Yesterday, it being the coolest in the weather forecast this week, ( I don't do so well hiking in hot weather ) I went for a hike with a guide up to the headwaters of our local creek.
There were some very nice views once we got up high enough…. that's our little town way down there.
It's easy to miss it, but on the upper left of this picture, there's wild lilac peeking out. Very pretty.
The creek is fed by several springs that start all about in the same area. I don't know what it is about seeing a place where water just comes up out of the ground...
But it's amazing to me.
Here is the main spring:
It has carved a little cave from the granite. It's hard to see the water running down with all the wild current plants in the way. These springs run all year round, so that little creek never dries up. There are many creeks in our area that only run in the winter and spring, so, it's special to know of one that is fed by these springs.
It's sort of hard for me to understand how water can be coming out of the ground so very high up on a mountain. There is no snow pack above this to melt and create the water. Where does it come from???? I know that sounds silly, but truly, it seems mysterious to me. I understand springs that are lower in elevation. Water tables can be high and have water break to the surface. But at 5 thousand feet? What is UP with that?
Anyway, it was a 4 1/2 mile hike to this spot. We ate lunch and then headed down. I'm not a fast hiker, but I can get there and back. When we were going up the steep parts, I put myself in 'turtle speed' and take small strides. Slow and steady. That's how I roll. Otherwise, 9 miles would kill me outright.
But to be honest, my feet hurt like the dickens by the time I got home. It took two soaks in epsom salts to restore them to functioning appendages. Today, they can't even remember what the problem was.
There are muscles however who know exactly what happened and are still complaining about the overwork.
I told them to suck it up. We live in the mountains again. They need to toughen up.
Though I did give them chocolate as an encouragement.
Chocolate. The Universal Language.
:-)
The creek is fed by several springs that start all about in the same area. I don't know what it is about seeing a place where water just comes up out of the ground...
But it's amazing to me.
Here is the main spring:
It has carved a little cave from the granite. It's hard to see the water running down with all the wild current plants in the way. These springs run all year round, so that little creek never dries up. There are many creeks in our area that only run in the winter and spring, so, it's special to know of one that is fed by these springs.
It's sort of hard for me to understand how water can be coming out of the ground so very high up on a mountain. There is no snow pack above this to melt and create the water. Where does it come from???? I know that sounds silly, but truly, it seems mysterious to me. I understand springs that are lower in elevation. Water tables can be high and have water break to the surface. But at 5 thousand feet? What is UP with that?
Anyway, it was a 4 1/2 mile hike to this spot. We ate lunch and then headed down. I'm not a fast hiker, but I can get there and back. When we were going up the steep parts, I put myself in 'turtle speed' and take small strides. Slow and steady. That's how I roll. Otherwise, 9 miles would kill me outright.
But to be honest, my feet hurt like the dickens by the time I got home. It took two soaks in epsom salts to restore them to functioning appendages. Today, they can't even remember what the problem was.
There are muscles however who know exactly what happened and are still complaining about the overwork.
I told them to suck it up. We live in the mountains again. They need to toughen up.
Though I did give them chocolate as an encouragement.
Chocolate. The Universal Language.
:-)