One foot in front of the other
Outside of Huntsville, Alabama there is a sprawling state park in the hills called Monte Sano. It translates as Health Mountain. I went there on a Saturday, hoping to recover some health after another drudging week of work.
I openly admit that I am a complainer about the modern working world. It’s not that I don’t like working, in fact, I enjoy it quite a lot. Gardening, researching, repairing my bike: there is a lot of work I like to do. The problem I have is with the World of Work, the politics, the drudgery, the unfairness.
In any case, taking a visit up to Health Mountain was right up my alley. It would be a time to refresh and reinvigorate, a time to do something of value. Putting one foot in front of the other seemed like a great use of my time compared to some of the redundant tasks at work that I get involved in. Did I mention that I complain?
North Plateau Loop
There were two main highlights of Monte Sano State Park that attracted me. One was a Natural Well, or to put simply, a big hole in the ground. The other was a waterfall. I read that the well was a long hike away, so I decided to set my sights on the waterfall.
Not knowing exactly where the falls was, I started walking on the North Plateau Loop, which was a two-mile jaunt around the summit. After about five minutes, I found the waterfall, which was on the border between the picnic area and the forest. To find out more about my adventure at the waterfall, check out this post https://jollyroutes.com/falling-water/.
The loop circled around the top of the hill, which is where most of the park amenities are located. There are lodges, parking lots, cabins, and even an observatory. I dipped in and out of the woods, and before I knew it, I was back at my starting point.
McKay Hollow Trail
It only took me an hour to complete that first loop, which put me in an interesting spot. Despite what I read online, I decided to throw caution to the wind and go out seeking the Natural Well. This choice took me back to the waterfall, and then on to the McKay Hollow Trail.
The trail began with a rock hopping creek crossing, and then descended down a rocky ridge. There was an ominous sign that cast a chill down my spine. It warned that the path ahead was fraught with challenges, and if I was tired, lacked water, or lacked food, I should turn around immediately. I decided to keep moving forward, but at a much more cautious pace.
After a few minutes rambling on the trail, I realized what the warnings were all about. There wasn’t really a trail, apart from yellow markings on trees guiding the way. It was steep, and there were many rocks, which made the going slow. In my guide to rambles, this trail is classified as a scramble. I kept pushing on though, always on the lookout for the turnout to Natural Well Trail.
I never did make it to the turnout, or the Natural Well. My knees started aching from all the clamoring down rocks (I’ve got a storied history with knee troubles), and I didn’t know how long I’d have to be at it to make it to my destination. So, I decided to turn around. I made my way back up the hill, along the rocky ledge, past the waterfall, and into the picnic area. There I ate my lunch of peanut butter tortillas and Fritos.
Fire Tower Trail
After lunch I headed off, you guessed it, on the Fire Tower Trail. It was more of a service road and less a trail. To top it off, there were no fire towers. However, it was a pleasant walk through the woods, and it led to an outdoor classroom by a bog. At the bog I took a turn and started walking on the Bucca Family Trail, which was a proper trail. No rocks, no road, just a path of smooth dirt through the forest.
The trail wound back and forth through the silent forest. It got me thinking of a book I recently read, “A Walk in the Woods”, about hiking on the Appalachian Trail (AT). Just as the AT has white blazes on the trees which help people stay on the path, all the trails of Monte Sano had blazes, color coded for each trail. Unlike the AT, which is a brutal 2200 miles of pain and agony, the Bucca Family Trail is a nice, 2.6 mile ramble.
I had been trying to hold my pee in but couldn’t take it anymore and relieved myself off the side of the Bucca Family Trail. Fortunately, the woods stayed silent, and no one passed by until I was done. Just as I felt relief out there on the trail, you may now be relieved to hear that this post is complete.
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