Georgia: Savannah Ogeechee Canal Museum

What a delightful treasure.  On our return to Florida in July it had been a long day's trip on I-95 so a walk was in order.  As we neared the entrance to the campground I noticed an interesting sign.

This sign caught my attention
Little did I know it would be so interesting.

This was a short walk from the campground.  Why not take a stroll?

Nature Trail leading to the canal

Yes, there was a slightly overgrown foot path near the road that lead to a shelter.  Perhaps this was a road side park and picnic area between us and the fenced museum building.  

Flowers abound in sunny areas

Walking the path made sense and we soon learned it was part of the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center.  The area was lovely with moss draping from tall oaks as we walked the path which led to a canal.

Canal and Locks

 This was the historic Ogeechee Barge Canal, a prime relic in the history of southern canals.  History from Wikipedia records the canal as "The Savannah - Ogeechee Canal was an important and profitable enterprise during the mid-nineteenth century. Originally chartered in 1824, the 16.5 miles (26.6 km)'s of canal was completed in December 1830. Numerous problems (such as decay of wooden locks and repeated erosion of embankments) plagued the canal during its early days of operation. The parent company declared bankruptcy in 1836. A new company was formed that widened and improved existing structures within the canal. From the 1840s to the 1860s, the canal generally prospered and became an important element in the south Georgia economy."

Swampy area along the canal

The canal begins with the tidal lock at the Savannah River and continues through four lift locks as is traverses 16 1/2 miles.  The canal terminates with another tidal lock at the Ogeechee River, the location of the museum and nature center.

Ogeechee River

Canals were the lifeblood of Georgia commerce after 1820, the canal era.  Before then the residents relied on rivers and transferred goods several times from water to land as the rivers did not always connect.  

A paved road borders the canal for some distance

The canal was destined for demise after heavy June rains damaged the canal in 1876 and the yellow fever epidemic left few workers to repair the damage.  Couple this disaster with the railroad era and it is no wonder the canal fell into neglect.  

Looking into the canal

Fortunately local citizens formed the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Society  and obtained a grant to build the park and museum.  

Luckily boardwalks cross part of the swamp

Our visit was in the early evening, after closing hours, so we could not speak with anyone.  The trails were a little overgrown and I suspect that in July when the weather is hot and muggy, and with frequent rains and plentiful insect life maintenance is more difficult.  Not to mention the occasional snake.

This water snake did not anticipate visitors

Followed by a quick escape into the canal

To say the least, the area is beautiful and without the effort of local residents and volunteers the historic canal, surrounding area, and the history would be lost.  It would only be a matter of time before the swamps were filled and houses dotted the land.

Interesting bird house
this area is swampy

You can follow the activities on Facebook Savannah Ogeechee Canal Society as their page lists tours, events, and other interesting facts.  Visit the site for recent photos, comments, and professional photos.  And, try to schedule a visit between 1 and 5 PM when the museum is open.

The nature center features
wild flowers

Called Back: New York to Florida in four days...

Well, our New York adventure ended abruptly with yet another family issue.  I received a call from my mother's living facility to return NOW to St. Augustine, FL.

Trumansburg
Rainy AM for an exit

So, we packed up Thursday morning in 48 degree weather to head south.  This was with bittersweet emotions, knowing we were needed in Florida, yet knowing we left jobs undone at the Grassroots Festival as it started.  However, we could not delay any longer...

Truck and trailer
ready to roll

Returning required four long days on the road.  Now some folks can drive that 1100 miles in two days but not us.  With the travel trailer in tow, two cats, and two retired adults... life can go a little slower.

Yes, we need to dump the tanks from time to time
This is the campground in Virginia

Realizing I-95 is not always the best route, even though the mapping programs push that option for a total of 1058 miles, we varied the route just a bit for a total of 1187 miles.  I mean, you just can't believe on I-95 the distance can be driven in 14 hours.  

View from our campsite
Haymarket, VA

So we journeyed down the 'back-roads' including Hwy 29 and Hwy 15 stopping the first night near Haymarket Virginia at the Greenville Farm Family Campground.  The campground was located conveniently on Hwy 15!  And it was a clean, spacious, and treed area.

Our campsite was among these tall trees

Early the following morning we packed up which didn't take much effort as we never "unpacked", emptied our tanks (above), and headed out for more adventures.

On the road again

We were past the New York and Washington DC parts of the country so it was time to get back on I-95.  Leaving the small roads behind we bit the bullet and boarded the interstate.  This was a long day of driving with the reward of returning to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina.

Medoc Mountain campsite as seen
from inside our home

 It was good to return to Medoc Mountain (a previous post) as the park is beautiful, a bit remote, and quiet this time of year.  There were few campers giving you the feeling the entire park was just for you... and the other half-dozen folks in the campground.

Since no one is around,
can't I get off this leash?

After a peaceful night with no rain and bright stars... yes we are often up around dawn to walk the cats and star gazing is a suitable hobby ... we were back on I-95 heading south.

Early morning cat walk

This day the miles rolled by quickly.  We made the typical stops for gas, food, bathroom breaks, and cat walks but there simply isn't much else when traveling I-95... unless you hit the dreaded traffic jam.  This time we were lucky and the traffic flowed easily.  Amazingly we had driven all the way to Savannah.  Checking the computer for a private campground I found Savannah Oaks RV Resort on the Good Sams Club website.  The description was reasonable so we gave it a try.  It was not my favorite campground but it worked for the evening and it had a clean laundry facility which came in handy.

The best part about the campground?  It was adjacent to the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center sponsored by the Savannah Ogeechee Canal Society.   You can read about this in a separate post.

Now it was a short trip to Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine where I was able to secure a campsite for a few nights.  Upon arriving there were two important tasks:  checking on my mother and taking a beach walk.

Anastasia State Park
St. Augustine Beach

New York: Trumansburg and Taughannock Falls State Park

Last February we volunteered at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival where we met folks from North Carolina and New York.  The New York group was primarily from Trumansburg, the headquarters of the GrassRoots Festivals.

Downtown Trumansburg
just a few blocks long

Fortunately, this summer we had the opportunity to spend two weeks in the area.  We began to learn why folks are so enthralled with the town and area.  There is a certain magic in the lower Finger Lakes region of New York.

The Taughannock River runs through town

One day I walked to the near by grocery and on the return noticed a small trail leading into the woods with an almost hidden sign "Smith Woods".  Yes, I had to venture on this trail which turned out to be a nature preserve through an old forest. The woods is a 32 acre plot of "old growth trees" some of which are over 200 years old and thus predate European settlement. 

Typical of the area
A nature preserve founded in 1909

From the Fair Grounds, where we volunteered for the GrassRoots Festival, it was a short distance to Taughannock Falls State Park.  So, one beautiful day we opted to take the afternoon and explore the state park.

Taughannock Falls
33 feet taller than Niagara Falls

There are several trails with the most dramatic and longest loop being the rim of the Taughannock Gorge.  From the gorge you can see the falls plunge 215 feet past rocky cliffs into the chasm below.  As an aside, this falls is 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls but not as wide.  Regardless, it is still impressive.

View from the top of the canyon wall

You can also walk up the river basin on a 1/2 mile trail to admire the falls from the base.  Along the way you can get up-close and personal with the river as it continues to carve its way to Cayuga Lake. And, yes we did both.

Looking across the gorge

The canyon walls rise nearly 400 feet above the gorge and the rim trail offers spectacular views of  the walls, multiple waterfalls, the river far below, birds, hikers, and swimmers.  Viewing the world from the edge of the rim is quite an experience.

Steep steps await you as you climb
to the rim of the gorge

To reach the rim from the mouth of the gorge, lake side, you must climb.  And as you ascend the steps provided by the park you pass through hemlock forests which almost block the bright sun.  Among the hemlocks you will find other hardwood trees such as sugar maple, striped maple, and the distinctive white oak.

The south side of the river and gorge is covered
with hardwoods, the north side 

The loop crosses the forest and borders the road on the west end, the river source, and descends to Cayuga Lake on the east side.  The lake is huge and impressive but not as exciting to this flat-lander as the woods which have different trees on the north and south rims.  

Cemetery Chapel
adjacent to Smith Woods

Bottom line:  Add this area on your bucket list.

New York: The Cornell Plantations

As mentioned in a previous post, when we visited Cornell in Ithaca New York we spent time in three natural areas managed by Cornell, The Ornithology Lab, The Cornell Plantations, and the Fall Creek Gorge with it's multiple waterfalls.  Due to the length I'll deal with each in a separate posting.  Here I'll cover the Cornell Plantations.

Welcome Center
photo from Cornell's website

It always helps to have a plan so our first stop was the Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center and you can't miss this with the unique architecture.  The building and surrounding vegetation promises an adventure.  After speaking with a host and obtaining a map we exited to the gardens.

One of the many gardens
Herbal Flowers

 Passing through a few shrubs, all labeled, we entered an herb garden; however, with the bright blossoms one tends to forget these are medicinal herbs.  I could have stayed here all day enjoying the picture show provided by mother nature.  However, after admiring these beauties we strolled through a traditional herb garden and on to another flower garden.  The area is hilly and these gardens were carved into the hill with flat spaces and stone walkways.

Bright with bloom
the flowers are amazing

Crossing the road we entered the shrub area which appeared manicured at first glance but that was not the case.  The master gardener designed the area so each shrub would be the perfect size and not require pruning.  There were no clip marks, only evidence of full growth.

Tastefully arranged shrubs and herbs
no need to manicure these

We continued on into the natural woods which were rather dark due to the tall trees.  Again many trees were labeled but there was no evidence of planned planting.  In this area Mother Nature seemed to have full range.  Here we descended a hill into a deeper forest before hearing the rush of water.

Fall Creek runs through the Cornell Plantations

Following the sound of water we happened on a trail that followed the edge of Fall Creek to the bridge that initially brought us into the area.  I must say Fall Creek is delightful whether you are in the gorge or simply along the river's edge.  And there are ample falls along the full range of this creek.

In most areas the herbs, vegetables,
shrubs, and trees are identified

Being time to return for our next adventure we returned along the river to the main gardens.  After a stop in the Welcome Center to say thank you.  In speaking with the host he recommended we see the Fall Creek Gorge and provided a map and directions.  So, once again we were on our way with many wonderful memories.

New York: The Ornithology Lab at Cornell University

As mentioned in a previous post, when we visited Cornell in Ithica New York we spent time in three natural areas managed by Cornell, The Ornithology Lab, The Cornell Plantations, and the Fall Creek Gorge with it's multiple waterfalls.  Due to the length I'll deal with each in a separate posting.  Here I'll cover the Ornithology Lab area.

Finally, we get to see the labs!

We started at Sapsucker Woods, the Ornithology Lab, which thrilled me because I often use Cornell's online "bird book", AllAboutBirds.  To see the actual Lab and surrounding research site was a top priority.

My favorite birding site
All About Birds

First stop on the trip was the Johnson Visitor Center which provided an orientation, art work, a huge mural, bird identification tips, resource people, more exhibits than I wanted to read, and a gift shop.  This was also our last stop as we purchased a book from the gift shop and inquired about the best route to the Cornell Plantations.

A perfect habitat for ducks, grebes, wading birds,
and redwing blackbirds

Then it was out to door to the Sapsucker Woods.  With trail map in hand and were ready for the adventure of exploring the woods and the trail map is recommended as there are more than 4 miles of trails.  "The woods" is a 230 acre sanctuary of forests, ponds, ferny swamps, and abundant wildlife and birds.  The first stop on the route is the pond which features wading birds, ducks, grebes, and other water fowl.  Interestingly enough the birds here were similar to Florida birds.  Well, water birds are water birds and many migrate south in the winter only to return north in the summer... thus the term snow birds.  So we saw Great Blue Heron, American Egret, Snowy Egret, grebes, and ducks.  Now some of the ducks were different from those in Florida but not being a duck expert they are simply ducks.

Crossing the bridge to the trails in the woods
you encounter a delightful pond with
water fowl of all types

We proceeded across the bridge onto the trails which were rather damp.  To be honest, it had rained much of the time we were in New York so damp trails could be expected but like Florida, this area was probably swampy most of the time.  We were thankful the trails were elevated and mostly covered with mulch and/or pine straw.  There are several trails through the woods allowing for short and lengthy walks.  Being around 11 AM most birds were hiding or in the upper boughs of the trees by the time we tripped through the woods.  However, we did see warblers, woodpeckers (yes a sapsucker), owls, and hawks.  

Trails through the woods
or should I say mostly swamps
due to the recent rains

It was a delightful walk through a quiet and enchanted forest on the edge of Ithaca. This was also one of the farthest reaches of the Cornell Campus so private residences and businesses surrounded much of the woods.  Still it was extremely quiet, enough so that we encountered a deer crossing the woods.

A giant bird egg
Glad they have a sense of humor or art?

As we returned to the Visitor Center the trail became higher and drier.  Then suddenly we saw a giant egg!  Well, it wasn't really an egg but a sculpture created from flat rocks (see above).  Wonder how this would look when decorated for Easter?  Well, you'll have to visit in the spring to see if it becomes an Easter Egg.

New York: The Fall Creek Gorge at Cornell University

Who would think we could spend an entire day in Ithaca with the majority of the time on the Cornell University campus.  Certainly not I.  Yes, I am a retired teacher (State of Florida: Marion County, St. Johns County) and professor (Flagler College, Palm Beach State College) but spending non-work hours on a campus is usually not my normal hangout.

Classroom building on Cornell Campus

Cornell was founded in 1865 by Erza Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, the university was intended to teach and make contributions in all fields of knowledge.  Erza Cornell worked with Samuel Morse and eventually became a huge stock holder in Western Union thus allowing him to fund the college.  Located in Ithaca, New York, the university is unique in that it is both an American private Ivy League and federal land-grant research university.  Yes, it is both a private and a public institution.

The Fall Creek cuts through the campus

We spent time in three natural areas managed by Cornell, The Ornithology Lab, The Cornell Plantations, and the Fall Creek Gorge with it's multiple waterfalls.  Due to the length I'll deal with each in a separate posting.  Here I'll cover the waterfalls and gorge.

Fall Creek Gorge Wall

Falls Creek cuts through Ithaca and the Cornell campus and over the years it has created a huge gorge cutting through the surrounding stone.  Our first glimpse of the creek was from the Ithaca Falls which was a challenge to locate as the roads wound through the campus and surrounding houses perched on hills.  As there was no parking we didn't stop to admire the falls.  Later a helpful person said, "Oh, just park at the bar across the street... everyone does this time of day to view the falls."

It is amazing how the river carved the gorge
until you experience the power of the river

As it turned out, the gorge was our last stop on the campus and we learned of the trail from the Visitor Center at the Cornell Plantations.  The gentleman directed us to the area and suggested parking locations as there is no designated parking for the gorge but several access points. 

The path continues to descend

So, we found a parking place near the library and hiked around the rim of the gorge, peering down into the great abyss.  However, as it was well past lunch we opted to drive into the Ithaca Commons for a little exploration and nourishment.  After lunch, we located yet another parking spot and began the descent into the gorge. 

Hiking down into the gorge

Fall Creek Gorge is termed one of Ithaca's prettiest gorges.  Now, we didn't hike all the gorges but this is a beauty and from our entry point there is still a long descent.  The gorge covers 25 acres and you can walk almost the entire length.  You hike close to the creek (more of a river to me) and can cross, stand, or splash in the falls along the way.  I did not count the number of falls but there were more than ten along our path.

At the bottom of the gorge
It is all uphill now!

Should you find yourself in Ithaca and choose to visit the falls here are directions from a Finger Lakes visitor site that may be helpful.  It is a hike I highly recommend.  Really...
What can be more relaxing than a hike along a stream with multiple crashing water falls?