Old Growth

Today was intended as my just-past-halfway walk in the woods, sort of a day of rest. It was anything but restful. I headed to the Old Growth trail, a 3.5 mile one way trail that starts near a point on lookout creek, then ending higher up on the same creek. This was one steep trail. My legs hurt. I feel very justified to have missed my routine afternoon run. Steep, although it is, I highly recommend this trail. It is, of course, very beautiful, but it’s also interesting in that I believe it successfully shows the different layers of an old growth forest. At one point, you are down on the forest floor by the creek, then as you ascend the trail you can look into the mid-level forest and then, as the terrain becomes even more steep, you look out on the treetops.

Often, the trail takes you past something tagged by a scientist or a small contraption that is monitoring something. I find it oddly comforting to be there and find part of the process that others are taking to see the forest in a more focused and deliberate way. I feel connected to that even though what I do the results of my looking are very different to those of a scientist.

Because I left my little apartment earlier than usual this morning, I accomplished what I consider not enough to warrant a photograph of the work in progress. That will be left for tomorrow.

Lookout Creek in old growth goodness. This is near the beginning (and end) of the hike. I think I probably found it in the small window of sun that it receives in the late afternoon.