trying to make sense of my world through pictures

Hikes

Woods Fork – Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Woods Fork - Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Woods Fork - Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

A 6.6 mile hike with 800′ of elevation climbed on Busiek’s White and Orange trails.

06 January 2012 | Copyright © 2012 Gary Allman


Gary and Ginger stop for a drink and snack on the way back to the Tower trailhead – Piney Creek Wilderness

Gary and Ginger stop for a drink and snack on the way back to the Tower trailhead

It’s a self portrait – so shoot me; I like it. we were on the last lap of a three day backpacking trip into the Piney Creek Wilderness.

01 January 2012 | Copyright © 2012 Gary Allman


Look out tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Tower trail head

Look out tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Tower trail head by Gary Allman

Cooking lunch at Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri

Cooking lunch at Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri

Trail back to the Tower trail head at Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri

Trail back to the Tower trail head at Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri

11 November 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri

Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri by Gary Allman

I went on a walk around the closed off areas of the campsite, and ended up walking back along the lakeside. When I got back to our campsite Ginger fancied a walk, so we re-traced part of my walk, which was very fortuitous as we were able to see this fantastic sunset over the lake. Note the very cool Crepuscular Rays.

The wind blew hard and unpredictably most of the evening, making sitting round the campfire hazardous at times, but the sparks made up for the absence of fireworks.

Sitting round the campfire on Guy Fawkes night

Sitting round the campfire on Guy Fawkes night

Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight

Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight

05 November 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Autumn color on the road to the South trail head at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Autumn color of the road to the South trail head at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area by Gary Allman

On leaving Busiek I spotted this scene on the track out from the trail head.

Fall color at home

When we arrived home the fall color was just as impressive

01 November 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri

Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri by Gary Allman

Looking up I saw these wonderful colors…

Gary and Ginger stopped for lunch on Woods Fork, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Gary and Ginger stopped for lunch on Woods Fork, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Woods Fork Crossing

Woods Fork Crossing

01 November 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri

Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri by Gary Allman

We hiked the Yellow and Silver trails at Busiek today – a little over 4 miles and around 624 feet of elevation climbed.

The the colour of the trees on the trail by the Carter Cemetery were breathtaking.

Woods Fork crossing, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Woods Fork crossing, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri

Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri

Berries on the Yellow Trail at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

01 November 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Waiting for the weather and tide

Multicoloured layered cliffs at Hunstanton, Norfolk, UK

Multicoloured layered cliffs at Hunstanton, Norfolk, UK

The play of light in the sky and the humps of the the eroded sandstone boulders which were arranged in lines pointing out to sea, was wonderful. I made a couple of attempts to capture it, and this is the one I like best. The green of the seaweed was a great bonus. It really was that vivid. Even though it was accurate, I had to take the saturation down just a tad as it was looking unreal.

The picture was taken looking West from the beach at Hunstanton, where there are some wonderful layered and coloured cliffs. While setting up and taking this picture I knew there was a chance of the sun breaking through and lighting up the cliffs behind me. But after a seemingly interminable wait, we gave up. Sure enough later on the sun shone through but I wasn’t in a position to get the shot.

Sun burst over the Wash

Sun burst over the Wash

08 July 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Dunmore hill and Melville monument

Dunmore hill and obelisk by Gary Allman

Taken on our Comrie hike, looking North towards the granite obelisk on Dunmore hill which commemorates Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville.

There was a tad too much water vapour in the atmosphere for a really clear picture, but I liked the way the light was playing on the field and trees.

The 18mm – 105mm kit lens that came with the camera is very good – though as I shot this at 50mm I could have used my prime lens and got an even sharper image. Checking the image in detail I was very surprised to find that details of the obelisk can be seen.

29 June 2011 | Comrie | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Looking North along Glen Lednock – Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland

Glen Lednock by Gary Allman

Looking North from the road while on our Glen Lednock hike.

Gary seen in a ditch getting ready to take a picture - Photograph by Ginger

29 June 2011 | Glen Lednock | Comrie | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Pastures and derelict buildings – Dumyat, Stirling, Scotland

Pastures and derelict buildings by Gary Allman

On the hills to the North East of Dumyat.

Keith, Gary and Ginger - Dumyat, Stirling, Scotland

Keith, Gary and Ginger on Dumyat, Stirling, Scotland



28 June 2011 | Dumyat, Stirling, Scotland | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Scottish hills

Scottish hillsides by Gary Allman

We’ve been hiking in Scotland. Taken from Dumyat, Stirling.

28 June 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Little Sac River, near Willard, Missouri

We bushwhacked our way along the riverside in the brush on the left.

Little Sac River, near Willard, Missouri

Little Sac River, near Willard, Missouri

18 April 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Sundown at Little Brazil Creek, Missouri

Sundown at Little Brazil Creek Missouri by Gary Allman

After a day’s hiking we camped near Little Brazil Creek. While we ate our dinner by the creek we watched the sun go down.

21 March 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Ozarks’ skies

Ozarks' skies by Gary Allman

Sycamore Tree – Plantanus occidentalis on the the white trail, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri 

01 March 2011 | Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Little Sac River from the Sac River Trail

Little Sac River from the Sac River Trail by Gary Allman

Snow on the Sac River Trail This afternoon we decided to enjoy the sunshine, brave the snow cover and go for a short hike on the Sac River Trail. The hike was fine, proving our gear is up to a winter hike, getting to the trail and away again was not so good. 

On our way to the trail I nearly ‘T Boned’ a pick-up and trailer as it sailed through a stop sign without stopping; the driver was too busy chatting on his cell ‘phone to notice the stop sign. A couple of hours later at the parking lot for the trail I made the mistake of trying to turnaround to get out and got us well and truly stuck in the snow. I had to resort to digging down through the snow and ice to the ground using my pocket knife. Note to self: Snow shovels aren’t worth a damn for digging out a stuck van.

05 February 2011 | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


View from the duck blind at Valley Water Mill Pond

Valley Water Mill Pond by Gary Allman

Gary in the duck blind at Valley Water Mill Pond

Gary in the duck blind at Valley Water Mill Pond

Having spent all morning languishing in bed with my laptop some activity was called for. Not wanting anything too strenuous we decided to check out a small nature center just North East of Springfield.

At one end of the pond we found a duck blind with this magnificent view. So much for my saying I was going to try and cut down on the landscape lakes and rivers pictures.


02 January 2011 | Watershed Center | Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman


Woods Fork at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

Woods Fork at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area by Gary Allman

Today we hiked the yellow and silver trails at Busiek. The weather was nice and warm, not too hot for hiking, and although it was windy; in among the trees we didn’t notice it. 

The previous night night several squall lines passed through, and a couple of trees were down across the trail. We won’t mention the tree near home which the same storm knocked down, taking out a power pole and leaving us without electricity for over 24 hours.

26 October 2010 | Copyright © 2010 Gary Allman


Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri

Horses crossing the creek at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri by Gary Allman

We had to ford the creek at the end of the hike. The creek bed was stoney again, so I went ahead and got Ginger’s sandals from the van. Of course that meant I crossed the creek four times, while one couple got a horse ride across.

01 November 2009 | Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area | Copyright © 2009 Gary Allman


Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri

Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri by Gary Allman

Cutting wood with Tom on Saturday I noticed a state park on our way back. I did some investigating and found we had some details in our hiking guides. Sunday afternoon, waiting for the bus with the Youth Group kids (and Katie) to arrive I was chatting to a friend who had visited the Park the previous week.

It took a bit to persuade Ginger to give up a Sunday afternoon nap for a hike, but I succeeded and off we went.

Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area is 18 miles south of Springfield, so it’s nice and close. Recent rain has washed out the bridges so we had to ford the creek – no problem for me in sandals, but as Ginger had to take her hiking boots off, she had problems in her bare feet.

The best of the fall color is gone and the leaves hid the trail in places the red blazes made it fairly easy to keep on track. There were quite a lot of people on horse back – which was useful to some as one person ferried a couple across the creek.

The hike was a bit long for Lanie, but Ginger and I enjoyed it. we’ll be going back.

01 November 2009 | Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area | Copyright © 2009 Gary Allman


Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri

Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri by Gary Allman

We should have forded the creek here, where there is a rock creek bed. Instead we opted for a place where the banks weren’t so steep. The stoney creek bed caused Ginger a lot of pain.

Crossing the creek at the end of the hike, I went ahead and got Ginger her sandals from the van.

01 November 2009 | Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area | Copyright © 2009 Gary Allman |


Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri

Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, South West Missouri by Gary Allman

It is surprising how quickly the trees have shed their leaves. this time last week the trees were full of leaves.

01 November 2009 | Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area | Copyright © 2009 Gary Allman


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