Stephen and I hung out with my old college buddy, Philip Walker, and his son and some of their friends for a trip to South Cumberland State Park. It was fun except for the thunderstorm we camped out in.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Geocaching in Oak Mountain State Park
I have discovered geocaching and introduced my friend and his family to it. We went one evening to Oak Mountain State park and had a great time finding caches. The great thing about it is that my family would have never gone out there to hike. However they hiked all over the place looking for these caches. I love it. Click here to see the pictures.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Hiking w/the Family in Oak Mountain
We got to the park about 10:30 am and parked at the entrance to the primitive campground. We took the Yellow/White connector up the side of the very steep mountain to the White trail. We hung a left on the White trail and went to Shackleford Point. From there we went on down the White trail until we hit the Yellow trail.
We took a left on the Yellow trail and made it to the BMX track where I filled our hydration bladder back up with water. We had run out. We then got back on the Yellow trail and came on to the road to the primitive campground, hung a right and got back to the Jeep around 3:00 pm. It was a lot longer hike than I had originally planned.
The above two paragraphs is what Mitchel wrote... apparantly he wasn't as affected by the day as the kids and I were. We started off and very soon we came to a mountain that went up... and up... and up. I was soon informed that, no, in fact, it was NOT a mountain, only a hill... the mountain would be later. I was dying and we hadn't been hiking for 30 minutes. We made it to the top of the hill and it got better until we reached the bottom of the mountain and started up again. Thankfully the trail up the mountain was a switch back trail which made it a little easier going up. We made it to the top and it was beautiful.
Tall grasses lined either side of the narrow trail and made our legs itch. Huge rocks rose out of the mountain top on either side. We used these as resting areas. We began our descent and hit some very steep areas. My shoes made the ends of my toes hurt due to the gravity pulling my feet down. Perhaps I need better shoes. But, on the bright side, at least we weren't going UP those steep areas. We finally made it to the bottom of the mountain and soon came to one of the lakes. This was a welcome sight. We watched turtles, fish and frogs play. We had been seeing frogs frequently throughout our trip. Once we neared the lake they increased in number and got smaller in size. As we were passing a spillway over a dam into the lake Mitchel paused and looked down. There sitting in the shallows was a very small turtle. Needless to say we now have Max and Emmy. We did just have Max.
We ran out of water and came to a picnic area with a bathroom. Mitchel filled up the bladder in his camelbak back pack. It wasn't long before we ran out again. It was odd that we ran out quicker after the fill up than before. I guess we thought we had a lot of water since it had just been filled up. Usually we come over prepared with food and water but, like Mitchel said earlier, we didn't expect the hike to be this long. We finished the hike about four hours ago and my feet STILL hurt.
It was a long, warm, tiring day. But the day was spent with my family. The kids had fun... there were a few complaints from them, but not near as many from them as from their mother. They were real troupers and did excellent! They must take after their Daddy. We were together... building memories... and that's what's important.
We took a left on the Yellow trail and made it to the BMX track where I filled our hydration bladder back up with water. We had run out. We then got back on the Yellow trail and came on to the road to the primitive campground, hung a right and got back to the Jeep around 3:00 pm. It was a lot longer hike than I had originally planned.
The above two paragraphs is what Mitchel wrote... apparantly he wasn't as affected by the day as the kids and I were. We started off and very soon we came to a mountain that went up... and up... and up. I was soon informed that, no, in fact, it was NOT a mountain, only a hill... the mountain would be later. I was dying and we hadn't been hiking for 30 minutes. We made it to the top of the hill and it got better until we reached the bottom of the mountain and started up again. Thankfully the trail up the mountain was a switch back trail which made it a little easier going up. We made it to the top and it was beautiful.
Tall grasses lined either side of the narrow trail and made our legs itch. Huge rocks rose out of the mountain top on either side. We used these as resting areas. We began our descent and hit some very steep areas. My shoes made the ends of my toes hurt due to the gravity pulling my feet down. Perhaps I need better shoes. But, on the bright side, at least we weren't going UP those steep areas. We finally made it to the bottom of the mountain and soon came to one of the lakes. This was a welcome sight. We watched turtles, fish and frogs play. We had been seeing frogs frequently throughout our trip. Once we neared the lake they increased in number and got smaller in size. As we were passing a spillway over a dam into the lake Mitchel paused and looked down. There sitting in the shallows was a very small turtle. Needless to say we now have Max and Emmy. We did just have Max.
We ran out of water and came to a picnic area with a bathroom. Mitchel filled up the bladder in his camelbak back pack. It wasn't long before we ran out again. It was odd that we ran out quicker after the fill up than before. I guess we thought we had a lot of water since it had just been filled up. Usually we come over prepared with food and water but, like Mitchel said earlier, we didn't expect the hike to be this long. We finished the hike about four hours ago and my feet STILL hurt.
It was a long, warm, tiring day. But the day was spent with my family. The kids had fun... there were a few complaints from them, but not near as many from them as from their mother. They were real troupers and did excellent! They must take after their Daddy. We were together... building memories... and that's what's important.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Loop 13 Clockwise
I parked at the Cabins instead of at Tranquility Road. I had looked at too many trail definitions the night before and once I got to the park I got confused on which one we were running. I stood at the cabins and waited for Richard until I decided I better check my phone. Sure enough I had a message from Richard stating that he had started his run at Tranquility Road. So I gave him a call and turns out that he was headed my way down the Red Trail. So I took off to meet him.
I ran a portion of the Red Trail to meet Richard and was sucking air bad by the time I met him. It felt like my lungs were full of water. We ran back by the Cabins and on out to Maggie's Glen. I wondered who Maggie was as we went through the glen. We hung a right up the Yellow Trail. That is a really nice trail that I think I have only been on once before. Further up it there is Camp Site #2 that I would like to camp at one day.
We passed the camp site and arrived at the back of the lake near the old Cabins. We went around the lake and down by the Dam. At the picnic area I ran across the bridge and hung a right back up toward the Dam. Richard kept on running toward the main road to get back to his truck.
I picked up a water bottle and a Mountain Dew bottle that some ding bat had left behind as trash. I staggered up the trail next to the Dam and headed toward my Jeep parked near the Cabins. I saw a guy fishing in the lake and ran straight through a very muddy, wet spot near the cabins. Made it to my Jeep and threw the trash in a trash can there. There was a drink machine there so I put some money in to get some bottled water. However it was out of water so I settled on a Gatorade.
I got in the Jeep and headed on out of there.
I ran a portion of the Red Trail to meet Richard and was sucking air bad by the time I met him. It felt like my lungs were full of water. We ran back by the Cabins and on out to Maggie's Glen. I wondered who Maggie was as we went through the glen. We hung a right up the Yellow Trail. That is a really nice trail that I think I have only been on once before. Further up it there is Camp Site #2 that I would like to camp at one day.
We passed the camp site and arrived at the back of the lake near the old Cabins. We went around the lake and down by the Dam. At the picnic area I ran across the bridge and hung a right back up toward the Dam. Richard kept on running toward the main road to get back to his truck.
I picked up a water bottle and a Mountain Dew bottle that some ding bat had left behind as trash. I staggered up the trail next to the Dam and headed toward my Jeep parked near the Cabins. I saw a guy fishing in the lake and ran straight through a very muddy, wet spot near the cabins. Made it to my Jeep and threw the trash in a trash can there. There was a drink machine there so I put some money in to get some bottled water. However it was out of water so I settled on a Gatorade.
I got in the Jeep and headed on out of there.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Loop 17 Clockwise
Loop Map & More Info
Well I was sore as a dog and thinking seriously about leaving the ankle weights in the Jeep. I couldn't tell if I was feeling bad from having exercised too much yesterday or if I was feeling bad because I was coming down with something. After my energy pills and a gallon of coffee kicked in on the drive to the North Trailhead I had decided that I could run once more with the ankle weights.
Today it was really warm at 46 degrees and I didn't even wear my jacket. I had also gone from insulated running pants yesterday to non-insulated today. I was a little chilly when we first started up the CCC road but by the time we reached the Red/Blue connector that we had come down yesterday my internal heater had kicked in and I was sufficiently warm.
We hung a left up the Red/Blue connector and for some reason it just didn't seem as bad as the first hill the day before. Maybe I had warmed up and my muscles could handle it better or maybe the hill wasn't straight up the side of the mountain but gave us some switchbacks to work with. In any event we were soon coming to the Blue trail. However right at the top the switchbacks quit and we went straight up to the Blue trail.
Richard didn't stop at the intersection today though but simply turned right and continued on up the Blue trail. Did you notice that I said up? However we were quickly to the top and proceeded to drop off down into Gum Hollow. I asked Richard why it was named such and he said he thought it was because of all of the Sweet Gum trees that grew in the bottom of the hollow.
The trail had basically been turned into a stream from all of the runoff and we had to step over and around puddles of water as we made our way up Gum Hollow. It seemed the trail down there was constantly changing. We hung a right after a bit though and started back up a mountain to reach the final top of the mountain that the Blue Trail runs along.
We took a moment at the top to gather our wits which didn't take long as there wasn't much to gather and then we were off along the ridge of the mountain following the Blue Trail. This is probably my favorite part of any trail in Oak Mountain park. It is very scenic and has lots of views of mountains and valleys, rock outcroppings, and the trail is constantly changing. We had a nice little jaunt along the top of the mountain and were soon at the second Red/Blue connector that would take us back to the Red Trail, aka, CCC Road.
We could see the CCC road from the Blue trail so in a matter of minutes we were on the CCC road and jogging back to the North Trailhead. The pace was nice and comfortable and Richard and I were talking about all things. Also, a few times we had to cross the creek that flowed down and around the CCC road.
What with the talking and the crossing, the next thing I knew, we were coming around a bend and there was my Jeep. This run definitely seemed to go easier and quicker than the last run even though they were relatively the same distance. We went around the gate and another loop run was history.
Well I was sore as a dog and thinking seriously about leaving the ankle weights in the Jeep. I couldn't tell if I was feeling bad from having exercised too much yesterday or if I was feeling bad because I was coming down with something. After my energy pills and a gallon of coffee kicked in on the drive to the North Trailhead I had decided that I could run once more with the ankle weights.
Today it was really warm at 46 degrees and I didn't even wear my jacket. I had also gone from insulated running pants yesterday to non-insulated today. I was a little chilly when we first started up the CCC road but by the time we reached the Red/Blue connector that we had come down yesterday my internal heater had kicked in and I was sufficiently warm.
We hung a left up the Red/Blue connector and for some reason it just didn't seem as bad as the first hill the day before. Maybe I had warmed up and my muscles could handle it better or maybe the hill wasn't straight up the side of the mountain but gave us some switchbacks to work with. In any event we were soon coming to the Blue trail. However right at the top the switchbacks quit and we went straight up to the Blue trail.
Richard didn't stop at the intersection today though but simply turned right and continued on up the Blue trail. Did you notice that I said up? However we were quickly to the top and proceeded to drop off down into Gum Hollow. I asked Richard why it was named such and he said he thought it was because of all of the Sweet Gum trees that grew in the bottom of the hollow.
The trail had basically been turned into a stream from all of the runoff and we had to step over and around puddles of water as we made our way up Gum Hollow. It seemed the trail down there was constantly changing. We hung a right after a bit though and started back up a mountain to reach the final top of the mountain that the Blue Trail runs along.
We took a moment at the top to gather our wits which didn't take long as there wasn't much to gather and then we were off along the ridge of the mountain following the Blue Trail. This is probably my favorite part of any trail in Oak Mountain park. It is very scenic and has lots of views of mountains and valleys, rock outcroppings, and the trail is constantly changing. We had a nice little jaunt along the top of the mountain and were soon at the second Red/Blue connector that would take us back to the Red Trail, aka, CCC Road.
We could see the CCC road from the Blue trail so in a matter of minutes we were on the CCC road and jogging back to the North Trailhead. The pace was nice and comfortable and Richard and I were talking about all things. Also, a few times we had to cross the creek that flowed down and around the CCC road.
What with the talking and the crossing, the next thing I knew, we were coming around a bend and there was my Jeep. This run definitely seemed to go easier and quicker than the last run even though they were relatively the same distance. We went around the gate and another loop run was history.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Loop 18 Clockwise
Loop Map & More Info
I have been reading a lot of Dean Koontz lately and he has a really good opening sentence in his book, Dragon Tears. If I was to borrow it and use it here it would go something like this.
Wednesday was a fine Alabama day, full of sunshine and promise, until I had to go up the Blue Trail with 5 lb ankle weights on. Ok, so my misery was of my own making. I thought I should up the ante and make it a little harder on my self since I am supposed to be younger and in better shape than Richard. Where that hair brained idea came from I am not sure.
We went through the gate at the North Trailhead and immediately turned to the left and started up the first of four nasty hills on the first section of the Blue Trail. I'm sorry. Did I say hills? I meant to say small mountains. That first climb was a doozey. To make it worse there wasn't any small talk between Richard and I because neither one of us had any breath left with which to talk.
We made it to the top of the first one and Richard said, "Only three more to go." Now that made my day. NOT! We were able to jog very little and talk very little as we went across to the next small mountain and then there was no jogging or talking. Only walking and breathing.
In the 40 degree weather I quickly warmed up and came out of my jacket. I already had one less layer on top than I had the day before and I didn't have my gloves or my ear muffs on. It was still very hot.
We reached the red/blue connector and took about a 2 minute break to bring our breathing back into a semi normal state. We then proceeded down the red/blue connector. Oh how nice it was to be going down. The ankle weights did add a little extra to even that though.
We hit the red trail and hung a left back up to the yellow/red connector. We hung a right on it and avoided the same water holes and crossed the same streams that we had yesterday. They were still there. However this time we kept to the White Trail back to the North Trailhead instead of hanging a left on the cabins trail. The White Trail was a good little distance of jogging and the ankle weights were starting to take their toll. My thighs were beginning to burn and wanted to just shut down.
I tried to put it out of my mind and just focus on Richard running ahead of me. Once, I realized that I was lost in my own thoughts and in the process had slowed down. As a result Richard had gotten a little distance out front. I had to suck it up for a little bit and catch up.
Soon we came back out onto the CCC road and I could see my Jeep across the highway. It was a sight for exhausted thighs. And another loop was done.
I have been reading a lot of Dean Koontz lately and he has a really good opening sentence in his book, Dragon Tears. If I was to borrow it and use it here it would go something like this.
Wednesday was a fine Alabama day, full of sunshine and promise, until I had to go up the Blue Trail with 5 lb ankle weights on. Ok, so my misery was of my own making. I thought I should up the ante and make it a little harder on my self since I am supposed to be younger and in better shape than Richard. Where that hair brained idea came from I am not sure.
We went through the gate at the North Trailhead and immediately turned to the left and started up the first of four nasty hills on the first section of the Blue Trail. I'm sorry. Did I say hills? I meant to say small mountains. That first climb was a doozey. To make it worse there wasn't any small talk between Richard and I because neither one of us had any breath left with which to talk.
We made it to the top of the first one and Richard said, "Only three more to go." Now that made my day. NOT! We were able to jog very little and talk very little as we went across to the next small mountain and then there was no jogging or talking. Only walking and breathing.
In the 40 degree weather I quickly warmed up and came out of my jacket. I already had one less layer on top than I had the day before and I didn't have my gloves or my ear muffs on. It was still very hot.
We reached the red/blue connector and took about a 2 minute break to bring our breathing back into a semi normal state. We then proceeded down the red/blue connector. Oh how nice it was to be going down. The ankle weights did add a little extra to even that though.
We hit the red trail and hung a left back up to the yellow/red connector. We hung a right on it and avoided the same water holes and crossed the same streams that we had yesterday. They were still there. However this time we kept to the White Trail back to the North Trailhead instead of hanging a left on the cabins trail. The White Trail was a good little distance of jogging and the ankle weights were starting to take their toll. My thighs were beginning to burn and wanted to just shut down.
I tried to put it out of my mind and just focus on Richard running ahead of me. Once, I realized that I was lost in my own thoughts and in the process had slowed down. As a result Richard had gotten a little distance out front. I had to suck it up for a little bit and catch up.
Soon we came back out onto the CCC road and I could see my Jeep across the highway. It was a sight for exhausted thighs. And another loop was done.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Loop 19 Clockwise
Loop Map & More Info
28 is probably a good number by itself but when put in context with degrees and 6:20 am, its goodness quickly becomes a memory. Our only saving grace was that it hadn't rained in several days and the Red-Yellow connector was semi-dry and all streams were crossable without having to remove shoes.
Even with it only being the second day to have run in a long time it was still easier than the first day. For some reason I didn't seem to be as cold and there appeared to be a little bit of a spring in my step. However my stomach and back reminded me that I had swung a 12 lb maul way too much over the weekend while splitting wood. Nothing like a little jarring from running for a few sore muscles to make you realize just how alive you are by jump starting several nerves you didn't know were there.
We were up the CCC road and hanging a right on the Red-Yellow connector before I could believe it. Of course good conversation with Richard helps to pass the time while our shoes eat up the miles. The Red-Yellow connector had a few wet spots but we were able to skirt them and they only slowed us for a tad bit. We hopped and skipped over the same stream a couple of times and wound up back at the cabins.
This time we hung a right and headed back up to the main drive. Now that doesn't seem to be much of an incline when you go up it in your vehicle, but my body doesn't run on gasoline and it was starting to whine. I kept up the conversation with Richard and kept up the pace and pretty soon hit the main road.
We jogged a bit, walked up hill a bit and jogged on to the camping road. We took a left up a calf punisher of a hill. A golf ball lieing on the side of the road saved us. We were too busy cracking jokes about what a swing that guy must have that we had reached the top of the hill and avoided a car pulling out of the trash bins before we knew it.
We jogged a little ways down the hill and then took a right up the trail that is so step they installed steps. My calves were beginning to think this was a sick joke and had quit laughing. In fact, I couldn't hear any laughter over the heavy labor of trying to breath frigid air, wipe a running nose, push bush limbs out of the way and avoid slipping down on the loose pine straw.
We crested the hill and slipped on down the trail to the bridge over the creek. A few more steps and we were into the North Trailhead parking lot 3 minutes ahead of the counter clockwise route. Of course it was wetter then. I was feeling good though and felt that I could have gone at least another 100 yards. The sun was coming up though and it was time to go back to standing on my head.
28 is probably a good number by itself but when put in context with degrees and 6:20 am, its goodness quickly becomes a memory. Our only saving grace was that it hadn't rained in several days and the Red-Yellow connector was semi-dry and all streams were crossable without having to remove shoes.
Even with it only being the second day to have run in a long time it was still easier than the first day. For some reason I didn't seem to be as cold and there appeared to be a little bit of a spring in my step. However my stomach and back reminded me that I had swung a 12 lb maul way too much over the weekend while splitting wood. Nothing like a little jarring from running for a few sore muscles to make you realize just how alive you are by jump starting several nerves you didn't know were there.
We were up the CCC road and hanging a right on the Red-Yellow connector before I could believe it. Of course good conversation with Richard helps to pass the time while our shoes eat up the miles. The Red-Yellow connector had a few wet spots but we were able to skirt them and they only slowed us for a tad bit. We hopped and skipped over the same stream a couple of times and wound up back at the cabins.
This time we hung a right and headed back up to the main drive. Now that doesn't seem to be much of an incline when you go up it in your vehicle, but my body doesn't run on gasoline and it was starting to whine. I kept up the conversation with Richard and kept up the pace and pretty soon hit the main road.
We jogged a bit, walked up hill a bit and jogged on to the camping road. We took a left up a calf punisher of a hill. A golf ball lieing on the side of the road saved us. We were too busy cracking jokes about what a swing that guy must have that we had reached the top of the hill and avoided a car pulling out of the trash bins before we knew it.
We jogged a little ways down the hill and then took a right up the trail that is so step they installed steps. My calves were beginning to think this was a sick joke and had quit laughing. In fact, I couldn't hear any laughter over the heavy labor of trying to breath frigid air, wipe a running nose, push bush limbs out of the way and avoid slipping down on the loose pine straw.
We crested the hill and slipped on down the trail to the bridge over the creek. A few more steps and we were into the North Trailhead parking lot 3 minutes ahead of the counter clockwise route. Of course it was wetter then. I was feeling good though and felt that I could have gone at least another 100 yards. The sun was coming up though and it was time to go back to standing on my head.
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