When Coleman and I go hiking we rarely see animals along the trails. Sometimes they are to the side of the trail, in the water, or on the other side of a fenced off area. We have managed to see some Geese trying to cross the pathway…
Coleman’s mom’s dog, Chewy, along for the hike…
And a couple of Horses on and off the trail…
I have not seen any cows in the road for quite awhile now, my old landlord’s cow would get out of the pasture occasionally and wander along the roadway.
Road to Sonic Abilene, TexasDown Broadway San Diego, California [From my Post Card Collection]Along the Blue Ridge Parkway Traphill Road North Carolina To Downtown West Jefferson, North Carolina Up a Dirt Road By Horse and Buggy Deep Gap, North Carolina Throwback Photo From my Maternal Grandfather
Dale of The Cosmic Photo Challenge prompt is Freestyle this week.
Since this is freestyle week I decided to let you visit with me on one of the hikes Coleman and I took this past week. This hike was a little bit different in that we had my daughter, Coleman’s mom, along with us. On Tuesday we needed to be out of the home for awhile because a pest control company was going to come in and spray per the Complex management.
Therefore, we decided to go hiking in one of Coleman’s favorite places. The place we chose was Anne Springs Close Greenway about twenty minutes or so from our residence. Mind you now my daughter is not fond of hiking at all. When we arrived, we should them my membership card and proceeded to park. We thought Trisha, my daughter, was just gonna sit and relax near the canteen while Coleman and I hiked. It didn’t exactly go like we had thought. You see, Trisha brought her dog along with on our adventure ( he had to be out of the home as well).
Lake Haigler
Chewbacca, Trisha’s dog, decided he wanted to hike with us, therefore she had to tag along. We walked down to the lake and proceeded along the trail, Lake Haigler Loop, around the lake.
Haigler Loop
Coleman loves to run along the trail. I prefer a slower pace since I normally take many photos along the trail of the various sites we see. Often we observe different angles around the lake, seeing flowers, butterflies, sometimes turtles, bees, and even dragonflies.
Brazilian Vervain (Verbena brasiliensis)
At other times we see amazing reflections in the water.
Reflections in Lake Haigler
I love seeing various creatures feasting on the nectar of wildflowers her at the Greenway.
Black Swallowtail, Eastern Bumblebee, and Delta Flower Scarab Beetle feasting on Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis.
Further down the trail as we hike around the lake I notice what appears to be a shape of a triangle formed with the reflections in the lake.
Triangle formation from the water reflections. Surrounding Tree Reflections plus water shimmering
As we keep going I slow down observing butterflies flittering to and fro. Naturally I stop to snap a photograph. Meanwhile, my daughter’s trying to convince me to stop taking pictures. Guess what? She didn’t convince me, not one single solitary moment.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Pearl Crescent Butterfly
Next on our hike we come across a dragonfly and several turtles along the edge of the lake.
Widow Skimmer Dragonfly Turtles sunbathing on a log
By this time my daughter is tired and wants to get this hike over with. Naturally, Coleman and Chewbacca want to keep going. They’re enjoying the outdoors adventure. Hence, we keep chugging along.
Water Reflections Water Ripples
After awhile we decide to pull up a seat and relax a bit before finishing our hike. But first there’s more to observe as we near the picnic tables along the backside of the lake.
Trisha, Chewbacca, with Coleman leading the way. [He knows the trails better than most adults]. Ngaro Wīwi Priocnemis monachus delighting on Angelica genuflexa
Finally to a spot to snack relax near the water’s edge.
I hope you enjoyed trekking along with us on our hike around Lake Haigler. God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
In a maze one chooses to go this way or that way. Sometimes the way you choose leads to a dead end and sometimes other choices lead you on the path that leads you out of the maze. In life it is similar; we decide which pathway we want to venture on. Sometimes the choices we make lead us to no where and other choices lead us to a more fulfilling path for our lives.
Coleman trekking along the trails at Crowders Mountain State Park Kings Mountain, North Carolina
It was a beautiful day for hiking until the rains came pouring down. Luckily Coleman and I completed our hike and were headed to the car before the rains began pounding down upon us.
Gastonia Transit Bus StopColeman waiting for the Bus to Arrive On the BusColeman’s first city Bus RideRiding the Bus to Highland Rail Trail for a short Hike Highland Railroad Tracks Coleman looking at the Train Tracks Coleman by the Highland Rail Trail MapColeman by the Rules sign for Carolina Thread Trail Usage Down the Paved Trail We GoAnd Go…AndGo Coleman GoesHighland Rail Trail Carolina Thread Trail Gastonia, North Carolina
This week Cee asks us to share photos of catching people unaware. These photos were taken from the Duke Kimbrell Trail of the Matthews-Belk South Fork River Corridor which is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail network of Greenways, trails, and blueways.
The people were enjoying a day on Lake Wylie with their families and friends. They were completely unaware that someone hiking along the was taking photos of their activities.
The young girls were enjoying Stand-up Paddle boarding on the waters of Lake Wylie as their family watched and gave any necessary advice and/or assistance.
As you can see one is having fun with stand-up paddle boarding and another chose to sit and kayak along through the water.
This activity may still be fairly new to them as it seemed they didn’t venture too far away their families Pontoon.
Coleman and I had fun to stopping along the trail to watch their activity. Coleman would probably have preferred to be in the water along with them.
Let’s walk the Nature Trail together. Coleman leads the way around the farm through a log house and later onto the trail.
Through a Log HouseAround the Farm Past the Grist MillAcross the Bridge Are you coming? You need to keep up, Mawmaw.Working the Way through the Maze in Natural AMAZEmentColeman says let’s play a little bit In Playscape Then we’ll walk around the Pond and make a few splashes just for fun. Follow me, I show you how to get to the car. Go through the Gazebo, across one Bridge, under another bridge and we’ll reach the parking lot.
Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5,217-acre North Carolina state park located in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. Gaston County is located 32 miles west of Charlotte. It is on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina.
Which Way should we go? To Boulders Overlook or into South Carolina?
Crowders Mountain State Park includes two mountain peaks with fabulous views of the surrounding Piedmont area. The peaks include Crowders Mountain and The Pinnacle. There are three different Access Points to the state park.
Sparrow Springs Access and Visitor Center – 20 miles of hiking trails
Linwood Road Access – 4 miles of hiking trails
Boulder Access – 6 miles of hiking trails.
Ridgeline Trail Map
My grandson and I entered the Crowders Mountain State Park via the Boulders Access Point. This was the first time I took him to this location. We didn’t go far on this trip, only 2.8 miles round trip. We hiked a small portion of the Ridgeline Trail. The entire Ridgeline Trail runs along both North and South Carolina.
Coleman choosesTo ClimbUpwardOn a Boulder Until he reaches the Top
The Ridgeline Trail is only one of many trails in the state park. The Boulders Access has a visitor center, restrooms, and picnic areas along with the hiking trails. At this location are quite a number of various sizes of boulders. Some of the boulders were close to the trail and too much of a temptation for my grandson to resist climbing. The Boulders Access area is less crowded then the main access at the Sparrow Springs Access point. The trail is rocky and traverses up and down and around the mountain.
Park Information:
Crowders Mountain State Park 522 Park Office Lane Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Hidden trail in the neighborhood behind the soccer field. My grandson, Coleman loves to find natural trails regardless of whether it is an actual trail or just a path to who knows where. This is a path or trail we discovered the other day while walking and investigating our new neighborhood,
Take a walk with me through the backwoods of the Greenway. See what my grandson and I see as we meander through the trees and along the creek on the Blue Star Trail. The Greenway is one of the happiest places that my grandson loves to be, hiking and enjoying nature.
We entered the Greenway through a path in a Fort Mill neighborhood. This was our first-time entry through this area. we were not sure where we were going or onto which trail, we would encounter as we hiked from this new point of entrance.
We missed the pathway to start with and crisscrossed through the trees until we emerged near a wooden bridge. We saw the Blue Star Trail sign and knew we were about to be in the Greenway. To the left of the wooden bridge is a swinging bridge that was blocked off with caution tape signifying it was unsafe to use. So, we crossed the wooden bridge to begin our hike for the afternoon.
Coming upon a crossroads we weren’t sure whether to go to the right or the left. We went to the left, and it took us away from the Greenway onto a section belonging to the Town of Fort Mill. We didn’t realize this until we stopped at a gate which indicated it was a restricted area. At such time we turned around and proceeded back the way we had traveled. The pathway runs alongside a creek. In the Greenway the trails run along creeks thus we didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary at first.
Once we arrived back at the crossroads, we proceeded to hike the direction we should have gone in the first place, to the right. In this direction we came to another swinging bridge, the Blue Star. This one was okay to cross. My grandson, Coleman loves to run across swinging bridges. It wasn’t that way the first time he went across one, but now he thinks they are fun to cross.
Being the first time, we hiked via this pathway we didn’t go very far. We were not wearing our proper hiking boots and we were just out for a short adventure. Therefore, we at this point went back to the house we were visiting to relax and reflect on our time in the woods.
My grandson, Coleman and I loved to venture out into nature and roam through the trees whenever the weather permits. It has been raining a lot here lately, so we haven’t been out much. Only twice this week. Coleman loves to go hiking at the Anne Springs Close Greenway which is only a few miles from where we currently live. The Greenway has five different entrances, and we choose a different entrance to begin our hiking each time we go.
From the Horse Stables Entrance: Should we go to the Left or to the Right?
We veered to the LeftPast the Fences … onward to See the Farm Animals
Next, we switched to the Lake Haigler Entrance for some hiking near Lake Haigler.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 