Foggy Hike, Soggy Hike

Okay, it wasn't so much a hike as it was a stroll through the woods.  The Friday before last I had the day off and Troubadour and I decided since the weather was so poor and the fog wasn't lifting enough for a ride, we'd go for a hike.

We decided on William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge south of town.  We've hiked there before. It is great if you want a walk in the woods without mountain bikes, joggers, or pets on the trail.

We decided on a trail we didn't walk the last time, the Woodpecker Trail.

(A look at the trail from the car)

(A look back at the car from the trail)

We slowed our pace when we started to see the birds flitting about.  We saw a few woodpeckers. The Black Capped Chickadees were chirping at us and we also saw a Steller's Jay or two.   Rare for us since we usually see the loud squawking Western Scrub Jays.  We walked a little slower looking and listening to the sounds of the forest, muted by the dense fog.

(A slug's eye view of the trail)

(Greenery growing on the trees)

(There was a bird hiding in there somewhere)

(Our view over the oak savannah - fog, the reason we weren't on two wheels)

(Large white oak with a lookout platform)

(The view from the lookout platform)

(I was mesmerized by the silhouettes of the trees in the fog)

(So many trees, so many different branch structures)

(A few wooden boardwalks to carry us over streams and marshy areas)

(Oak leaf on a bridge railing)

(So much green this time of year)

(Moss making everything brilliant)

(I wonder if a bird has made his home here)

(Older white oak trees have beautiful bark)

(It wouldn't be a walk in the woods without mushrooms)

(A rough skinned newt of the salamander family - toxic if licked or eaten)

(A hollowed branch - horizontal and  5 feet off the ground)

(The backside of this tree was quite burned)

We eventually looped back around and made it back to the car.  On the way out we thought we'd find another short trail, but it was getting later in the day.  We opted to take a few pictures of the Fiat in front of the old barn and homestead then go home.

(Fiat by the Fiechter barn)

(Fiechter House and Carriage House, building started in 1855)

As we were leaving we decided to take one side trip into a lookout area.  The gazebo was open but the Cabell March Trail was not due to wintering water fowl.  We attempted a few pictures, but had the wrong camera for the zoom we needed. I apologize these are a little fuzzy.

(A view from the lookout gazebo)

(Mallard ducks on the logs in the water, and white swans in the background on the shore)

(Full zoom makes for fuzzy pics on a point and shoot)

We went home and had a nice chai tea latte to warm up.  

Our weather lately has been alternating between pouring down rain and dense fog.  Neither one motivating for a ride on two wheels, whether pedal powered or fuel injected.  

We shouldn't really complain since our weather has been above freezing and last year we had snow at this time.  Our high today is forecast to be 47˚F (8.3˚C) and you guessed it - rain.  Oh well, all this rain makes for some pretty greenery, except now we need to mow the lawn if it ever stops raining long enough to dry a bit.

- Au Revoir

" Sometimes we need the fog to remind ourselves that all in life is not black and white." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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