My avian side wanted to celebrate the Solstice, but that wasn’t a company holiday, so I decided to let him have Christmas Eve in the woods at the Long Cane [so-called] Horse Trail (despite the name, it’s multi-use). Since this was my inner-bird’s day, I’ll let him do the typing. My typing is hunt and peck anyway.

[bird] Oh you’re funny.

Anyway, as my other half (note I didn’t say my “better” half) said, I wanted to mark the Solstice. For those of us in the wild the Solstice is really the Important Day this season. The days stop getting shorter and start getting longer. Slowly at first, but in a couple of months there’ll be noticeably more daylight every day. More daylight means more time to forage for food and more time to let the sun warm your feathers even as the winter cold sets in. And, of course, Spring is coming!

Morning is always an exciting time, time to get moving!

I know there was another bird up there, I was picking up his, what you would call, ADS-B.

Trees tell stories.

Humans like that red-and-green theme around this time, so here ya go.

It’s kind of jarring to come out of the woods and to something like this…

…but the human said to cross this stream using the bridge. It would have been trivial to just fly across.

Forests a nuisance?? How could anyone with half a brain think that?

Speaking of nuisances, how is it that humans call this the Sumter National Forest and then cut down the trees? If it’s a FOREST you need TREES! And why leave just those few trees standing? They’re probably doomed now anyway, like the ones that already fell over!

[human] You’re starting to sound like Squeaks from Nature Cat when she gets angry at abuses of nature.
[bird] And why not? HUMANS ARE STUPID!

Ahem. I think that one-lane bridge sign is a bit redundant, no? Just as well, humans need to be kept in their lane.

The ground tells stories too, like these bird tracks.

and these … bird? tracks?

Horses, bikes, dogs…

And now we’re back where we started.

Sigh.

[human] Wait, if this is where we started, where’s the sun?
[bird] It moved, you dofus! It’s now LATE in the day!
Really, why do I put up with this …. primate?

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/10431879496

With a couple days off and realizing that I hadn’t been to the mountains in a while, I grabbed a campsite reservation at Davidson River, NC.

Did a little “hike in” (I’m still practicing for a real backpacking trip), and set up camp.

Dinner at the River View restraunt.

My full day there started with breakfast at dawn, my favorite time of day.

This is why I like to get an early start. I was off to travel the Sycamore Cove, Grassy Road, Thrift Cove, and added on for good measure, the Andy Cove nature trail.

Some of these trails, it’s best to not look up, contrary to the usual advice. Instead, just keep moving and you’ll get to the top and you can then look down.

Then again, there are places where maybe you shouldn’t look down either.

I have no idea what this little figure was doing here. Seems like the sort of thing that would have a story behind it.

I know some of my relatives think I’m crazy (well, ok, that’s a well-establish fact) with my mountain biking, but the tracks here indicate that some people go way past what I’ll attempt.

or what I’ll ride

I wanted to show that the river keeps operating after dark, but evidently my night vision is better than my phone’s.

After that it was time to roost. When you’re outdoors and eschewing artificial light, 7pm looks a lot like 10pm and I had no problem getting to sleep right after dark. Might be my avian side.
The next day I “hiked out” on the North Slope trail. There are a couple of bridges that just look precarious.

When I stopped for a break, I noticed this plant. Nature is always preparing for the Next Thing. Even though winter is just getting going, there were little buds forming. Or maybe it’s climate change.

Now let’s see, what’s the rule of thumb about which side of the tree moss grows on? Oh yeah, the top.

This plant with the red stem stood out in the sun.

Then it was time to head back to civilization, job, tax notices, insurance, … sigh.
Strava links:
https://www.strava.com/activities/10326948702
https://www.strava.com/activities/10328324561
https://www.strava.com/activities/10334074324