Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Fording

The road doesn't end here, but the walk does, if you have shoes you don't want to get wet! The fording is where the road meets the creek, without advantage of bridge or culvert.

As the creek marks the boundary of my grandfather's land, its always been a good destination and sometimes turning point for my rambles. This Sunday, I turned right and headed overland, keeping close to the creek for a while. I found that, although no person regularly walks the grounds, there were plenty of paths worn into the forest floor. Deer make these trails, and I was glad to use them. I find it "endeering" that animals that have the run of many acres still create and stick to pathways, even when the underbrush doesn't limit them in any way. I soon stumbled into an area where four deer were bedded down, and we gave each other mutual heart attacks as they snorted, jumped, and ran for it.

Earlier this year, Salty posted about two individuals who had very different experiences with the fording than I had this sunny fall day. You can check their stories out here, if you haven't already done so.

13 comments:

Shionge said...

This is so blissful and quiet I love it :D

Cape Cod Washashore said...

So very lovely! My parents own land which is partially wooded, and we have found some deer paths (and turkey paths, too)!

Thank you for your comment on my blog! I love the mountains and go to NH and ME whenever I can. I used to live in NH every summer when I was a child. I really think I could leave the ocean for the White Mountains! (I have a couple of posts not too far down showing some pics of the White Mtns.)

Chad Oneil Myers said...

That really is awesome!

You captured the colors well.

photowannabe said...

What a magical place. I would love to walk there and see the beautiful colors.

Tom said...

I wish I had folks who had land like this, though I understand there's hard work a plenty in keeping it going. To walk in the footsteps of Deer as filled my imagination with pictures of wild life.. I like how you write as well as your pictures... I'm going for a sit down with my coffee now to imagine "walking in the footsteps of deer".

Anonymous said...

I read Salty's story about the fording and saw the pictures. Interesting and nice photos. I like your photo too and wonder about roads that are part creek or river. My mom and I had to drive in the creek quite a distance to get to my grandfathers house in West Virginia. I had a new 1967 Ford Fairlane 500. I just never dreamed roads existed like that back then and or still do today.

imac said...

I just love this photo Ash.Captured the feeling.

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

:) @ endeering

lovely place , Ash and phew!!! it can get tricky for truck drivers who don't care !!! :D

Mr. Mapper said...

I really like this shot

Jessica said...

NIce image. It looks like a place from another time.

Willard said...

This is a township road and when I was very young I can remember my grandfather(your great-grandfather) complaining that at one time he tried to get a bridge erected as he farmed some of the land on the far side of the stream. They had what was referred to at the time as a "viewing" and the bridge was rejected. I can only speculate that had it been erected, the far side of the stream would now be developed as much as the rest of Fulton County rather than being one of the last remaining wilderness areas in the county. It may not have been heavily developed, but one could be almost certain that there would be at least a few homes, instead of two hunting camps and two back country mountain farms

Kerri Farley said...

This is beautiful! What a wonderful way to spend the day.

lv2scpbk said...

Beautiful shot.