Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

The Diamondback Rattlesnake Trail

Sunday November 25, 2012
Site 83 Hunting Island State Park

 

Snake Phobics fear not!

I haven’t asked why they named this trail for the rattlesnake but we saw nary a snake of any kind on it.

 

But first -

Sunday at Hunting Island 001

 

 

I look out the door and see Susan and the boys.  Susan has been sitting outside reading to the boys off and on all week-end long.  She has heroically read aloud FOUR Hardy Boys books.  Joel is getting things disconnected for their departure so there is no campfire as usual to warm the reader and listener. 

 

 

 

I get one last picture of all of the Barrys with their Mansion before saying goodbye.  They are returning to their home in Savannah.

Sunday at Hunting Island 004

 

Now back to the Diamondback…

We pack a lunch and ride the bikes down to the Visitor’s Center for the start of the trail which goes 2.3 miles down to the Nature Center.

So the plan is, to bike, then hike down, get the shark jaw picture I forgot to get yesterday and hike back.  David prefers loop trails but as many of you have already heard me say, I think a trail looks different from the other direction.

Sunday at Hunting Island 006

 

It is about a 4 mile bike ride and a 4.6 mile hike round trip.   The park roads are lovely for biking.  The park also has several trails that can be ridden by those with mountain bikes.
Ours are hybrids and we don’t do sand. :-)

 

We get to the trail head, lock up the bikes and start on down the path.

 

Sunday at Hunting Island 011

 

Sunday at Hunting Island 010

 

 

It’s a lovely trail and the scent of pine is olfactory heaven.

 

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Sunday at Hunting Island 012

 

 

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I’m passing through a beautiful palmetto alley when I see the first one.

 

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Back at some distance from the trail, someone has tied a rope to two trees and left it there.  Most parks I’ve been in have strict rules about nothing tied to trees.

 

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We decide to be eco warriors and rescue the trees.

 

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As we walk along, we find several more similar set ups.  It looks to have been some sort of game.  We rescue them all.  It slows us down but the trees look happier.  I’m happier.

 

Lassoed trees are not the only surprise here.

Eventually we get to the Nature Center.  I get out the camera to take those shark jaw pictures and see this

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Sunday at Hunting Island 056

 

It never occurred to me that the Nature Center would be closed on Sunday.  Well I’m so far behind on posting that I guess waiting until Tuesday won’t matter.   And if you saw the shark jaw on yesterday’s post then I’ll bet you are plenty confused by this point.  I’m really not trying to be confusing.

 

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I am also surprised to find that there is not one soul out on the pier today.  We have it all to ourselves.  So we sit out on the end and have our picnic lunch before starting back down the trail.

 

 

Our view is of the far end of the island.  Some day at low tide, I’d like to walk down there from the campground on the ocean front.  I would think it’s about 4 miles one way.  It goes past what once were the dozen rental cabins. 

I put this on my mental list of things to do before we leave.

 

Sunday at Hunting Island 069

 

As we walk back down the pier we see two kayaks go under the bridge toward the island.  They have come from the boat launch I imagine.  That gets me to thinking about whether it is warm enough for me to want to kayak.  I have a spray skirt, water boots and other gear for cooler weather kayaking but David does not.   I’ll have to think on it. 

Another note to my mental list.

Sunday at Hunting Island 086

 

There is a Diamondback Drawback however.

 

We’re soon back on the Diamondback trail.  It is a lovely trail and I’m glad I’ve hiked it but I probably won’t do it again.  It runs parallel and too close for me to Route 21.  I like my wilderness walks through beautiful areas without the sounds of cars. 

 

But you don’t have to hear the cars.  You can just see the beauty.

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This day is like deja vu

 

another late afternoon return home

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And another Thanksgiving dinner!

Sunday at Hunting Island 101

23 comments:

  1. Oh, boy, i would think you would be Thanksgiving'd out by now!!!!
    Nice ride/walk....

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    1. Is that possible? To be Thanksgiving'd out?? :-)

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  2. Since we had limited time and iffy weather while we were there, we decided not to hike Diamondback for exactly the reason you mention...cars do not belong in nature;o))

    Ok, I have lost count of how many Thanksgiving Dinners you have had!!!!

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    1. It's a trail I won't do again but it was lovely so I'm glad I did it once.
      Now let's see, we tried to count it up and we're not sure if it's 5 or 6 Thanksgivings. It's the best year we've ever had. :-))

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  3. Funny, I didn't hear a thing... no road noise here!!

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    1. That's perfect! Just the way I hoped it would be.

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  4. Anybody need any ropes? We collected nine from whatever woodland mission they were used in, then left abandoned. I still cannot fathom what they were used for in the first place much less why the park did not take them down.

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  5. We didn't have a thanksgiving dinner ... and you are having your third ... hmmm ... something's wrong with that picture.

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    1. Rats, we'd have saved you some had we known that!

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  6. I just hope the ropes weren't marking any kind study area along the trail. Agree about not hiking so close to road noise. How many pounds have you each gained with all these thankful dinners? ;)

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    1. The ropes were just strung between two trees. They weren't in a square and didn't appear to be marking anything. In some cases it was clear they had been there quite a while and were tightly tied around the trunks. We asked about them and no one who was working at that time knew.

      As for pounds, David has a hollow leg and seems to be able to eat more than a man three times his size and gain nothing. I am trying to run mine off with limited success.

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  7. Thanks for the tip at the top of the blog. I was able to comfortably continue reading :)

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    1. You are very welcome Gail. Thanks for reading and commenting!

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  8. But, your pictures are so silent! I'm just using our own road noise to fill in.

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    1. And I tried to hard to make it a quiet and peaceful walk for you. Oh well! Just glad you came along.

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  9. I think those ropes were so the trees didn't slip away. Good for you eco-warriors, rescuing them! :c)

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    1. Thanks Paul! No trees were harmed in this venture.

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  11. Lovely day. Just last week I took almost the same shot of my own shadow on the dunes in Matagorda.
    Still on the card in the camera... I'll have to show you. You'll chuckle.

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  12. Lovely trail, and even lovelier place to kayak. Hope you'll be able to get it in your plans before you leave.

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  13. FOUR Hardy books....how sweet is that! I'm still craving more stuffing and the extra crunchy end pieces especially...I may have to just break and dry up some bread this weekend!

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  14. That's a beautiful looking trail. Thanks for the pictures they were great

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  15. More thanksgiving!! I'm so gald we did do it early so I could enjoy leftovers too... Great family photo of the Barrys and way to go 'rescuing' those trees - such a 'you' thing to do :) Beautiful trail, but I agree about the car noise - it detracts from the experience.

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