Spenceville Feb. 25, 2009

Fifteen of us successfull gambled on the iffy weather once again and won. As the week before, Clarence was our star path-finder in this beautiful lower elevation area that is the essence of early spring. Karen, Priscilla, Grace, Jim, Jan, Tami, Stan, Barbara G., Ann, Marilyn N., Tiana, Selma, John and Elly joined him to meander through green pastures, wide oaks (live oaks that are deciduous? blue oaks?), and stunningly grand "tomb stones". The wide views were appreciated throughout most of the hike. We climbed up a steep hill next to a small waterfall to get to an old track that led to a homestead (no home evident) where we stopped for lunch. Jim and Jan provided entertainment by both falling through rotten logs as they ate (not simultaneously). On the way back we stopped at an underground river that had been hewn from the rock that led to a ditch that watered stock. After the 6 mile hike, most people returned home while 6 of us hiked a mile further. While the extra mile on the other side of the road was beautiful, it did not rival the main part of the hike. The photo in the upper right hand corner of the blog was from this section - obviously the cattle didn't appreciate the view.

Next week we are talking about going to Moody Road near Lake Wildwood.

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February 18, 2009 Spenceville Nature Preserve

Even though Barbara G. had walked her dog in the morning rain, and Akiko had to dig out of her driveway, they were part of the group of thirteen hikers who gambled that the forecasters actually knew what they were talking about. They met with Grace, Priscilla, Tami, Karen, Tiana, Marilyn S., Clarence, Stan, John, Elly and Barbara's friend, Ann for a hike to Fairy Falls. We gloried in the warm sunshine (mostly) and being able to get outside as we hiked along the raging creek up to the thundering falls. The new leaves on the Buckeyes grew upright like candles on the tips of the branches and there were actually wildflowers blooming - especially a small fuscia geranium (cranesbill?), an uncurling saxifrage (alumroot?) and others that were just getting going in south facing slopes. Dry Creek was a raging muddy torrent at it absorbed water both from the ground and the snowy slopes further up hill. After lunch at the top of the falls, Clarence led us upstream, around the hill some of had climbed last time, and out to a beautiful open pasture area on the other side. It had a sweeping western view of the Marysville Buttes and north. As we walked along the slope, talk turned to cottage cheese and before you knew it, Little Miss Muffett was being recited and we were remarking on the little tuffets that we were crossing. Ann is a birdwatcher (yay!) and with her binoculars identified the bluebird and phoebe we had seen. We concluded the especially beautiful loop having hiked 5 or 6 miles. Next week we will probably go back to Spenceville as Clarence has a couple more of these routes up his sleeve. He is planning to scope them out this Friday. If anyone is interested in going tomorrow, please contact him. Photos by Clarence - and if I knew how to delete the one of me, I would...oh well.