Photos: From the Campsite to Cane Creek

I got a really early start the next morning because I knew I had a really long way to go that day — at least nine miles from what the park ranger had told me. I had woken up with the sun and and started moving around before it was very bright. But soon the sky welcomed me with a nice colorful dawn. I was on my way before 7:30 AM, but not before a couple of pain killers for my muscle. I went really slowly during that first section until they kicked in.

There was one really interesting “tree” that I noticed as I walked. It was really the dead stump of a tree that had broken off about seven or eight feet above the ground. I caught it out of the corner of my eye as I was walking along and immediately had to do a double-take. It looked exactly like a person in horrible pain and grief, with mouth gaping wide and one arm thrown over the eyes, weeping. It’s hard to explain how that popped into my mind all in a flash like that. I was reminded instantly of the ent Treebeard in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings stories, grieving over the loss of his trees.

Do you see what I’m talking about here:

Soon after seeing that, the trail took a decided turn… straight down. It got really steep as it went down toward the creek. Just before, I got a view across the valley. Spring was on it’s way:

The views across the valley got more scarce the further down the bank I went. But the sound of the creek below me got louder and louder. I’m not sure why the sound of water running over rapids is so soothing. But I walked in constant anticipation of seeing them around each turn.

Soon I came upon a suspension bridge that spanned the water below (the first of several that day). I’m not usually afraid of heights, but when it got bouncy it got a little nerve-wracking. Here’s the view as I approached:

And here’s the view looking back:

It was really beautiful here, and I wish I could have stayed longer. But I still had a long way to go and the dreaded uphill trek was just ahead of me. So, I reloaded my water bottle, thanked God the pain killers had started working, shouldered my pack and kept going.

See all my pictures from this trip.

Photos: To and At the Campsite

I parked the car and got on the trail somewhere around 2:00 in the afternoon. I didn’t have very far to go to get to the campsite (only about 3 miles according to the ranger). I had two choices, actually: there was a second site that was about 6 miles down the trail. But this one had access to water… and I tweaked a muscle in the first mile, so the closer one definitely won out.

There really wasn’t much to see in this first leg of the trip. The foliage still hadn’t emerged on the hardwoods and there were many fallen trees. But some of the colors were great. I really liked these two, one of moss and one of a small creek:

And this one gives some idea of what the trail was like:

After trudging along with my tweaked muscle, I finally made it across a small creek and up a short incline to the campsite. I think it took me about two hours to go my three miles. Like I mentioned the other day: Really out of shape. The muscle didn’t help either.

So I went around gathering wood for my campfire. I’m not sure why, but the campfire is always one of the highlights of the camping trip. Without it there’s not much reason to stay up past sunset, and that’s usually around 8:00 (or earlier in the winter).

After I had amassed a nice quantity I went back down the incline to the the creek a couple of times and got water for cooking and for drinking. Then I got out my food, my pots and pans and stove, and my… and my… (sigh) no lighter or matches. I assumed it was with my stuff when I moved it to Louisville, but I must have taken all that stuff out when I put my pack in the apartment building.

No worries, I thought. I’ll just start a fire à la Tom Hanks in Castaway. I’ll get some nice dry wood and brush, make that little crack for air to get in, and start rubbing two sticks together. Easy. Well, an hour later I was a very different, more frustrated person. It just doesn’t seem to work like in the movies (surprise).

So I faced the prospect of no campfire and mere pop-tarts for supper (instead of smoked salmon in parmesan pasta). I wasn’t very happy. But, instead of giving up completely, I decided to start searching the campsite in case someone had inadvertently left a match lying around. Well, I didn’t find a match… I found a lighter! I was never so happy to see litter at a campsite! My campfire and dinner plans were back on.

Can’t you see how happy I am in this picture?

No really. I am happy. Campfires just make me pensive. You’re alone with your thoughts and there’s really not much happening in the fire. So what was I thinking about?

1/ I was thinking about how nice it was to be in the woods and away from everything.

2/ I was thinking about finding that lighter. It was my own sorry fault for not checking my gear before I left home. I had no reason to expect to find a lighter. I actually deserved to be disappointed with no campfire or hot dinner. But that’s not what happened. Despite what I deserved, I got a blessing that I didn’t even ask for. I don’t want to overspiritualize this, but it greatly reminded me of God and what he does for me everyday. I don’t deserve the many blessings he showers on me (sunshine, health, family and friends, purpose, his Word, food, drink, and a hundred other things). I don’t even ask for most of them. How ungrateful I really am! I wish I could say that I found the lighter after I had uttered some amazing prayer of faith and expected God to provide for me. But that isn’t really what happened. I didn’t say that prayer, although I should have. I should ask God to show me his good blessings. And I should thank him for them when they arrive and give him the glory for them. I don’t want that to sound like some kind of prosperity gospel. The point is not that I get a bunch of stuff, but that God gets a bunch of glory for his providence. And that can be as simple as finding a little stick of butane in the middle of the woods.

Also passing through my mind was how like salvation this little event happened to be. I had been working and working, rubbing two sticks together to try to make a fire. But it didn’t happen. No matter how hard I worked it wasn’t going to happen. Fire was impossible for me with sticks. But God gave fire when I stopped trying to work for it and looked for his provision. Salvation is like that. We can’t earn it. We can only accept it as a gift from him. That was greatly encouraging.

3/ Why didn’t I bring marshmallows? Maybe that’s why I look so dour. Okay, I didn’t really think that at the time. I was pretty happy with my thoughts.

See all my pictures from this trip.

Photos: Cane Creek Falls and Cascade

The Nature Center is the place to register for overnight camping, get a map and some idea of what the area is like, and get directions to the parking area. Just behind it is Cane Creek Falls (85′) and Cane Creek Cascade. Both of them are really nice. And the water was really flowing this day.

I had to wait a little while for the rangers to get back from lunch. So I took the opportunity to take a few pictures. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize there was a trail to the bottom of the falls, so I missed out on that. Still here are my favorites from this area:

See all my pictures from this trip.

Fall Creek Falls State Park

On my Spring Break I took a short camping trip to Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee. It’s in the center of the Nashville-Knoxville-Chattanooga triangle.

I like to get out into the woods from time to time and get away from computers and books and the comforts of home. Not only does this allow me to reclaim some peaceful side of my brain, it also proves how out of shape I become sitting at a desk most of the day. Yikes. It’s really bad.

The general quiet of the woods is also a perfect place to think about life and meditate on my Bible and my walk with the Lord. I have a couple of stories I’ll share in the next few posts about some of these meditations. I hope they will be encouraging. They were for me.

Here’s a map of the trail:

I have a pre-hike post to make, and then the colored sections indicate the planned posts from the hike, yellow first and then moving counter-clockwise. Eventually, you’ll be able to see the whole trip from beginning to end in photos.

Hypocrite’s Lament

Two days ago I strained out a gnat;
yesterday I swallowed a camel. My stats
                                are not so good.
O when will it ever occur
that I will rightly prefer
                                the things I should.

Photos: The Parents’ House

I’ve uploaded some photos from around the parents’ house: front yard / back yard. It was a really rainy, overcast kind of weekend. I don’t think the sun came out once.

I both miss and don’t miss having a yard of my own.

Here are some of my favorites from this batch:

Birdhouse

Dogwood

Spot the Running Rabbit

Back

Well, I’m back home after my quick road trip to Atlanta and Tennessee. I got to see the family for a while and catch up with some friends. It was good, but it was also tiring. I’ve driven more in the past four days than I had in the previous two and a half months. And the traffic in Atlanta drives me bonkers. I don’t miss that at all.

My quick camping trip was enjoyable. It proved how out of shape I really am, however.

I plan on posting some pictures from it all over the next week (I have about 500 to sort through). And to describe things in a bit more detail. For now, however, I have many things to do for school next week and need to get busy on that front. In the meantime, I posted a couple of travel songs I really like for your enjoyment. Hopefully I can write more this weekend.