I went backpacking this weekend on the Pinhoti Trail.  North of where we hiked, the trail was closed due to a 425 acre fire. The ranger we talked to said the fire was started by people.  The trail itself wasn’t damaged, but much of the surrounding area burned.

Here’s what a section of trail typically looks like in late winter/early spring:

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We’ve hiked through controlled-burned areas before and there’s a stark difference.  The trail itself looks about the same, but there is no moss, no leaves, nothing green at all.  The trees that aren’t completely burned are charred and the forest smells like charcoal.  Last week’s storms put the fire out before it could do further damage, although 425 acres is considerable in my book.  Anyway, back to our weekend…

There were still lots of signs of winter.

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Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Alabama’s State Wildflower

But there were more signs of the coming spring.

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Yellow trout lily - it takes up to seven years for a mature plant to flower!

We stopped by the new Choccolocco Shelter on Saturday. 

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This is a great shelter and should cut down on the overuse of campsites on the trail.  That said, we try to avoid staying in shelters!  As you can see, it’s pretty much communal living and we prefer our tent.  Those are our backpacks taking a rest.

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Saturday night I built my usual kick-a fire, and we had a full moon!  SB scoffed at me for packing my mini-tripod, but I couldn’t have gotten this picture without it.  The moon was so bright we had to wear shades didn’t have to use our headlamps at all.

Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day, with lots of sunshine and the bluest sky EVER!

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Fiber?  Why, yes, I DO have something fiber related to post!  My cardigan is too bulky for car knitting, so I picked up my Rick James socks again.  If you remember, I had knit them too long to begin the gusset increases, so I ripped back to 4.5 inches (2.5 inches shorter than the length of my foot) and started again.  I reknit the foot, knit the gusset increases and turned the heel, and was probably 10 rows into the heel flap when I thought I should try this sock on, because it was looking a little…

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BIG.  Like at least an inch too BIG.  Arrggh!  That’s about four hours’ knitting, which I ripped out on the drive home yesterday.  I took solace in a little spinning last night.

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At least I can still do something right!  This week it’s back to the cardi, though, and an answer to the question that’s on everyone’s mind….will she have enough yarn ?!?!?!?!!

Category: Hiking

Comments

2 Responses to “weekend in the woods”

  1. Leah
    March 6th, 2007 @ 10:46 am

    Oh….what lovely pictures. I’m so looking forward to our first trip of the spring (we usually go in mid april).

    I’m with you on shelters vs. tents. Shelters are good though in the sense that the less avid campers who don’t always follow the “leave no trace” ideals are more likely to use them and not stomp down all the grass without fluffing!

    I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for the cardi!

  2. Judy
    March 7th, 2007 @ 10:43 am

    sounds like a perfect weekend…full moon, eclipse ( I hope you caught it) and trout lilies!! I love it when they bloom. They are always the first, before the grasses begin to turn green and the black fly hatch.