Hike up Iron Goat Trail (Part 1)

Man… I try to post at least once every month, but sometimes time just gets away from me or there isn’t much to blog about between one post and another. Now… that isn’t to say I’m not writing in that time. One could, in essence, peer at my blog and think of it much like an iceberg. You might only be able to see the tip, but so much more is hidden, beneath the surface.

 Last Sunday Jono, Matty, and I hiked a fairly local trail. It runs up the mountain a bit, and then along the old grade where a train track used to run. There are spooky abandoned tunnels, and great cliff lookout-points, tons of lush foliage, beautiful scenery… it’s just a fantastic hike. I brought my phone along and it felt like I was stopping to snap pictures every five minutes or so. That isn’t strictly the way it went, but I did take a number of photos. I recently bought a new cell phone, and didn’t bother even bringing my point-and-shoot camera along, because it’s pretty old anyway, and the camera on my phone is better in the long run.

The afternoon started out sunny, but dark cloud patches overhead threatened rain at some point in the day. At the trailhead there was an old caboose being restored. After pausing for a few quick shots and checking our gear one last time, we hopped onto the trail and began our ascent.

The trail seemed like a constant climb, with steps of rock shorn from the side of the mountain at the steepest points. Much of the path was packed earth no more than two feet wide, but well-traveled and quite sturdy.

It was just fantastic to get out and experience God’s gorgeous creation. None of us had gone on a legitimate hike in some time, so we enjoyed the trek immensely. One thing that struck me was the beauty of the surrounding forests and hill-country. Even with a thickly clouded sky blocking out the sun for much of the hike, the sights were just breathtaking.

 

I took a couple shots of the lads and the beautiful scenery during our ascent. Such a picturesque trail, it was just asking to be photographed or posed upon! Also, Jono got half-eaten by a log. If there's one thing the three of us are really, really good at doing, it's goofing off. There's nothing quite like our trio's shenanigans.
 

About half-way up our hike, we came across a massive abandoned train tunnel. We were all struck by the sheer size of it, especially since it was built a hundred years ago, with materials and tools far inferior to what workmen use today. My keen and adventuresome eyes spotted a way to climb up on top, and Jono and I scurried up using rocks, roots, and branches as foot and hand-holds. From the top, any hikers below looked fairly tiny. We chomped on some snacks and chatted a bit until it started to rain. Then we donned our rain coats and headed on up the trail, leaving behind the tunnel and whatever secrets it may hold.

I took a lot of pictures during our excursion though, so I’ll close this post with a small handful, and leave the rest for my next post. Hopefully I haven’t stolen all the good ones for my first post, but you’ll just have to see for yourself.