Getting Out ~by Jim Eagleman
T
he whole idea was completely new to me— freedom from a structured work schedule. To live each day without meetings, deadlines, and office duties seemed surreal. It will take an adjustment, I thought. But now Kay and I can realize the start of a new chapter in our lives. Retirement for both of us is now at hand. We can do whatever we want to do. It seems odd to have lived in such a vast area as southern Indiana and not to have taken advantage of all its natural sites. But that was the case while I was employed. In previous articles I related the state park, its beauty, and things of note for residents and visitors. I wanted readers to learn about what made the park so remarkable. Now we can explore other tracts of land and local preserves to see for ourselves what we had been hearing about. As we began to hike other areas one thing became apparent—other land preservation organizations besides the DNR have been at work here. Checking weather and addresses, we packed a small daypack and headed out. We scanned the websites of the Sycamore Land Trust (SLT) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) the night before to narrow the choices. Topography maps from years ago and previous outings notes can be consulted, but now we rely on the smart phone. Still, signals in deep ravines are unpredictable, so I packed in a quadrangle of the destination. From just a brief description of the areas we wondered—“Would trails be well-defined and marked? Is parking nearby? Is there ever any vandalism to a parked car?” All these concerns were soon forgotten. We were impressed with all the preserves we visited. They were easy to find and well-marked, parking
56 Our Brown County March/April 2016
was available, and in several cases, other hikers were either out or returning as we arrived. While remote, it’s nice to know each preserve is well-used and safe. Here’s what we’ve hiked so far with more to come: • Hitz-Rhodehamel Nature Preserve (TNC) on Freeman Ridge Rd., Nashville • Laura Hare Preserve (SLT),Valley Branch Rd., Nashville • Scarlet Oak Woods, (SLT), Monroe County • Porter West Preserves, (SLT), Monroe County • Leonard Springs Nature Park, city of Bloomington • Trevlac Bluffs Nature Preserve, DNR Nature Preserve (SLT), Trevlac • Youngman Woods Nature Preserve, DNR Nature Preserve (SLT), Brown County We found typical ridges and ravines of southern Indiana with oaks, hickories, and beech, but the winter beauty of these sites is not to be underrated. Cool streambeds and floodplains soon rise to mostly gradual and warming inclines. White-throated sparrows and an almost-overlooked plant, the Spotted Wintergreen were bonuses. Sharp-shinned hawks called as they took off in a rush from snowy branches. Trails are laid out by volunteers of either SLT or TNC, or the Hoosier Hikers Council. These folks are to be commended for thoughtful regard to grade and terrain. Trail routes not finished are still marked with ribbon or high-visibility wire stakes. Land preservation is a mutual and fundamental doctrine of all conservation organizations. It is often at the heart of what drives people who work for conservation. But the terms should not be confused.