Back to the Lodge

After hitting the trail, we headed back to the Giant City Lodge to eat and take in the scenery. The Lodge and cabins are situated on the highest part of the state park, so it's a nice spot to soak in the rays of sunset. I love how the light just filters through.


Cabins at Sunset

Even with the busyness of the holiday weekend, the stay was peaceful. There is definitely something here which makes us come back. This was our third visit and each time really is its own experience.


The Water Tower in the Late Light

The tower has an observation deck where you can see all the surrounding forests, ridges, and landmarks. This year I didn't take any photos from the deck, just observed the trees as they spread in all directions, rising and falling with the contour of the land. It's a moment which stays.

East End of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail (in Pictures)

After Trillium, we headed out to the eastern part of the wine trail. We had already stopped at Owl Creek, so our first visit was to Starview Vineyards, which was quite a hopping place on the Sunday over the Memorial Day weekend.


View from Starview Parking Lot

Next up was Orlandini Vineyard, which is much more laidback and offers some of the better wine deals on the trail.


Spying the Vineyard

To the Orlandini Tasting Room

Our last stop was the always busy Blue Sky Vineyard.


Vineyard View

In the next couple of weeks, I plan to post a recap of the wines that we bought from the wine trail. They are making some quality wine in Southern Illinois.

The Trillium Way, 2011, Upper Leg

Looking to Side of the Bluff

Across the Way


Stonefort Creek From a New Vantage

While it is not a complete change, it is quite a different view from the bluff top. The trail opens some and offers interesting perspectives, particularly of places that you had just seen in the past hour. But here you're on the top and that old world is below.

I wouldn't recommend the upper trail on a rainy day, since runoff from the bluff top drives the moisture of the base's ecosystem. In many parts, gullies cut across the path. In other places, the topsoil has completed vanished, leaving bare rock for the water to run over. Though I do imagine that if you can handle the wetness the flowing water creates beautiful waterfalls which can be viewed from the lower leg of the trail.



Water and Rock

In places, the trees thin and meadows bask in the sun. Then the forest returns to surround. Even here, occasionally flowers line the way.



A Single Flower

Like other locations and other moments in Giant City, suddenly you stop...


Dragonfly

...because a beautiful dragonfly pauses. Perhaps a few moments later, something rustles in the leaves and you're not quite sure so you look closely...


One of the Locals

...because if you don't, you will certainly miss it among all those leaves. Perhaps even as the trail winds back down to the beginning, you might catch a mark left behind. For that moment, you also see...



Remains of a Search

The Trillium Way, 2011, Lower Leg

Trillium can be split into 2 distinct sections. The lower leg winds around the base bluff. Hidden in the shade of the bluff and trees and receiving runoff from the top, this region is a very moist home to flowers and ferns. The upper leg runs along the top of bluff and is a much warmer drier area. The difference in moisture, in particular, leads to variation in the ecosystem and the foilage.

Last year, we hiked a little ways along the lower leg and ran into lots of flowers. You can read about our last small foray in this post. This year, we must have visited between the seasonal spring and summer blooms, because we didn't encountered many. Still, an occasional flower would appear.



In White


In Purple

Like many parts of the park, the trail was worn in places. Sometimes to the roots of the matter...



Holding the Trail Together

On the lower leg, the bluff dominates along the right. Sometimes little caves appear and offer a respite from the summer heat. You don't have to be in them. Coolness emanates and refreshes. Sometimes these recesses take the shape of something recognizable.



Face in the Bluff

The other presence that dominates is the greenness of life. Ferns find this location ideal. In fact, the trail is part of the Fern Rocks Nature Preserve, a noted area for botanists for its variety of flowers and ferns.



Finding a Niche

Some life even drops into view to catch the rays of sun.


Hanging Out

For a stretch of the trail, a creek runs alongside. Of course, I couldn't resist taking a picture.



Stonefort Creek

Frequent companions on our hike were the tiger beetles. I had seen them in the past on the trail, but this year, we encountered more than a half-dozen of the insects. Perhaps it was mating season.


A Pair Waltzing Beetle Style?

Sandra and I had walked the entire trail two years ago, but the length seemed to catch us off-guard. We hiked and I was expecting the rise to the top to appear, but no, more creek, more ferns, more cool caves appeared along our way. At two miles long, Trillium has only one peer at Giant City State Park which is longer.



Stairway to the Top

Finally...
we reached the stairway to the top of the bluff. After stepping up, we sat, pausing to soak in the moment and to gather ourselves for the second leg of the trail.

The Trillium Way, 2011, A Fresh Look

First Look

Excluding the long 13-mile trail, Trillium is the longest in the park. Due to its length, we didn't transverse much of the trail last year, however this instant, we gave ourselves the time to visit.
see
The trail is particularly noted for its spring wildflowers, yet we didn't see that many flowers compared to last year. Still, the trail offered its own new discoveries.



A Frog? A Toad?

More to soon follow...stay tuned.

Old Photos, Status Report

I've been slowly going through and uploading older images which appeared on the blog. While the uploading is fairly quick, the process of going through the posts and editing the links to these photographs is not.

I'm currently working on updating last year's trip to Giant City. Since I've been posting about this year's trip, I felt the 2010 images were highly relevant. I've also been updating photos of the more heavily visited pages. But like I mentioned before, if you click on a post and find the outline for an image, but no image, please leave a comment, let me know, and I will upload the requested photos.

It will probably be several months before all the old images find their home and are restored on the blog.

Into the Streets of Giant City, Part Two

As long as the other hikers are reasonably quiet, the woods fill with bird sounds, because you are there, in the woods, while walking the Giant City Nature Trail. Growth and death and more growth always surround you. The park takes a fairly hands-off approach to the forest maintenance, but when things threaten the trail like fallen trees blocking the path, they will step in.


Cross-Section in the Light

I love the grain and how the light filtered through and lit the log. In the background, leaves splash green, reminding me of the cycle of the forest. Perhaps, in other words, I just like the scene.

Several of the trails are loops where there is a focal point to the trail. Without a doubt, the focus of the namesake trail is the Streets. Likely formed from predominantly water action, the rock splits and opens into a walkway.


The Streets of Giant City

You can see the cracks and crevices. You can hear water trickling, letting you know of its primary influence here. I can definitely see why earlier visitors might have thought that these were streets created by giants. You feel small walking through the immense nearly vertical stretches of rock. Impressive.

On one wall, hundreds have left their mark, their names and times when they visited. In other places, the rock shows a character and I see a familiar face.


A Face on Rock

Then you reach the pinnacle, Balance Rock, which is believed to have slipped down and lodged itself thousands of years go. At first, you see a large dark rock above a narrow walkway. This was the spot two years that a startled shape with large wings flew off--a momentary glimpse of the pileated woodpecker, the largest woordpecker species in North America.

Though no woodpecker this time and no images of the balance rock. Well, I did take some snapshots, but I still believe this image from last year shows it best.



Balance Rock 2010

From Balance Rock, the trail returns to the woods and the base of the bluff and winds eventually to the top of the bluff. There, a bench offers an opportunity to sit, relax, and enjoy the moment. Sandra and I always spend a few moments there to pause.

Then, it's downhill to where we started. Like on some other trail sections, water runoff had carved little gullies, eroding the path. Though unlike other parts, it was easy to see to where the gravel washed away.


A New Kind of River Delta

You can see the small gully tracing from the lower right and leading to the gravel's destination. It definitely reminded me of silt left behind by a river as it meets the ocean. In this small moment, I can find a larger picture of things. This is very true for the Giant City Nature Trail and why we return.

Next up will be the Trillium Trail.

Into the Streets of Giant City, Part One

Looking Towards the Top of the Bluff

Probably my favorite hike at Giant City State Park is on the namesake trail. The blend of forest and bluff bring a harmony that you can find in other parts of the park, though there are places unlike anywhere else. This adds anticipation to the beginning steps.

For the initial stretch, the path winds along a base of a bluff through mature forest. The greenness is so bold and living. Though, like many other trees elsewhere, not everything always survives severe weather.


Snapped

Still the living goes on in nooks of rocks and along the face of the bluff. Life finds a way to perpetuate. There is one spot which for me highlights that sense of living coupled to rock and its geology and the passage of time. I've actually photographed the location on each trip. I don't specifically look for it, but I seem to always find it.



Gully Steps in Contrasting Seasons

The left is from March 2009 and the right is from June 2010.

I also photographed it this May.



Leading Upward

During rains, little streams form and tumble, leaving the harder rock behind to create small ravines and, in this case, a natural staircase. Here and there, you see the bare rocks and crevices, but this is one of the best illustrations of the action of runoff water has had on the geology of the bluffs.

These "steps" always invite me to come forward and think higher.

More of the trail will soon follow, but if you can't wait, you can look at these images from our 2010 hike on the Giant City Nature Trail.

Record Release, Farewell Drifter Style

Last night, Sandra and I stopped by the Station Inn, an iconic Nashville club which has showcased predominantly bluegrass throughout the years. The reason? The Farewell Drifters were back in town for the release party of echo boom. We caught them a few weeks ago at Music City Roots and I definitely wanted to catch them again.

They were admittedly pumped up for the show as the place was crowded and it showed. The edge gave several of their numbers a nice drive, but still didn't take away from their harmonies on the more laid-back tunes. Simply...they ARE good, one of the few bands on my "can't miss" list.

We already have echo boom, so after the show, we picked up their previous effort, YELLOWtagMONDAYS. It doesn't have quite the vocal harmonies or eclectic musical influence as their latest. It's a more traditional bluegrass record, but they still place their mark on the style and the cd has a quite few nice tunes--worth the buy.

You can find out more about them, including their current tour dates, by visiting The Farewell Drifters web site. Check them out.

West End of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail (in Pictures)

After the hiking Indian Creek, we visited the wineries along the west end of the local wine trail. I'm going to keep the descriptions brief and let the images do the talking. Later, I will make a post recapping the wine experience.

Our first stop was Inheritance Valley.


The Vineyard at Inheritance Valley

Our next stop was Hedman Vineyard. There we stopped for a late lunch at the cafe, which offers Swedish dishes.


Pond at Hedman

The Tasting Barn and Cafe

Afterwards, we visited Alto Vineyards, which is the Trail's oldest winery, founded by the Renzaglia Family in the 1980s.


Vineyard at Alto

Open for Business

Next was Von Jakob Vineyards. Like some wineries in the Shawnee Hills, Von Jakob has orchards and produces non-grape wines along with the grape varietals.


View of the Orchard

Then, we traveled into the less known part of the trail. The previous four wineries are on a major road. Reaching Hickory Ridge Vineyard required driving into the country. This was our third time along the Trail, but only the first time we visited Hickory Ridge. It was worth it--solid wines and perhaps the best view of the day.


Vines and Trees

Grapes in the Late Afternoon Light

To the Tasting Room

Our last stop, another first time visit, was Kite Hill Vineyards.


Grapes Beginning to Grow

Outside and Music (Return to Nashville)

On Friday night, Sandra and I heard the Nashville Symphony perform outdoors at the Bicentennial Mall State Park in Nashville. The program focused on the pops and included renditions of John Williams classics like themes from Jaws and Star Wars.

While it has been hot here, the free performance started at 8 pm, so the sun was setting and the temperature was more manageable. It's great to listen to music with the dome of night colors enveloping above.

The park also has a view of the capitol, which was lit nicely in the evening. Though, behind and to the right of the capitol was the Sheraton Hotel, which has a set of lights flashing around the top of the building as if it has been built to be an alien landing pad--in other words, the hotel is a distraction in an otherwise nice scene.

The Nashville Symphony has other upcoming free performances with variation in the programs being presented. I plan to catch one of the Centennial Park showings. For more information on the performances, you can click and see the Community Concert schedule.

Indian Creek 2011, Part Two

Indian Creek is the forest and the bluff and the creek and an unique experience which I've enjoyed. This year, it was very clear that the area definitely has been hit by storms. You can see the erosion on some of the trails from rain runoff.


Canyons in a Trail?

Along the trail, another great tree had fallen. I find it amazing how the roots just pick the topsoil clean off the underlying rock.


Roots and Dirt

Standing for Perspective

In the second shot, I asked for Sandra to stand by the root system to give you, the viewer, perspective into how huge the root system is on this fallen tree.

A little bit further down the trail is a rather idyllic spot to view a slow stretch of the creek. I had photographed this last year, but still felt compelled to snap a few more shots.


The Surface of Things

Most of the photos I post can be clicked in order to view larger images with more detail. Click the above snapshot and you will be sent to the photo's page on ImageShack where you can see a 1200x1800 sized version.

Sometimes with a scene like this, I think how someone else might see it or may put it into art--perhaps an impressionist might paint this:


Impression of Reflections

I just love the reflection of the trees on the creek's surface. Even the original image has a very impressionistic quality to it with the blur of the foreground and the softness of the lines on the water.


Reflections on the Creek

While there were some differences from last year, the creek remained a constant. Another constant were the green insects which I learned were six-spotted tiger beetles.


Beetle on a Trunk

I read a little about the green beetle on Wikipedia. It appears that the beetle is fond of trails. The fact that I saw many beetles particularly later on Trillium would seem to support that statement.

Near the end of the Indian Creek trail, I caught one last treat partially obscured.


Butterfly