hiking

My husband and I recently decided to start hiking again. There are so many beautiful trails within a few hours drive from us, and with Coronavirus being a fact of life now, hiking is a good way to get outside and exercise while staying away from people. Our eventual goal is to hike the entirety of the Foothills Trail in northern South Carolina.

The last weekend of June we hiked a section of the Foothills trail from Highway 107 to the trailhead at Oconee State Park. The hike was 4.6 miles each way, and we planned to camp overnight somewhere in the middle.

We started out with heavy packs and light hearts, and walked our way slowly to the trailhead. This section of trail is very beautiful. Green, somewhat hilly, and there are even a few sections of temperate rainforest with the most lovely flowering trees!

About a mile before we reached the trailhead we saw a sign for some hidden falls. We completed the first half of our hike, then retraced our steps for a mile and hiked the additional mile and a half to the falls.

What a beautiful place to rest! Our feet and legs were tired and sore, having walked over 7 miles that day, and it felt so good to soak them in the cool water.

My husband built me a small fire, and even though there wasn’t an official campsite, we set our tent up on the small patch of level ground we could find.

In the morning I knitted to the sound of the falling water.

Then it was time to pack up our gear and hike out. The 4.5 miles back to our car wasn’t bad, but we were both exhausted from our long hike the day before and from not sleeping well. We were glad to get off our feet and go home. Over the course of 2 days we had hiked just over 11 miles.

Camping

Last weekend my husband and I went camping. We’ve gone hiking before and camped with family, but this was the first time we went camping alone. This is such a beautiful time of year! We went to Oconee State Park and hiked a 9-mile section of the Foothills Trail.

Day 1: I realized about an hour before we left that my hands were going to be cold. So I packed a skein of Noro Kureyon and some US 8 DPNs. We drove to the park, hiked 2 miles, and set up camp. At which point we realized we had forgotten a lighter. No fire for us. We marveled at the stars, and then went to bed.

Photo 1: In which I demonstrate the proper use of a headlamp.

Day 2: Up and at ’em! Hiking is the best way to warm up! Especially when you have no fire. It’s a good thing we packed Clif bars and beef jerky!

Photo 2: Mornings are cold! Good thing I packed handknits!

glove — Photo 3: Unfinished, but already pressed into service!

view

We hiked and hiked and hiked and it was pleasant until mile 7 of 9.

river

stones

Then my legs and feet decided to hate me. But it was so beautiful! Once we made it back to the parking area we begged a light off a kind stranger and made food. Warm food! Heavenly! Thus fortified we drove home (where I promptly took a very hot bath). My feet took a while to forgive me. I think my birthday pedicure helped.

pedi

I Like Camping

This past weekend I went camping with my fiancé and his brother and sisters. We packed our bags, added more stuff and then repacked, and then it was off to the campground. After a few hours drive we arrived and hiked in. Let me tell you, hiking with a 20 lb backpack is not easy – especially when you are not used to it! In due time we reached our camping spot (ok, it was only 1/2 mile from the parking lot, but it seemed a lot longer) and set up camp. At which point I took out my spinning and spun until it was too dark to do so (since the light was bad I have no pictures of this). Then food and s’mores and sleep.

The next morning after breakfast and knitting (again, I have a lack of photographic evidence, but it’s not for lack of trying. My phone died.) we packed back up and hiked out to stash our heavy packs in the car before hiking to a neaby waterfall. This was my favourite part of the weekend. The water was cold, but we quickly got used to it. We swam and waded and even went behind the waterfall. I couldn’t help but think of the waterfall scene from The Last of the Mohicans.

Then it started to rain. Which was no big deal, since we were already wet. It rained more heavily, and then slacked off. We got out of the water, and a few minutes later it started thundering. Alas, no more swimming for us. We set off back to the vehicles.

A few hours later we were home and showered and dry and eating a wonderful dinner.

I like camping.

Nature Walk

As much as I love nature I never seem to get outside enough. It’s too hot or too cold or I’m too busy. Yesterday my fiancé and I finally got out for our fist hike of the season. We walked for an hour and a quarter on a trail not too far from where we both live. It was good to exercise and be out in nature. And look what we found!

We took many pictures, and he even let Chris touch him!

Here’s my artistic rendition. The proportions are a little off, but I think for a few minutes’ work it’s pretty good.

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