pics and such

[rootofnewt]

We left home and decided to take in two falls that require very short hikes: Staton's Falls and Panther Falls.

Staton's falls is a zigzag series of cascades. With all the recent rain, the rocks were very slippery. We opted to not hike down the steep, rocky trail to see all the falls. Near the top, looking down into the canyon, again, near the top again. We hopped back in the car after sitting by the creek above the falls for awhile. Then we hopped back in the car and headed off in search of Panther Falls.

Panther Falls is on the Pedlar River. The Forest Service roads aren't well marked, so I had no clue if I'd been taking the proper forks. I came upon a road widening with lots of cars, motorcycles, and a couple Forest Rangers. I asked if this was the right spot, they told me to go ahead and park on the side of the road and went back to dealing with the drunks they had in custody (it's a major fine to get caught drinking in the National Forest, by the way). As I parked, one of the officers came over and asked to see my registration. It dawned on me that July is here and I haven't put my new stickers on my license plate. Fortunately I had my registration and I promised to put my stickers on as soon as I got home and found them. He let me go, happy that I had my registration.

We followed a relatively easy trail (washed out in places) to the falls. It was a neat hike over reclaimed forestry land. None of the trees are more than 50 years old--most are considerably younger as the area was a popular campsite for years. When we got to the falls, we chose a spot on the upper rocks, stripped down to our suits, and headed down to the swimming hole. I managed to fall right at the edge of the ledge. There's a deep knot in my left buttcheek. I'm waiting for the bruise to surface. After people were done jumping into the pool, I slid in. The undertow was moderately strong--we had to keep moving. Boy ended up getting too far over and "enjoyed" a series of rides down some rapid slides. Another guy (we'll call him Kelso) thought it looked like fun and followed him. I sat near his friend (who looked sane and wholesome) and we talked about Kelso's stupidity. I pointed out that my husband had inadvertantly slipped, which made wholesome boy think his friend was even crazier.

I swam around for awhile, chatting with folks. I should've swam up nearer the falls to enjoy the massage of the water, but I really dislike things I can feel underwater--like trees. There were logs here and there under the water, generally near the rock ledges. Tom stood on one--I kept my feet up. I am (actually *was*) a strong swimmer, but I tire easily these days, so I stayed where I could pull myself up quickly.

We climbed out after awhile and I decided to take some pictures. This is the Pedlar, just above the falls, very close to the rock we were sitting on. The view downstream from our spot was nifty. That kid is filling up his water pistol, which had already been swept out of his hands several times and fetched by an older brother/uncle. To the left of that boy is the first slide boy was swept down.

The depth of the pool averages 22 feet, so people enjoy jumping. Had I visited the falls last year and knew the rocks beneath AND knew whether there were any more submerged trees, I might have jumped. The guy in orange and black shorts is Kelso, attempting to stick his head into the falls, like a dumbass. The falls again, with Kelso attempting to extricate himself. Kelso's friend is on the rock, I'm pretty sure he's trying to make sure his idiot friend doesn't kill himself, since he generally just sat places and kept an eye on him. I mean the guy went down this FACEFIRST on PURPOSE.

Boy sat on the rock above while I took these pics. Below him (this is to the left of the falls), was a neat little arborial niche.

The couple sitting near us chatted with us for awhile. The guy lives in Lynchburg and camps nearby often. He told us about his favorite campsite and told me how to find the Coleman Cemetery. The lady has Zora, a six-month old Jack Russell/Pug mix. ADORABLE PUPPY!!! She was very friendly and enjoyed climbing all over me and trying to kiss me. I don't let dogs kiss me too often any more because many dog foods contain soy and/or peanut. It's just asking for trouble.

It was getting late (7ish) and we wanted to see the cemetery (the guy told us to say hello to the little girl, apparently his friend once saw a ghost there), so we hiked out. We started to walk, then came back and decided to drive. We found the cemetery when I went to toss a peach pit out the window (yes, very naughty of me) and boy said, "that's it, desecrate hallowed ground."

Ooops. I couldn't find my pit so I apologized to the folks buried there and picked up all the visible trash, some of which is probably as old as I am.

There is one modern stone in the cemetery, with the rest of the stones being unmarked flat rocks set into the ground. The ground was covered in spotted wintergreen (which I didn't recognize, as I've never seen it before), yucca grass, moss, and spruce and cedar seedlings. A lot of the stones were lost to the years and the trees, those that are left aren't that easy to spot. Most of these pictures have at least *two* stones hidden in them, some have more.

This campfire ring is old enough that little soot is left. I wonder if the folks who made it were the same ones who tossed the old beer and soda bottles and cans all over... Judging by the shape of the stones, I'm guessing they weren't gravemarkers at any point. If they were, I hope the little girl haunted those folks thoroughly.

We took the trash, bid farewell, and headed down the mountain to Buena Vista for gas. We then went back up to the parkway so we could watch the sun finish setting. There is a faint speck of sun in this picture, left and below center, but it's not easy to see. The hill in the foreground is part of the blue ridge. Far, far, far in the distance, the clouds and the Shenandoah ridge meet.

We drove home, stopping at Big Spy Mountain to look at Jupiter and appreciate the wind. Our damp clothing and the cooler temperatures drove us back to the car. I drove home, stopping at a scenic overlook on I-64, to point out Libra to Tom. I had to point out Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali, though I can never remember their names and call them both something like Zubinoobiewookieboobienubi. ;)

He thinks his constellation is the coolest because of the names of the alpha and beta stars. I haven't the heart to point out those are just the literal names "Southern claw" and "North claw" from when those stars were considered part of Scorpius. gamma Librae is Zubenelakrab (Crab Claw)...

We came home, rested, showered, watched a little TV, and went to sleep. It was a good day.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

1. I note mention of krasota-in-bathing-suit but no pictures! *whine*

2. Mutts are often a great improvement on either purebred side they came from. That puppy is kyooooooooooooooooot!

[krasota.livejournal.com]

I'm wearing my swimsuit in this one (http://www.explodingcat.com/krasota/5vii03a/jos1.jpg). ;)

i didn't originally post this < ahref="http://www.explodingcat.com/krasota/5vii03a/jos.jpg">swimsuit pic because i tend to not share pictures that show the sores on my arms and the shot is overall just not terribly interesting. it does make the musculature of my leg/shin look really weird, though. that's kind of cool.

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

Pretty pictures! :)
Looks very inviting.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

The first one is a great picture. :)

The second one is quite nice, though.

Because of your sun response, I wonder if you've considered some of the suits available on "modest clothing" sites.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

my sun allergy went away about two years ago.

sometimes i get a bit of a rash that pops up, but it's mostly gone. it's nothing like it was.

the sores on my arms are KP... my dermatologists have explained it as the way my body detoxes. after surgery, i broke out HORRIBLY... it was awful. all over my body. sunlight seems to *help*, though.