Lower Tahquamenon Falls

Tahquamenon Falls are a little over an hour west of Sault Ste. Marie and were among the “must see” things that my friend Carol said that I “had” to see while in the UP! According to Carol, the pronunciation of Tahquamenon is “something like” Taaaaa quaaaaaa men on. I'll take her word for it!



There are actually two areas here, the Lower Falls and the Upper Falls. The Lower Falls are a series of smaller waterfalls coming down on either side of an Island.





The two falls shown here are on the east side of the Island.



Rowboats were available for rental to take out to the Island where there is a boardwalk that goes around the Island and affords different views of the falls. As much as I would have liked to, I'm not very adept at rowing a boat so didn't attempt this little excursion. The falls in the background are the same ones in the first picture.





This is the last of a series of three smaller falls that are on the west side of the Island. A boardwalk leads you along the river to several viewing platforms.





An interesting sign along the way - Prayer of the Woods.



Another sign – showing the layout of the river and island and warning of the dangers of the falls.





From one of the viewing platforms, looking back at where the first few pictures were taken.





Fast flowing water. The brown color is caused from tannin brought in from the streams that flow into the river.





The uppermost of the Lower Falls. Visitors to the Island wade out into the river.



And finally, a closeup of the flowing waters.

Morning Harebells at the Spirit Tree

Sometimes it pays to force yourself to try something different. On a recent sunrise shoot at the Spirit Tree, I used only my Canon G11 point-and-shoot camera and not my usual "big" camera - the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Using the G11 forces me to look for different compositions, something more “unique” than the typical landscape shots that I tend to look for when using the Canon 5D Mark II camera. This image is the result of that morning’s search for something different. I always notice the Harebell flowers when visiting the tree in the summer, yet I’ve never before tried making an image that shows both the flowers and the tree. The G11 with its rotating viewfinder screen allowed me to make this image. Since the flowers were on the side of a rock and very close to the surface of the water, I don’t think I would have been able to compose this shot using my bigger camera.

Crystal Springs ..

Got out on the skinny skis for the first time this season. Jennifer and I were originally planning a trip to one of the MTTA huts but were not able to on short notice due to their archaic reservation system. (That and our hut of choice was already full.) We decided on one day of skiing but where would we go? While the state was already charging to park at Sno Parks, no grooming had actually occurred except on the MTTA trails. I checked with the ranger stationed in REI and he told me the I90 Sno Parks would be groomed starting December 5th. Since this information was not online I took it because it was all we had. Jennifer and I were still going to head that way because we didn't know where else to go.

Meany snow cats awaiting more snow

Signs were good when we arrived at the pass and it was snowing. We continued east and stopped at the Crystal Springs Sno Park. We figured with the snowmobile traffic, it would resemble groomed and be good enough to ski on. To our dismay, the parking lot was not plowed and a high clearance vehicle was needed to negotiate it. So we drove down the highway to Cabin Creek to see what was in store. When we arrived, we saw a few guys digging a spot out in the parking lot so they could park. I wasn't particularly interested in that kind of workout, so we went across the highway to check on the trail condition. It certainly was not groomed. There was a small trail trench in the middle and that was it. We decided to head back to Crystal Springs.

The road

From our earlier trip to the parking lot we knew there was a spot to park just outside the lot where the road was plowed and we would not be in the way. We parked there and geared up. Jennifer was excited to use her new skis for the first time. We skied through the parking lot and onto the trail while keeping a close eye out for snow machines. The snow coverage wasn't great, but we didn't have to ski on dirt anywhere. Once we hit the road, there was low coverage from wheeled vehicles driving on it, so we kept to one side. We decided to head down the road to Trollhaugen as they had run their snow cat on it but did not groom. (That, and it was off limits to snowmobiles.) We skied down that way on what was nice compacted snow from the cat. Once at an intersection, the cat had turned around and we ventured out into untracked snow on the trails there. We made a small loop and returned back out to the road.

Skiing in the untracked forest

On our way out we stumbled upon ski tracks heading into the Erling Stordahl trails and we followed them for a loop. While not quite as nice as skiing on the trails the cat had driven on, it was nice having the track in there for us already. After that loop we called it quits and headed home.

Faster skiing on tracked snow

It was fun getting out on the skinny skis for a change. They'll probably make me better on the fatter skis, because I find it more difficult to balance and ski with them. Jennifer had fun and cannot wait to go back. Unfortunately, the trails will not be groomed until December 5th. Which makes sense to me now that I saw that the coverage probably wasn't enough for a proper grooming. And they wouldn't want to start grooming on Thanksgiving Weekend for obvious reasons. (Although I bet the state could have earned more money if they did.)

Wind Again

Creepin'

Creepin', originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Saturday night I was hiking up Poly Mountain and a large, slow-moving creature next to the trail caught my eye. Upon looking closer I saw that it was a tarantula.

This is the time of the year when the tarantulas are out and about in the hills. Some places, like Mt. Diablo in the Bay Area, are famous for the large numbers of the arachnids that creep through the dry grasses in search of mates...and prey.

The Bruggelen Hike

Last month Dutchman and I went with the Dutch family on a weekend hike in Bruggelen near Apeldoorn (Gelderland provincie) in the eastern part of the Netherlands. We first had some tea, coffee and tart in a restaurant where we parked the cars. It was a beautiful day; dry, not so cold, very little wind and the sun is up. A totally different day compared to the day before that was raining cats and dogs, I was already a bit worried that the hike will be cancelled but the weather forecast promised for a great day on Sunday and it did!


These fotos were taken just before entering Bruggelen forest in Beekbergen, we came across a manege and it looks like the horse likes me! lol


Progressing with the hike here, the forest lays quietly on a bed of bright red orange dried leaves, so beautiful! There were many needle-like trees in Bruggelen forest.


Mushrooms, acorns and dried autumn leaves...


A button red mushroom with white spots, I tried recollecting where I have seen red mushrooms with white spots, something like a cartoon show, then I just realized it was 'Super Mario' (Mario Brothers) and the mushroom kingdom, haha. I used to play the video game Super Mario like crazy in the early eighties.


Here is another red mushroom with lesser white spots that we spotted. The pole in the middle foto is part of a vast network of colour-coded directions in the forest. Next pole shows that we should watch out for dogs and horses as we are walking on their trails.


And good enough, we saw a couple of people on horses and this one is the most impressive, a little horse carriage, they were going so fast! We also came upon a group, a Dog club walking their dogs in the forest.


Beautiful forest in Bruggelen... I look a bit tired here, we have walked four hours already...


Almost there! I love the yellow colours of the plants and trees in this foto and the greyish blue dramatic backdrop of the skies.

More fotos can be found here: Bruggelen in Beekbergen, Apeldoorn - The Netherlands

Somehow we lost our tracks in the forest but found our way after asking a couple of people along the way. The three-hour hike became an almost five-hour hike! Although we stopped and rested in between, we were tired from the long hours of walking. I have good physical condition so I’m not really complaining.

I love nature walks, especially during autumn when forests are most beautiful. Looking forward to the next walk!

Lebanon, PA to Williamsburg, VA

Cholla

This, That, and the Other Thing

This...

I had a wonderful time visiting my niece and her family at Thanksgiving. Yes, I know that was a week ago but I haven't mentioned it yet... It took Valen a little while to warm up to me and he eventually did give me a big smile but it was ever so fleeting...

My great-grand nephew Valen and his mother Jasmine. Thanksgiving Day.
That...

I arrived in Saint Augustine on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Spent that afternoon and all day Monday with Denise Olson. Yesterday I was a bum on the beach the entire day and today was mostly spent in two different auto shops for routine maintenance on the van (oil change, alignment, two tires). But Denise and her husband Dave and I got together for a farewell supper...

Dave said "I am smiling!"
He's really quite a character. And I mean that in a good way.
Thanks Denise, for giving up one of your days off and spending it with me! I've enjoyed my visit and it was great to see you both again.

And the other thing...

Sunset at Anastasia Island, Saint Augustine, Florida. November 30, ...

The Shenandoah Valley

We have been busy, busy, busy since we hit the valley. Between seeing Austin and the rest of the family, we've hardly had time to catch our breath. We spent the night at Memaw's, and Ava decided that Memaw is the bomb....just like Austin thinks she is. On Sunday, the guys took the kids and they went up on the mountain and went skeet shooting. The ladies all went to see the movie The Help. Nathan and I had already seen the movie, but I loved it so much that I was happy to see it again.



We have a very short visit, due to the holiday weekend coming in (we can't stay at this place then). So we are trying to enjoy what little time we do have. The valley is as beautiful as always. Beyond our heavy hearts over the devastation in OBX, we are trying to enjoy where we are.

Moving On :: Leaving Alaska

Saturday, August 28th - - My stay in Juneau was at an end. The ferry didn't leave until 3 pm but, since I had a vehicle, I had to check in by one o'clock. There would have been time to take another tour I suppose, but after yesterday's adventure I really didn't see much point in it – I don't think anything could have topped it. For the first time in a long time sleep didn't come easily last night. My mind wouldn't let go of the excitement of the day and I kept reliving the events over and over.

But even with lingering in bed a little longer there was plenty of time to get around in the morning and to run a few errands (stock up on groceries and a few other items and fill up the gas tank). I then found a turnout along the highway and whiled away the remaining bit of time by doing absolutely nothing – sittin' and thinkin' and watchin' the clouds go by... (and more of the same once I got in the queue for the ferry!)

The ferry ride was mostly uneventful, the hours passed by quickly. However, at about five o'clock someone yelled out “Whale on the left.” Fortunately, that just happened to be the side where I was sitting... it was rather far off and moving away from us but we watched that lone humpback whale breach (jump out of the water) five times! It was yet another of those “WOW” moments, for that is all that it lasted, just a few brief moments, but it was a wondrous sight to see.

Clouds filled the sky as we got close to Haines. We docked at 7:30 and then there was a stopover of an hour to let people and vehicles disembark, then it was another hour to Skagway.

Pulling into the ferry dock at Skagway at 9:30 pm. It was interesting to me that the Captain used two spotlights, one on either side of the ferry, to guide it into the docking area. A few minutes later I drove off and into Skagway. For some reason, it surprised me that it was dark already when I got there. And it was warm. Not hot, but much warmer than it had been for many weeks. There were two RV Park[ing lot]s in Skagway but I had noticed some RVs pulling into the ferry terminal parking lot and decided to join them there for the night. If you think about it - with its lighted lot and security patrols - it was as safe (if not safer) as any campground.

=========

Sunday, August 29th - - It was raining lightly when I left the ferry terminal parking lot at eight o'clock. I drove down several streets in the nearly vacant town. Few people were out and about and stores were not yet open. There were, however, three cruise ships in the harbor that had pulled in during the night, filled with people about to fill the town.

Ready to move on, I found the main highway and drove north out of town. Less than an hour later I was out of Alaska and back in Canada. A part of me wanted to return to Alaska to do some of the things that I hadn't done (because of time, money, or the weather – or a combination of all three) but deep down I knew it was time to leave. Perhaps one day I will return. But if I don't, that's okay because I've been there and had some amazing and wonderful experiences that will be with me for a long time to come.

The South Klondike Highway heads north out of Skagway following the Klondike River. On the other side of the river was the White Pass & Yukon Route railway, which was one of the last narrow-gauge railroads built in North America. Began in May 1898, more than 2,000 workers labored with hand tools for 18 months to build the railroad. It claimed 35 lives. The highway that I was driving on was only 30 years old (began in 1978 and dedicated in 1981) and certainly wasn't constructed with hand tools!

A portion of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, with train, no less!
The train passing over Pitchfork Falls.
The unusual William Moore suspension bridge spans a 110-foot-wide gorge over Moore Creek, which is 180 feet below.

Natures Rock Garden.
Just north of the U.S. Border is an area referred to as the moonscape.
The trees are small and shaped by the wind and snow.
If I hadn't missed the turnoff to Carcross Road I would not have seen beautiful Emerald Lake (also known as Rainbow Lake).

The long and winding road, typical of the Carcross Highway, which goes from the town of Carcross to Watson Lake. The town was originally named Caribou Cross because herds of caribou used to cross there. I guess it is fitting that cars cross through Carcross now.

The first time (on August 3rd) I passed through Watson Lake, home of the Sign Post Forest, crowds (well, maybe not crowds, but more than a few people) filled the streets. Today, I saw two people. You can tell it is getting close to the end of the summer and the end of the tourist season. The streets, and campgrounds in Yukon Territory, are nearly empty.