Photos A Walk in Nature

[Just Tom.]

Lower moco has dogwoods at the end of their life expectancy. Houses and original landscaping from the 60s. I had one where different major limbs would die every 5 years or so.

Sassafras was the other great wood for walking sticks. A dying sassafras will send up saplings from its roots. You can't get rid of them.

Now I have to live with Aspen saplings. They seem ok, but are not as robust.

Greetings fellow lower moco person…

I will keep an eye out for sassafras. As a kid we used to pull up the young plants when camping, to make sassafras tea from the roots. Apparently now they say not to, as it is supposedly carcinogenic. It never occurred to me to look for larger plants.

 

[DirtDawg]

Nature Trails East - Quincy, Illinois
National Take a Hike Day 2025
Only a mile out, and a mile back, but it was the best two miles I've ambled in a long time.

When I come to a fork in the trail and am not sure which way to go, or if I really don't care at the time, I always go left. Sycamore Trail and the Amber Bone 63032CV it is.


"Let's go Liberty. We can take the Creek Trail on the way back."


Pausing for a look-see with Liberty. What a gorgeous day for a little saunter in the woods.


Ha! I didn't know that was a thing. Pretty cool.


Checking out the fungus on the way back with my 1995 Buck 112 Ranger with Custom Elk Antler scales. Liberty approved!


Cedar creek was pretty much dried up on this day due to the drought we have been experiencing this year. Just a few pockets of still water lent credibility to the term "Creek".

 

[DKIN]

This past weekend, the wife and I stayed at the Hike Inn – a backcountry inn that is only accessible via a five-mile hike into the Georgia foothills.






The inn is LEED-certified and almost completely off-grid. The most impressive factoid to me, though, was that the total construction waste only took up the space of a single pallet.


The views are eastern-facing, and sunrises are a focal point.




At the 'Starbase' right below the inn, the equinoxes are marked when the rising sun shines through the monument keyhole and into the back of the crib.


I pocketed the new Northfield 66 for this trip. It's becoming a highly favored hiking buddy.

This backcountry inn type-of-thing is totally my bag. I have a couple more on my radar (Leconte Lodge in TN, and another in NC). If anyone has any experiences with these places or other hike-to lodgings, please post them up!

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[DirtDawg]

Your thoughts???

What would you guys think of bringing over the Walking stick / hiking stick / hiking staff - What do you use? thread and combining it with this one?

The two just seem to go together so well.

It was fall of 2011 when I was walking through the woods at the Lowden-Miller State Forest in Ogle County, IL and spotted a length of fallen branch that looked like a candidate for a hiking stick/staff. Having no saw and only a pocket knife and hip knife (Buck 303 & Buck 112) on my person, I set said branch to the side of the trail, intending to return soon to shorten it to a manageable length. The next day, I returned to retrieve said stick. It then made the trip back to my garage, where it sat in the corner until about Christmastime, when I began fussin' with it.

By March of 2012, it was trail-ready. Since I knew already that I would be finding someone to gift the stick to, I wanted to test it out before doing so. Therefore, an outing to the Franklin Creek State Natural Area in neighboring Lee County, IL with my one time friend, John seemed in order. Note! It is sad, but John and I have parted company since due to differing life views. I will however, keep the special memories of our outings in nature together.




And of course, no spring outing is complete without picking up and properly disposing of some trail trash. Luckily, I usually have a plastic bag of some sort in my pack or pocket.


Fast forward about 2-1/2 years - late October 2014... When I found someone I thought would appreciate and use said stick, I walked about two miles on this blustery day from the Ford garage, where oil was being changed in my wife's vehicle to Teresalynn's house to present her with it. Being an avid outdoorsy young lady, she seemed very surprised and pleased with it, particularly since it fit her perfectly. Location: Along the Kyte River (Kyte Creek as it is called by locals), Ogle County, IL.
Trail Tested 2012


Drilling a hole in that "skipping stone" with a carbide tipped bit was quite the experience.
A few walks in nature however, was priceless.

 

[DaveHS]

This past weekend, the wife and I stayed at the Hike Inn – a backcountry inn that is only accessible via a five-mile hike into the Georgia foothills.

Missed this OP. Incredible venue! Thanks for sharing. Flagged for future exploring.

 

[tongueriver]

Your thoughts???

What would you guys think of bringing over the Walking stick / hiking stick / hiking staff - What do you use? thread and combining it with this one?

The two just seem to go together so well.

It was fall of 2011 when I was walking through the woods at the Lowden-Miller State Forest in Ogle County, IL and spotted a length of fallen branch that looked like a candidate for a hiking stick/staff. Having no saw and only a pocket knife and hip knife (Buck 303 & Buck 112) on my person, I set said branch to the side of the trail, intending to return soon to shorten it to a manageable length. The next day, I returned to retrieve said stick. It then made the trip back to my garage, where it sat in the corner until about Christmastime, when I began fussin' with it.

By March of 2012, it was trail-ready. Since I knew already that I would be finding someone to gift the stick to, I wanted to test it out before doing so. Therefore, an outing to the Franklin Creek State Natural Area in neighboring Lee County, IL with my one time friend, John seemed in order. Note! It is sad, but John and I have parted company since due to differing life views. I will however, keep the special memories of our outings in nature together.
View attachment 3052875

View attachment 3052874

And of course, no spring outing is complete without picking up and properly disposing of some trail trash. Luckily, I usually have a plastic bag of some sort in my pack or pocket.
View attachment 3052876

Fast forward about 2-1/2 years - late October 2014... When I found someone I thought would appreciate and use said stick, I walked about two miles on this blustery day from the Ford garage, where oil was being changed in my wife's vehicle to Teresalynn's house to present her with it. Being an avid outdoorsy young lady, she seemed very surprised and pleased with it, particularly since it fit her perfectly. Location: Along the Kyte River (Kyte Creek as it is called by locals), Ogle County, IL.
Trail Tested 2012
View attachment 3052877

Drilling a hole in that "skipping stone" with a carbide tipped bit was quite the experience.
A few walks in nature however, was priceless.

View attachment 3052894

View attachment 3052893

I think a walking stick combo is a great idea. I have made a few and am looking forward to cutting some more after the first of the year when the sap is WAY down. I don't have the proper pic's for this thread yet but I will try to get some in the coming months.

 

[DKIN]

Missed this OP. Incredible venue! Thanks for sharing. Flagged for future exploring.

Thanks, Dave! Absolutely, I can't recommend it enough.

 

[DirtDawg]

I think a walking stick combo is a great idea. I have made a few and am looking forward to cutting some more after the first of the year when the sap is WAY down. I don't have the proper pic's for this thread yet but I will try to get some in the coming months.

View attachment 3053832View attachment 3053834

Good lookin' sticks. And ya gotta love a knife with a saw blade. Tell me more about the knife please.

 

[tongueriver]

Good lookin' sticks. And ya gotta love a knife with a saw blade. Tell me more about the knife please.

Imperial Schrade made these 5 1/4" folding hunters with the sawblade called a "Son of a Gun" and in catalogs from 1990 through 1992. The saw blade is extremely sharp and effective and has a liner lock. They often command a price over $100 on Ebay. They are long gone except on this secondary market, of course. I grab them when I feel like I can take away from my Cheetos budget. I even have one pimped out by Herman Williams that will never leave my hands.

 

[DirtDawg]

Imperial Schrade made these 5 1/4" folding hunters with the sawblade called a "Son of a Gun" and in catalogs from 1990 through 1992. The saw blade is extremely sharp and effective and has a liner lock. They often command a price over $100 on Ebay. They are long gone except on this secondary market, of course. I grab them when I feel like I can take away from my Cheetos budget. I even have one pimped out by Herman Williams that will never leave my hands.

Thank you very much for the information. Maybe I'll trip over one someday................

 

[DirtDawg]

Crooke...

Two walks in nature, two years apart.

A little over two years previous, I was walking along the wooded area that borders our local cemetery, when I spotted this fallen branch on the ground. Feeling confident that nobody would mind if I helped to eradicate the land of any piece of said wood, I got busy.

This turned out to be an interesting project, one that I nearly abandoned of a couple of times in the interim, as I just had my doubts whether it would finish up as anything in the end.

Spoiler Alert: I finished it to my satisfaction.
40-1/4" long (the way the crow flies)
11.9 oz

Ha! It seems Fisk found a piece of wood to gnaw on.


Yep, that should make a good size for a finished walking stick. A bit crooked, but I'll see what I can come up with. Remember: this is not to be a hiking staff one might depend on to save their life. This is figured to be a simple added support for Urban Hiking.


Spending some liesurely time with a pocketknife and some other hand tools is a good way to while away a cold winter's day.
Note! The bark peeled off much easier in one direction than the other.
I listened to this stick for two years before putting a knife blade to it. I'm glad now that I did.


Beauty from the Beast


A couple of coats of matte finish Polycrylic and a protective tip was all that was left to complete this project.


Enjoying some trail time with Crooke. A couple of miles on the local paved nature trail this pleasant winter's day convinced me that this crooked little Honeysuckle stick is destined to be a worthy trail companion.


Maybe not designed as a Skinner, but this old beater Matterhorn seemed to skin the bark off that stick like it was made for the task. I'm really glad I cleaned this knife up and saved it a few years back. It is my workbench buddy these days.



Note! I was considering doing something with a shot shell on this stick because this old Remington was along for the ride on the day I spotted the branch laying there. As you can tell, that didn't quite work out.


Oh, and one more special trail treat to add. I'll need to return with my camera and telephoto lens someday.

 

[DirtDawg]

I don't believe I've knowingly purchased a Chinese made knife but twice in my life (I have my reasons - Tuy Hoa 69-70). This is one of those knives. After researching extensively, and checking out even the most expensive brands, I decided this unit would really fit my needs and wants more than any other. The Kydex sheath allowed me to secure it on my PFD in such a manner as to allow a comfortable, downward cross-draw, yet hold securely in the sheath. It does seem to be a well built knife, although I can't really vouch for its true quality because I never had the need to use it in an emergency situation while afloat. However, I can vouch for the handle having good grip, even with wet hands.

Schrade SCHF14

For all who paddle, or have ever daydreamed about paddling...

A Paddler’s Christmas

T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the land…
Not a snowflake was falling, and we could see sand.

It was a nice evening, and most were asleep…
Except for a few, seeking the deep.

The canoes were all launched, and the kayaks as well…
With all having fun, one could see it was swell.

We were out having joy, in the moonlight you see…
And nobody else was there to be.

Then I heard a rattle, or was that a clank?…
I hope that nobody flipped over and sank.

But around the bend, we came to a sight…
Quite the view to behold, in the moonlight.

And there he was, in a jon boat of course…
Coming from where, we know not the source.

He looked sort of funny dressed in that red suit…
His life vest zipped up, and one very wet boot.

But as you might bet, he had run aground…
The water was shallow, and we heard but one sound.

Was that a sniffle, or was it a cry?
Why he was like this, we know not why.

So loaded he was, and bearing a gift…
And so we asked him, “Do you need a lift?”

He said with a smile, from his big green boat…
“My sleigh has no pontoons, and it cannot float”.

I’m out here alone, and I was to aspire…
To get the job done, but I’m in a quagmire.

So we offered a hand, to help him deliver…
All the presents we could, alongside the river.

The gifts came a tumbling, into our crafts…
The loads were quite great, for our shallow drafts.

We headed on downstream, loaded for bear…
He was like a new man, with nary a care.

With chimneys so high, we were so perplexed…
And no reindeer to fly, we thought we were vexed.

But he had recovered, and in a good humor…
With rosy red cheeks, he’s no longer a gloomer.

He laid up his finger, alongside his nose…
“I have an idea, so I suppose”.

“It’s a ladder we need, to get the job done”…
What an idea, from the big bearded one.

So we all took a paddle, and with tow-line in hand…
As we can’t just leave gifts, out on the sand.

We weaved and we tied the paddles together…
It’s a very good thing, we each had a tether.

As we floated along from dock to dock…
He busied himself, filling a sock.

As all knew he would, he got the job done...
Then he said it to us, “I must be a’ run”.

As he rowed on downstream, and went out of sight
I thought I heard something, off to the right.

Was it an echo, or was it my mind…
Playing those tricks that are so unkind?

What was going on? My mind it did churn…
It was just the river, with a sweeping return.

His voice bellowed out, in the moonlight…
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

And though we had fun, this wonderful eve…
We must always remember, and not be naïve.

So I added aloud, to my crewmates adrift…
As in our minds, we must make a shift.

“And we lest not forget, the real and true reason…
We all celebrate, this Christmas season!”

Verse by DirtDawg
Merry Christmas, 2025

Copyrights reserved 2008
by DirtDawg​

 

[Headwinds]

A Paddler’s Christmas

T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the land…
Not a snowflake was falling, and we could see sand.

It was a nice evening, and most were asleep…
Except for a few, seeking the deep.

The canoes were all launched, and the kayaks as well…
With all having fun, one could see it was swell.

We were out having joy, in the moonlight you see…
And nobody else was there to be.

Then I heard a rattle, or was that a clank?…
I hope that nobody flipped over and sank.

But around the bend, we came to a sight…
Quite the view to behold, in the moonlight.

And there he was, in a jon boat of course…
Coming from where, we know not the source.

He looked sort of funny dressed in that red suit…
His life vest zipped up, and one very wet boot.

But as you might bet, he had run aground…
The water was shallow, and we heard but one sound.

Was that a sniffle, or was it a cry?
Why he was like this, we know not why.

So loaded he was, and bearing a gift…
And so we asked him, “Do you need a lift?”

He said with a smile, from his big green boat…
“My sleigh has no pontoons, and it cannot float”.

I’m out here alone, and I was to aspire…
To get the job done, but I’m in a quagmire.

So we offered a hand, to help him deliver…
All the presents we could, alongside the river.

The gifts came a tumbling, into our crafts…
The loads were quite great, for our shallow drafts.

We headed on downstream, loaded for bear…
He was like a new man, with nary a care.

With chimneys so high, we were so perplexed…
And no reindeer to fly, we thought we were vexed.

But he had recovered, and in a good humor…
With rosy red cheeks, he’s no longer a gloomer.

He laid up his finger, alongside his nose…
“I have an idea, so I suppose”.

“It’s a ladder we need, to get the job done”…
What an idea, from the big bearded one.

So we all took a paddle, and with tow-line in hand…
As we can’t just leave gifts, out on the sand.

We weaved and we tied the paddles together…
It’s a very good thing, we each had a tether.

As we floated along from dock to dock…
He busied himself, filling a sock.

As all knew he would, he got the job done...
Then he said it to us, “I must be a’ run”.

As he rowed on downstream, and went out of sight
I thought I heard something, off to the right.

Was it an echo, or was it my mind…
Playing those tricks that are so unkind?

What was going on? My mind it did churn…
It was just the river, with a sweeping return.

His voice bellowed out, in the moonlight…
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

And though we had fun, this wonderful eve…
We must always remember, and not be naïve.

So I added aloud, to my crewmates adrift…
As in our minds, we must make a shift.

“And we lest not forget, the real and true reason…
We all celebrate, this Christmas season!”

Verse by DirtDawg
Merry Christmas, 2025

Copyrights reserved 2008
by DirtDawg​

Enjoyed your poem! On a lesser note:


We paddled a lot, for many a year,
But never saw Santa, or any reindeer.
I guess we weren't there at just the right time,
or we could have told all about it in rhyme.

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[Will Power]

Pt-Luso Fine shot, Chestnuts are a very welcome addition, used to love gathering them in France & England, but alas they won't grow up here

 

[lambertiana]

Pt-Luso Fine shot, Chestnuts are a very welcome addition, used to love gathering them in France & England, but alas they won't grow up here

Sadly, the American Chestnut trees that were once very common in the eastern US are no more, the victim of the introduced chestnut blight. Lots of saplings are still growing from old stumps, but the blight gets them before they reach maturity.

 

[Chui]

Wonderful DirtDawg thank you for sharing.!

Perhaps I’ll write my own soon, just bought a sea kayak, my first canoe purchase in very many, many years following river racing in my teens.

Being out on the water like that leads the mind, my mind at least, to thinking and contemplating all sorts..!