This picture has nothing to do with the rest of the post. However, seeing as how this is my website, I can do what I want.
Anyway, this Independence Day was very special.
About five months ago, I was watching APTV at 4 in the AM. The popular show "Exploring Alabama" came on, and I decided to watch it. The show's focus for that evening was a place called "
Horse Pens 40". (I put a link to it in my "Links From Hell" section). This was a large, privately owned nature park located on top of Alabama's 4th largest mountain, Chandler Mountain. The park is in St. Clair county near the small town of Steele, AL.
The show depicted a place covered in millions of boulders. Due to excessive amounts of glacial till dropped there at the end of the last ice age, the mountain top of Chandler Mountain is now a massive natural playground. Best of all, said the show, this place now plays host to a bluegrass festival every Fourth of July. "Sounds like fun", I thought.
So, come the week of July 4, after a very hastily planned operation in just days prior, Rollie, Miles, Sean, Caroline, Richard, and I loaded up them cars, and headed to Chandler Mountain.
It takes exactly three hours to reach Steele, AL from Auburn. If any of you are looking for a nice outdoorsey travel destination, make Horse Pens 40 your first stop. It's sure not to disappoint.
Anyway,
cut to July 3We got off the interstate right next to the sign that said "Horse Pens 40". That seemed like the most logical thing to do.
Following the signs, we ended up at the base of Chandler Mountain. As we wound up the switchbacks, things got a little more ominous as we passed the "Jesus Saves" signs stenciled in spraypaint and nailed to the trees.
We finally reached the top of the mountain, and thus, Horse Pens 40.
Upon entering the park, we were met by the ticket/cash taker man. After trying to swindle us out of some money, the owner of the place, Mike, came in and sorted everything out, and everything was fine.
We set up camp, and allotted ourselves plenty of chill time. After awhile, however, those rocks came-a-callin', and it was time to climb.
Many areas atop Horse Pens 40 are like this one. There's a hole just big enough for you to see that you're really high up and supported by nothing except the rock's own weight.
Caroline shows off her incredible strenf.
Soon thereafter, a cave was discovered by Rollie
Everyone climbed right down into it.
Even Miles made it.
Nearby was this rock wall.
On the other side of Horse Pens is this giant rock that looks similar to a turtle shell.
Although, the more you look around, the more you realize that these are everywhere.
On that first day we saw many wonders of nature.
There was this lizard under a rock.
Miles gave Sean a lecture on the Japanese Beetle and it's benefits for an agriculturally-based society.
Miles wedging himself through narrow spaces.
"Elephant Rock"
Rollie enjoyed his rest in his own natural ergonomic chair.
Richard participated heavily in the activity known to the Mt. Chandlarians as "bouldering".
As did Sean.
After a few more hours of running around on the rocks, we decided that we were tired.
So, we went to "Lookout Point" to have a sit.
It was a good sit.
The sunset was purty.
That night we at lots of hot dogs out of a cooler with no ice in it. Yeah, we forgot ice. Fuck you.
After dinner, Sean and I checked out the stage area. This the place where Loretta Lynn played one of her gigs ever. Flatt and Scruggs have played here, all of the bluegrass legends. Truly hallowed ground.
After a brief exploration of the amphitheatre area, we went up to the country store. Sean and I proceeded to become entangled in a heated game of checkers. If you'll notice the game board in the picture above, neither of us can move. There are no moves on the board. I didn't know that was possible, but apparently it is. We were both forced to retire one member of our army in order to continue the game. Bummer!
A Mountain Dew ad on the side of the store.
The next morning,
Independence Day morning.
Today was the day to go listen to some bluegrass.
This band was playing. All very talented young men. No Loretta Lynn, but still pretty good.
Richard and Miles let the music speak to their souls.
When it became apparent that it was about to storm, we all headed out to "Lookout Point". We watched the rain come down in the vale below. It was pretty cool for awhile, until it became obvious that the rain was headed up the mountain, and thus straight for us.
We made our way to
the coolest possible place to be during a rainstorm:
A FUCKIN' CAVE!
Where else would you be? We stayed completely dry, as expected. We were in that cave for about an hour. When we came out, it was time for more climbin'
It was during this climbing session that we saw "The Face" (pictured above). Being the naturally curious people we are, we made our way up to the face.
The journey was perilous.
However, it paid off in the end because we made it.
After climbing, it was time to cook some pasta. Rollie was very excited.
Unfortunately, it started to rain hardcore, and a nice creek developed running through the pavillion.
It all cleared up though, and we went back to "Lookout Point" to check out the mist down in the valley.
Miles loved the mist. It tickled his innards.
There it is, my submission for the 2006 L.L. Bean catalogue cover.
The sun went down, and we shot some fireworks off Chandler Mountain that night, but mostly we just sat on top of Lookout Point.
There were lots of stars to see.
For dinner that evening we ate a heroic dose of meat in our Red Beans and Rice (The Olde Bonnaroo Recipe). Dinner tasted great as expected.
We packed up and left the next morning.
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Sorry for the very bare-bones update, but I just really needed to get these pictures up. Besides, I wrote enough in that Bonnaroo post to cover my posting duties for the rest of this summer. You just got lucky that I liked this set of pictures so much.
Anyway, cheers!
