Four Wheeling at Dogwood

 Four Wheeling at Dogwood 

Monday Jan. 2, 2023

Kenny & Dana Koogler 

Granddaughter Tessa Lindsey

   I admit to being disgusted at Kenny for having the new video camera set up on 4K and ultra slow motion when we went to see Crab Orchard Creek.  All that time waiting to see those lovely aquamarine waters and boom! Just like that... ruined.

I blame myself for not knowing and not checking more closely.   

  I wanted a do over, but we were watching our granddaughter Tessa for the next couple days.   I put my mind to where we might see more pretty green waters?

I knew Tessa was not going to like a long, long ride and honestly neither did we.  
I remembered how long it had been since we visited Dogwood to go riding.

I had gotten a couple shots of Fall Branch looking especially pretty one Spring.

I reasoned that we'd had ample rain for the rivers to be flowing.  Yet it being Winter hopefully the creeks would look like snow water.   I talked it over with Kenny and he was game.  We asked Tessa if she wanted to go and she liked the idea.   We set off in the direction of Ozone Falls from home. 

          Once at Ozone we unloaded and took the RZR round to where Fall Branch flows out from behind Ozone Falls State Natural Area.  I wanted to get some better photos of the Umbrella Rock and its little shack by the road.   I wanted to get photos and video of Fall Branch there near the bridge and road.  In the past it was so incredibly pretty.   There are a couple waterfalls back there too.   

   Disappointingly the stream had far less water than my previous visit inspite of the rain.  It was also not a pretty green color, but just a dull greenish brown.

 So much for that.   We pulled back up the road to let me photograph Umbrella Rock and videotape it. I was practicing again today with my Go Pro 10.  

On HD photos and 1080 P basic video regular speed!   Unfortunately the neighborhood dogs.. all of them yappy German sheperds, did not like the RZR or people.   They ran at us from their respective houses and created lots of noise and robbed me of any chance to get a good photo of Umbrella Rock.  I had to think why I got by with it last time and they did not attack me or even come around?

It was because I parked up the road and was on foot.  I was quiet. It isn't people they don't like so much as it is the four wheeler riles them up. 

       

Above: Fall Branch here was so so, but nothing great.  The greenery looks like Spring, but it is moss, holly leaves, mountain laurel, and pines. Things that are still green this time of year. 

Below: a quick snapshot  out the window of Umbrella Rock and the little shack.

You can barely see either.  

Since I failed to get better images or video I will insert the ones I got from a previous trip.  You can see why I like this little spot.

Above:  Umbrella Rock is covered in resurrection ferns.

Above: I'd love to know what the little shack used to be? Was it someone's home?

   Well that didn't go as planned so we headed back to the truck.

We loaded back up and proceeded toward Dogwood.  Once we got out there Kenny turned down the old Gordon Road past the Dogwood Baptist Church. A couple ladies were outside the church taking down Christmas decorations. 

He headed on past them and toward the road's end.  He decided to park at the back and unload there.   It was not in the cards.   The road is cordoned off with police tape past a certain point and private property now.  Totally inaccessible. 

 

   Back we went toward the main road.   Thankfully there are a couple wide pull offs with adequate space for our rig.   We parked again and while Kenny unloaded Tessa and I headed over to check out the stream as it flowed beneath the bridge.

 In all my trips here today was the first time I have ever gone down here to view the stream or photograph it. It was well worth a look.  

Above: photo of the water near the bridge

Below is a short video of this nice spot.  You can see Kenny and Tessa in there.

   Once we finished viewing the river here we loaded up and headed out the road across the bridge.  There is an access path just on the other side of the bridge that is still open.  We turned here and followed it back to a beach area along Fall Branch.

It is very sandy and folks have camped here.  Lots of trash and debris.  People bag this stuff up, but fail to take it out with them.  

   The stream was every bit as pretty as I had hoped. It looked like a green jewel there in its bed with the sun shimmering on the surface. Sunbeams made their way down through the depths to the pale silver gray sand on the bottom.  The stream here is flat and cut out in places.  The forest around it is hemlock and pretty all year long.   Today's weather was ideal.  It warmed up to about sixty degrees.  We were grateful to be out enjoying it.

        

Above: looking upstream at the swimming hole.. blue skies and green trees in Winter! 

Above: looking downstream on Fall Brach.  

Above: Granddaughter Tessa appreciating the pretty river. She is eight.

Above and below are a couple other shots of this pretty area.  

Below is a video of the green hole of water on Fall Branch

  We spent time here enjoying the view of the river, but eventually got back in and  headed onward.   We really did not have a plan today. Just a general outline.  This area has changed so much over the years. It has been logged heavily. It has been purchased and areas we once were able to access are no longer okay to visit. 

     It is a nice are full of streams and cascades where they come together. Trails crisscross the forest. Some head toward Renegade Mountain's back side.  We have been there once and I was not real impressed. I don't care anything about going back.    

  We crossed streams. Checked out cascades. More pretty water holes.  We got a sense of what is open and passable and what is no longer available to ride. Thankfully much is still open to ride.  The forest is lovely and deep and dark like a roller coaster ride out under a canopy of trees.  

Above: Basin Creek is one of my favorites

I think this is Matlock Branch

Above: another spot along Basin Creek

Above: Day Creek

    I dream about places like this.  Forests or streams and places of discovery. 

It is a finding treasure dream.   I think when I have these dreams it must refill my inspiration tank, and fuel me to continue toward the next adventure.   We were having fun.  We pulled over and ate lunch out in the woods by a stream. 

      We rode a loop. We saw no one else all day back in here.  Not a soul.

I could tell Tessa was not having the greatest time so I told Kenny we shouldn't "chase rabbits" as we are prone to do when it is just us.  I figured we needed to change up and do something a little girl would enjoy more.

      Below is a video sampling of the ride today. 

     So to all who ride this area know that it is likely going away.

Right now access remains at the bridge.  Limited parking and a way in.

 We did not go out to the Alloway access so I can't comment on that.  If I get the chance I will ride out there next time I am in the area and find out. 

Historically there has been plenty of parking there and a way in.

  We have parked at a pull off along Owl Roost Road in the past and come in from there.  I don't know if that is still a possibility, but I have a feeling it is not.  Once again, I will update this report and the Trail Riding Outpost Report as I find out.

           Time to Be Townies--Junking in Rockwood 

  Tessa was ready to do something else.  I know my granddaughter very well.  I know all my grandkids and their preferences.  One thing they all love to do is go "junking" with Nanny.  We hit up thrift stores all around like a treasure hunt. 

They have done this often enough to have the right attitude. It is like the Lotto. 

You never know who goan win dat thang, honey. You have to PLAY to win!

 They don't get discouraged if we don't find anything good.  It is sometimes just fun to look.    I have a tiny chest at home with three drawers.  It is a sample furniture piece salesmen used to carry.   I got it from my grandfather.   It has all sorts of tiny treasures in it.  

        Today we headed to the Rockwood Burke's store.  It was nice.  I got Tessa a sweater she picked out and a pair of pants.   They were transitioning between Christmas and Spring so we did not find much else there.   

     We pulled round to the Good Will Store in Rockwood. It is next door to Harbor Freight.    Plenty of room to park.  The train was going past.  I had to stop to see the train.   We went on in and as soon as you get in the door you come to a dead stop!  On the left of the double doors are two huge bin style tables full to running over with tiny toys.   You have to dig through them to find what is there, but that's what we like to do!  

         We spent quite a while going through that stuff.  They had no baskets for shopping except carts.  We stopped long enough to walk back through the rest of the store to see the clothing, household goods, and other toys.   We found a little pink basket and got it.   I said "Let's buy this so we can use it to put our tiny things in!"  Tessa agreed.   Back to the bins to continue looking. 

      We came away with a fun haul of toys.   I know I will have to go back probably this coming weekend. Michael was jealous. Gabe was jealous.  Mia is too little to be jealous, but we will take her just the same. 

   The ladies there at the store are so friendly and sweet.  You can tell they like what they do.   I am including a map of where to find the Rockwood Good Will thrift store at the bottom of this report. Go see them if you get a chance.

        Once we got done for the day we headed to Cracker Barrel for supper.

It was a fine day with a good ending.   It was great to spend quality time with Tessa.

  

Above: the big haul and the little basket 

Above: Polly Pocket compartment, a pitcher, a chair, a bed, and a scooter for Polly Pocket.

Above and below: Polly Pocket air plane and suit case. The plane even has a bathroom!   Polly Pocket has been around since Crystal, Tessa's mommy was my little girl! 

Above: toy clippers and a tiny chain saw

Below: the Gingerbread man.. he is bendable and poseable

Here is a link to a short movie I made about our stuff

Below is a map of where the Good Will Store is