Spring 2006 Mountain Adventure Day 1

Left New Albany around noon. We grabbed lunch at Subway, made a stop at Border's Books for a Kentucky map, picked up 2 Krispie Kreem coffees, then onto the open road!

Our first stop was Bernheim Forest. I was amazed at how many improvements have been made there since my last visit. There is a Canopy Tree Walk, a platform that takes you up 75 feet into the tree canopy, and new signage and roads. Many cool sculptures too.

We hiked a trail along a creek and saw lots of Larkspur blooming. Rosie successfully skipped a rock for the first time too. We found a funny little caterpillar hitching a ride on Rosie's shirt. He was the exact size and color of a twig and when touched, would stiffen up straight out just like a twig. We also found a cute little brown toad sunning himself. He peed on me when I picked him up—hope I don't get warts! The neatest find was a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly that had just hatched out and whose wings were still all folded up and wet. I carried it back to where Steve was so he could photograph it.

Steve caught a glimpse of something black and white moving through the woods—a skunk or cat? We never found out.

We left Bernheim after our hike and proceeded on to Berea, stopping for dinner at a Lee's Famous Recipe. Rosie and I spotted wild dumpster cats who received our chicken scraps. One was missing half its tail.

Shortly outside Berea, we stopped to hike to Anglin Falls in the John B. Stephenson Memorial Forest, a very out of the way place with an unbelievable show of wildflowers. The hillsides were carpeted with Bellwort, Larkspur, Jacob's Ladder, Jack in the Pulpit, Spring Beauty, Trillium, Long Spurred Violet and others. Part way in on this rather rugged, muddy trail, a wild looking dog came down from the slopes. We soon learned he was a very good dog looking for a kid like Rosie to escort to the falls. Rosie named him Runner and he stayed with us for the hike to the waterfalls, which are absolutely beautiful, with Columbine growing in the rocks around the falls. Steve took many photos and we then headed back the trail, with night starting to fall. Runner was fed a package of chocolate chip cookies in payment for escort services rendered.

An owl swooped across the road in front of us as we left, and we heard all the night creatures calling, reconfirming our desire to have a place in the country to get away to. We pledged that we'll stop putting it off and try to find ourselves a little cabin in the sticks so Rosie can have the fun that Steve and I both had as kids, exploring the woods and fields.

We arrived at the Baymont Inn in Corbin around 10 pm, tired and muddy. Thank Heavens we made reservations as they are completely booked. Spotted another dumpster cat from our 4th floor window. Slept well. Sunday, on to the Smokies, with stops planned along the way for 3 waterfall hikes.