That is one relaaaxed lizard. I believe it is a Southeastern Five-Lined Skink - according to Tennessee Watchable Wildlife the juveniles have a bright blue tail and very distinct stripes. That's blue all right!
Saturday, September 12, 2015
A Leetle Leezard!
Today I started late because I was going to be working at an evening event, but I went to the visitor center early to use the wifi. As I sat in the rocking chair on the porch outside, I saw one of the many lizards that live under and around the porch - it is just about impossible to sit still for more than a few minutes and not see one of these darting in and out from under the porch railing and in between the cracks. This one actually stretched out in the sun for a few minutes.
That is one relaaaxed lizard. I believe it is a Southeastern Five-Lined Skink - according to Tennessee Watchable Wildlife the juveniles have a bright blue tail and very distinct stripes. That's blue all right!
That is one relaaaxed lizard. I believe it is a Southeastern Five-Lined Skink - according to Tennessee Watchable Wildlife the juveniles have a bright blue tail and very distinct stripes. That's blue all right!
Friday, September 11, 2015
Lets get rolling!
Today I brought my bicycle with me to work, because I wanted to go for a short ride after work, and all of the bike trails are on that side of the river! It was nice out, not really cool but not too hot, and overcast.
I didn't actually go on a bike trail, but on Duncan Hollow Road, a gravel road that goes out the back of the campground and connects with several other gravel roads and trailheads. This is the same route that a major horse event took place on today - a long-distance endurance ride. I'm not sure how many people and horses showed up for this, but it's veen very busy in the visitor center, and we've sold more bags of ice than any other week! However many horses, they really churned up that gravel road - it was a bit of a slog riding through the loose gravel and dirt. When I got to the side road that leads to the John Litton farm trailhead, I took that, since it was still packed down. Also, I've been wanting to check out that area.
Duncan Hollow Road was a pleasant ride through the woods, but this was a real tunnel. Lovely!
I didn't actually go on a bike trail, but on Duncan Hollow Road, a gravel road that goes out the back of the campground and connects with several other gravel roads and trailheads. This is the same route that a major horse event took place on today - a long-distance endurance ride. I'm not sure how many people and horses showed up for this, but it's veen very busy in the visitor center, and we've sold more bags of ice than any other week! However many horses, they really churned up that gravel road - it was a bit of a slog riding through the loose gravel and dirt. When I got to the side road that leads to the John Litton farm trailhead, I took that, since it was still packed down. Also, I've been wanting to check out that area.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Out to the edge again
I had a longer week this week. My usual days off are Monday and Tuesday, but since I had to work at the Visitor Center on Labor Day, they got slid over to Tuesday-Wednesday. (That's what happens when you work in the place that people go to on holidays! At least I got double pay for that day!)
My hike this week was to an overlook on the Leatherwood Loop trail. The whole loop goes down to the river and then back up - or vice versa - while following the winding gorge road part of the way. I didn't want to do the climbing, but it's not far to the overlook from the parking lot for the Sunset Overlook trail. Just heading to a different spot on the rim.
My hike this week was to an overlook on the Leatherwood Loop trail. The whole loop goes down to the river and then back up - or vice versa - while following the winding gorge road part of the way. I didn't want to do the climbing, but it's not far to the overlook from the parking lot for the Sunset Overlook trail. Just heading to a different spot on the rim.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Raft trip
The Big South Fork River is a popular destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking, and I had been meaning to go on a raft trip. I kept putting it off - first I wanted to wait until after Fourth of July was over, and then there were several weeks in a row of rain, and then it slipped my mind... When I finally went to book an expedition, the outfitter was no longer doing daily trips except on weekends. They told me they could let me know if a large group booked a trip, and I could go with them. I asked them to let me know if any trips came up for Mondays or Tuesdays. "Actually, we have a group going out this Tuesday!"
Sheltowee Trace Outfitters does raft trips at several different locations. They actually do rafting in Big South Fork NRRA, but only in late spring and early summer, when the water levels are higher. At this time of year they are starting their expeditions further north - just below Cumberland Falls.
I had to get an early start, because the trip was supposed to start at 9 a.m. and I wanted to get there well before that. I got there just before they opened at 8:30. I put on my sunscreen and went to check in. I had thought that might take a while but I had plenty of time to wait for the rest of the people to arrive. Then a whole crowd of jeeps rolled in - the group that had booked the rafts for the day was taking a break from off-roading to do a float trip.
At 9:00 they called us together, but it turned out that everyone else still had to fill out the liability forms, etc. so I had more time to wait. At around 9:30 we went upstairs to watch a video about rafting safety and how to properly use the equipment. Afterward we went back down and were assigned life jackets, helmets, and paddles. (The two other times I've done this were in the mountains, and everyone had to wear wetsuits to ward off hypothermia! It was nice to not have to worry about that!)
Now came the bus ride - about 20 minutes to our put-in location, at Cumberland Falls State Park. It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot down to the put-in below the falls. One more lecture, and we were assigned our rafts and guides. I was in a raft with three other people who were not part of the larger group, and a guide who was doing a float on her day off.
It was about 10:30 that we were actually getting out on the river. If I had realized it would be that long, I would have brought my sunscreen on the bus and reapplied it when I got to the river!
We were putting in below the falls, but we were able to paddle back upstream and get closer to them. I had bought a disposable waterproof camera at the shop when I checked in, so I was able to try and capture that unique view! Some of the pictures ended up a little smeary from the water, but the views are still great!
Sheltowee Trace Outfitters does raft trips at several different locations. They actually do rafting in Big South Fork NRRA, but only in late spring and early summer, when the water levels are higher. At this time of year they are starting their expeditions further north - just below Cumberland Falls.
I had to get an early start, because the trip was supposed to start at 9 a.m. and I wanted to get there well before that. I got there just before they opened at 8:30. I put on my sunscreen and went to check in. I had thought that might take a while but I had plenty of time to wait for the rest of the people to arrive. Then a whole crowd of jeeps rolled in - the group that had booked the rafts for the day was taking a break from off-roading to do a float trip.
At 9:00 they called us together, but it turned out that everyone else still had to fill out the liability forms, etc. so I had more time to wait. At around 9:30 we went upstairs to watch a video about rafting safety and how to properly use the equipment. Afterward we went back down and were assigned life jackets, helmets, and paddles. (The two other times I've done this were in the mountains, and everyone had to wear wetsuits to ward off hypothermia! It was nice to not have to worry about that!)
Now came the bus ride - about 20 minutes to our put-in location, at Cumberland Falls State Park. It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot down to the put-in below the falls. One more lecture, and we were assigned our rafts and guides. I was in a raft with three other people who were not part of the larger group, and a guide who was doing a float on her day off.
It was about 10:30 that we were actually getting out on the river. If I had realized it would be that long, I would have brought my sunscreen on the bus and reapplied it when I got to the river!
We were putting in below the falls, but we were able to paddle back upstream and get closer to them. I had bought a disposable waterproof camera at the shop when I checked in, so I was able to try and capture that unique view! Some of the pictures ended up a little smeary from the water, but the views are still great!
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
My Daily Commute
Every day when I drive to Bandy Creek Visitor Center I go down, down, down to Leatherwood Bridge, cross the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River, and then go up, up, up to the other side. I decided I had better get some pictures of the gorgeous views along my commute! The easiest place to do that is from the bridge itself, which has a wide shoulder that I was able to park on and get some pictures upstream and downstream. I did this twice - once at around 10 a.m. yesterday morning, and again today on the way home after work, so as to get the morning and evening lighting. I also stopped at the East Rim overlook, since it's been a while and I wanted to get another look before the colors start changing.
Here are the mid-morning pictures.
This is looking downstream, towards Angel Falls. That old bridge used to be the main one! It's to the right as I'm driving to work.
Here are the mid-morning pictures.
This is looking downstream, towards Angel Falls. That old bridge used to be the main one! It's to the right as I'm driving to work.
Camouflage Fail
Just a tip - if you ever get reincarnated as a Walking Stick insect, you will not utilize your natural camouflage effectively by trying to hide on a stainless steel drinking fountain.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Angel Falls
This week it was neither overpoweringly hot, nor about to thunderstorm, so I finally went hiking again! I walked the Angel Falls Rapids trail - the full two miles this time, all the way out to the rapids. I finally saw one of the places people ask about the most! I also saw, not only some new wildflowers, but the fruits of some of the flowers I saw last time I walked this trail in late May.
I saw a lot of yellow flowers. Yellow seems to be the default color at this time of year, late summer getting into early fall. Yellow and white and sometimes purple. This could be a black-eyed Susan, but as I've mentioned before, there are just too many similar-shaped yellow flowers for me to be able to say.
Most of the trail had view like this - above the river, with glimpses of the water through the trees.
I saw a lot of yellow flowers. Yellow seems to be the default color at this time of year, late summer getting into early fall. Yellow and white and sometimes purple. This could be a black-eyed Susan, but as I've mentioned before, there are just too many similar-shaped yellow flowers for me to be able to say.
Most of the trail had view like this - above the river, with glimpses of the water through the trees.
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