We had planned to go for a drive in the Buffalo River area Sunday to see the leaves, but Abby got sick and Gina felt a 103 degree fever was not conducive to viewing fall foliage. Gina cut me loose for the afternoon and I headed out by myself.
I drove to Ponca and bought a map of the hiking trails in the western part of the national river park. Parking at the Ponca access to the river, I took off east on the Old River Road Trail, which I had never been on before. The scenery in he Buffalo River bottom is always nice, but the fall foliage seemed to be past peak down there. I bet the trees along the river in the top photo were afire in red and yellow a week ago. That would have made a better picture, of course.
I passed a couple of nice bluffs in the mile or so I traveled on the trail.
The map showed the trail curling back up a draw into some higher terrain and that’s where I wanted to go. Eventually I came out on a huge gravel bar and the trail petered out. If I had studied the map better, I would have noticed the little spur trail that led out along the river before ending. I had missed the fork in the trail and on the way back I discovered why. The sign is way back in the cane and is impossible to see if your headed east, unless you’re walking backward. And the trail fork itself is pretty faint. In addition, I didn’t know the trail split at all so I wasn’t watching for it. Let that be a warning to you if you head that way.
I wasn’t really happy with any of the photos and I think I learned a lesson. I didn’t have much time before dark, and I was intent on covering ground to see as much as possible. Thinking back on it, I could have stopped in any one of dozens of areas and really searched for things to photograph. Instead, I just did drive-bys as I cruised through the woods going nowhere. A day earlier, my Dad and I watched the sunrise from one spot overlooking the Kings River and I got several shots I liked. We didn’t move out of about a 500-square-foot area.
Comments
Dug,
If only Ansel were alive to see your work. He would be so proud.
I know how you feel. I really wanted to get out and shoot fall foliage over the past couple of weekends, but between work and honeydo’s I didn’t have the time until this past Sunday. By then it was too late. There’s still some nice color out there, but too many ugly, leafless trees in the mix to make for really nice images.
Don, That is a great pic. I really like it. It surpassed my old favorite “the spring house” I think is what you called it. man you are getting really good. I never thought your photos would be better then your writing, but since its been awhile since I’ve read a good ole don daily editorial. I think your photos have passed them up.
This page is FREAKING awesome dude! You are amazing. I am very impressed. I just started trying to blog my adventures, though I do most of them alone! Keep it up buddy.