With all this rain - watch your step!

This past week we have had a tremendous amount of rain due to a nor’easter that sat just off the northeast coast of Florida.  It rained every day this week (Sunday through Saturday).  Our area and neighborhood has seen a fair bit of flooding as the ground has saturated and our retention ponds have filled nearly to the brim.  We’re fortunate however as folks south of us in the Ormond Beach and Daytona area have seen serious flooding, somewhat similar to the conditions they faced last summer during Tropical Storm Fay.(Rainfall accumulation totals.  Image borrowed from the Agricultural Emergency Report blog.) On Thursday Katie and I headed down to check out our local neighborhood boardwalk that stretches almost a mile through the salt marsh into the Intracoastal Waterway.  With all the rain flushing the creeks and east winds driving tides inland, our coastlines have been inundated beyond the typical high tide range.  The water at the boardwalk this week was nearly the same height as during Tropical Storm Fay last summer!  As we walked we looked carefully for critters that might have been displaced and on the move as the water rose… This water moccasin was swimming right next to the dock through the salt marsh.  We gave her plenty of space and watched from a distance as she swam up and disappeared underneath the boardwalk.  So watch your step out there after all this rain – critters are on the move looking for dry ground!

 

Quick NC Trip…

And we’re back and dry’ish…

We had a fantastic four day weekend!  Thursday we drove I-95 up  to I-26 to Hendersonville, NC where we stopped to tour the Mast General Store and historic downtown (where we found the pizza place).  After dinner we drove out to our campsite at the Davidson River Campground in the Pisgah National Forest near the town of Brevard NC.  Setting up camp in the dark, we went to sleep with rain beginning to fall and thunder looming.

Friday we got up with clearing skies and had breakfast at the Pisgah Lodge situated atop the Blue Ridge Parkway (only about 20 mins from our campsite). 

After a great breakfast and beautiful views we went south on the BRP a little ways and stopped at the Graveyard Fields turnout to hike along Yellowstone Creek to a series of waterfalls. 

Threatening weather returned and we called our hike short, returning to the car just as lightning and cold rain arrived. 

Fleeing the weather we scooted down from the BRP, stopping at Looking Glass Falls and heading in to the historic downtown of Brevard for a late lunch. 

 

The Cardinal Drive-In in Brevard proved to be an authentic drive-in (complete with phones at each indoor table with which to ‘call-in’ your order) however the food was somewhat lacking…(strike one).

That afternoon the weather threatened again and after checking the tent (which was starting to show signs of leaking…) we scooted to Lowes in Brevard to pick up a tarp, rope and some extra stakes.  We returned to the campsite, setup the tarp (as rain started to fall again) and then headed out to find some dinner. 

The woman at the Lowes counter suggested the Brevard Fish Camp for a good local meal.  We found a local meal, but it was anything but good…(strike two).  We went to sleep with rain falling harmlessly on our well-pitched tarp.

Saturday morning we had pancakes and bacon cooked at the campsite (thanks to clear skies) and headed up the road from the campsite to hike the Daniel Ridge Trail.  The 4 mi loop trail was purported to be flush with waterfalls and beautiful views of the upper Davidson River.  It did not disappoint.  We ate lunches on the trail and even had a quick rain shower, but were blessed by the best weather of the trip. 

 

After finishing the hike we stopped to fish a section of the Davidson River (no bites).  That afternoon storms approached again and we retreated to town to check out some local outfitters and find dinner.  Dinner came from “Hawg Wild BBQ” just down from our campsite and it did not disappoint.  KT ordered the spare ribs and they were hands down the best ribs I’ve ever had in my life (home run!).  We explored Brevard a bit that evening, stopping for a cup of coffee on the way back to the campsite, finally heading to bed with storms and rain approaching again.

Sunday morning we packed up the campsite and I dashed over to the Davidson River to try and fish one more time before heading home.  The water was numbingly cold to wade in and despite the rains, still gave up one 9” rainbow trout on a bead-head wooly bugger.  With rain returning, we headed out of the campground around 11:00 AM to spend a bit more time in Hendersonville checking out the Mast General Store.  Rain and cold followed us there as the temperature dropped to 53 degrees and the rain continued.  After a great lunch at an Irish Pub in Hendersonville we headed south towards home.  Rain and storms followed us nearly the entire ride home.

It was a fantastic trip and we’re both ready to head back up the hill to the mountains…

-David

Ocala Prescribed Fire on Sunday Night

Sunday evening while driving up US-19 through the Ocala National Forest Katie and I came upon a prescribed fire (controlled burn) being conducted by the USFS.  This was the first fire Katie had seen up close and the first night burn I’d seen.  We pulled alongside the road and took photos, observing and marveling the spectacle.  After a bit, a USFS truck pulled up behind us and the gentleman came up to see if we had any questions about the burn.  As it turned out, he was the FMO in charge of the fire, a very friendly and knowledgeable fellow I’d met several times before.  Watching the fire was a blast, the highlight of our evening and a great way to wrap of a fun weekend.

Good Stuff – Or Ideas for Christmas Gifts II

Following up on the last post are some products that have proven durable, repairable and truly lasting.

Carhartt Double Knee Loggers Pants

These britches are about as tough as they get.  The cut is a little funny, and they actually tend to run a little short in the leg, but the durability can’t be beat.  In fact it seems to take several months to a year just to break them in and soften up the cotton canvas.  My foremen when I worked on trail crews in New Mexico and the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, all wore the Carhartt bib front overalls while in the backcountry.  These guys wore the same overalls for 10-14 day stretches for the entire summer.  Carhartt pants hold up well.

MagLite 2AA Flashlights

These little aluminum bodied flashlights were first popularized when I was in elementary school.  Today they’re the standard in small (and large) personal flashlights.  The design is simple and sturdy, and the light output sufficient for most tasks.  The xenon or krypton bulbs do not last forever and I’ve recently become a fan of the LED replacement kits that swap out the original bulbs for bright, long-lasting LED’s that greatly increase the battery life.  If you’re looking for a flashlight (not a headlamp) MagLite is the only way to go, in my opinion.  I have yet to break one beyond simple repair and still have my original 2AA model from elementary school.

Victorinox Swiss Army Knife

Victorinox is the maker of the original Swiss Army Knives (I’ve never been impressed by the Wenger knives).  I have one similar to the “Climber” model that was my grandfather’s personal pocket knife for many years.  I’ve carried it on every mile I’ve hiked on the A.T. and many other hikes and days around town.  The perfect size, with just enough tools, but not too many, the Climber model is a classic pocket knife.  It is important to get a model with both the scissors and a Phillips head screw driver (which the Climber lacks, but mine has).  The scissors are handy for cutting bandaids and moleskin and a Phillips head screw driver is terribly difficult to improvise when needed.