00:20

anticloud & zenkrak | 3.245 mi | 1:02 | Caw Caw Interpretive Center

We took a pre-walk picnic of sushi from EarthFare today. Unfortunately, Zenkrak overscheduled his workload this week and we hadn't had a free morning until today. I also do strength training at least twice a week, but I could really feel the lack of walking and sunshine taking a toll on my emotions this week. It was great to get back out again, in short. There were parts of the trail where you could really see the damage from the recent storm (we climbed over a tree or two). But it could have been worse.

00:19

anticloud & zenkrak | 4.887 mi | 1:48 | Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail

We went back to where we were on 00:17 and went the opposite direction today. It was amazingly different and there was a lot more to see. The elevation changed a little here and there and after a mile, we saw the Witherbee primitive camp site. There were cicadas flying/hopping all over in the warmer weather and we actually broke a good sweat. I've been really sick for the past three days, but I felt great during the walk. Unfortunately I feel terrible now. Oh well. :)

I also could not resist getting a shot of this sign. Just for the record, it didn't seem like a little hellhole to me. :)

00:18

anticloud & zenkrak | 3.338 mi | 1:18 | Wannamaker Park

We had our first close encounter with an alligator today! I wouldn't have even noticed it if Zenkrak hadn't pointed it out as I stopped to take a picture of the swamp water. I'm glad Eko didn't notice it, because it was close enough to reach out and touch and I may be minus a puppy right now. We also saw the great blue heron again... but I couldn't get a good picture of it. :( Eko tried to go swimming after the pretty Canadian geese. They didn't seem phased. It was a wonderful walk all in all. The weather was beautiful and the trail was minimally muddy.

00:17

anticloud & zenkrak | 4.831 mi | 1:39 | Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail

We went on a new section of the Swamp Fox Passage today; the part next to the Witherbee Ranger Station. (Poor Eko is passed out beside me as I type this.) The trail followed Witherbee road and we walked progressively further away from the sound of the occasional car. I popped my first squat in the woods after much coffee in the AM. Zenkrak was starting to feel a little sick yesterday and I think the walk helped. We didn't get to go out and do much trail walking this week, but we did go for walks in our neighborhood to make up for it. I was thinking, on the drive back, about how lucky we are to have the Palmetto trail so close to us. One day we plan on making it up north to the Oconee passage where they have a 60-foot waterfall. Believe it or not, I have never seen a waterfall. Today also marks a month since I have started this journal and we've walked over fifty miles in that month. (I've also lost 11 pounds as of today!) So here's to our first month and many more to come! :)

00:16

anticloud & zenkrak | 4.311 mi | 1:25 | Wannamaker Park

00:15

anticloud & zenkrak | 3.368 mi | 1:12 | Awendaw Passage of the Palmetto Trail

We saw more people on this trail than we had ever seen on any hike we have gone on thus far. I suspect it was partially due to the timing, but I also think it is more accessible to the general public. We had to pay $5.00 for parking unlike the other parts of the Palmetto Trail we have been to. I didn't like the black platforms they had on parts of the trail, though I'm sure they serve good purpose when the trail floods. It was very pretty, of course. We plan on checking out another Awendaw trailhead in the future.

00:14

anticloud & zenkrak | 4.074 mi | 1:20 | Lake Moultrie Passage of the Palmetto Trail

While this part of the Palmetto Trail features a gorgeous view of the lake, we decided it should be reserved for biking alone from now on. The monotony of this walk makes it ridiculously tiring.

00:13

anticloud & zenkrak | 2.311 mi | 0:58 | Palmetto Islands County Park

I've always liked this Park. I recall visits to the water hole as a child. The nature island is interesting. It gives off a very secluded feel. The marsh was also dry enough to walk on and we walked out a good distance. There were deer tracks everywhere, though we've yet to see a deer. There were a few people out and about with their dogs. We didn't bring Eko this time, but I'm sure he would have had a good time.

00:12

anticloud & zenkrak | 8.132 mi | 3:01 | Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail

This is a new record for us and I don't know about Zenkrak, but my feet are exhausted! There is something about this trail that makes you want to walk further and further. I suppose it's the ever changing surroundings. Oddly enough, my orange peels were still on the trail from our last outing here (which was a week or so ago). Boy, what a walk though! We had to break down some long branches to make make-shift hiking poles because parts of the trail were a little flooded and I was thankful that I actually had hiking shoes on because my feet didn't get wet at all. All in all I felt like we were on a great adventure and I can't wait to do it again.

00:11

anticloud & zenkrak | 3.500 mi | 1:24 | Caw Caw Interpretive Center

00:10

anticloud & zenkrak | 1.977 mi | 0:45 | Wannamaker Park

Zenkrak returned and we set out to get a quick walk in before the park closed. It was nice and refreshing. :)

00:09

anticloud | 4.301 mi | 1:26 | Caw Caw Interpretive Center

Okay, this place is ridiculously beautiful and it has a wonderful array of trails. I could walk for hours here. AND the people that work at the main building are really nice. I can't wait for Zenkrak to get back so that we can check out all the great trails we missed the first time. I also saw a black cat way out on the rice field trail, which was weird. There were a lot of animal tracks all over the trails and I found a very nice, narrow forest trail.

00:08

anticloud | 3.427 mi | 1:04 | Wannamaker Park

Finally! The weather decided to be beautiful today and not windy, cold, and rainy as it has been for the past couple of days. I could definitely see evidence of the storm that passed through the other night in all the broken trees and debris. There was also still mud and water on certain parts of the path that Eko happily trampled through. We both had pretty muddy feet by the time we got back to the car. It was a really nice day and Eko kept me on my toes. I'm still finding new twists and turns to the path that I don't remember being on the map. Hrmmm...

00:07

anticloud & guest | 2.250 mi | ? | ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

About a half a mile of this distance was spent walking out to the park benches to enjoy a little lunch of brown rice sushi with my guest, Deanna. It was nice and warm out today with a mild irritant of mosquitoes. I don't really like driving out to this location because of the mile long dirt road, but it is really quiet and peaceful. It looked like a storm had come through since my last visit and the turnips had grown flowers.

On my way home I witnessed a terrible accident only feet in front of me. A car tried to cut another car off, that car swerved to avoid the car and the truck next to it swerved to avoid the car and got caught off the road. The truck then flipped completely over a three lane highway and landed down at the bottom of the steep shoulder. I stopped my car and calmed my nerves, not long enough to see if the person/people were okay. There was a large group and the police had arrived on scene by the time I finally pulled back onto the highway. I couldn't get home fast enough. Seeing something like that and having such a close brush was enough to make me want to stay off the road for the rest of the day. Anyway, I hope they were okay and I feel pretty lucky right now.

00:06

anticloud | 2.333 mi | 0:55 | Wannamaker Park

I found a new turn on the trail that connects the two nature trails that I was not previously aware of and I had a great walk. I saw a lot of deer tracks on the path next to doggy paws of all sizes. I missed Zenkrak today as he flew off to Michigan for job training earlier. :( But I learned a little more Spanish... which is always cool. :)

00:05

anticloud & zenkrak | 2.580 mi | 1:16 | Caw Caw Interpretive Center

00:04

anticloud & zenkrak | 2.261 mi | 1:00 | Givhans Ferry State Park

00:03

anticloud & zenkrak | 6.186 mi | 2:10 | Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail

It was another gorgeous day. We explored a little further and came across a nice dirt road. I am very fond of this trail. Zenkrak & I talked about doing a hiking trip over the entire Palmetto Trail.

00:02

anticloud & zenkrak | 5.032 mi | 1:40 (?) | Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail

This was our first time on this trail and it was gorgeous! I can't imagine that this trail would be a lot of fun in the summer though. I'm not sure about how long we were out there, but it was long enough to give me a farmer's tan.

We originally drove out to St. Stephen, used the restroom in a very small and scary grocery store, decided the air was too cool to walk along the canal, and then decided to drive back to the Palmetto Trail.

St. Stephen = Scary

00:01

anticloud | 2.126 mi | 0:45 | Wannamaker Park

I learned some nifty Spanish words with Coffee Break Spanish on my iPod. The nature trails were dead and the weather was beautiful. :)