There are a multitude of special little scenes inside Lake Conestee Nature Preserve. Back before the floods destroyed an important wooden footbridge that connected my favorite trail loop, this little footbridge was one of those special places for me. I've taken a number of photographs here, none of them particularly spectacular, but all meaningful to me in one way or another. That favorite trail loop I mentioned takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours to walk for an old guy like me. Seeing this footbridge is the signal that I'm just about at the end of my hike.
Along the path through the woods I'd go. On the last portion of the hike, I’d be noticing all the backwaters to my right and all the forest to my left. Then, the path I’m walking is joined on the right by another path which features this little bridge. I step out onto those wooden slats and feel their give under my weight. I slow to a stop, looking around and smiling at how my surroundings have quickly changed. Except for the path itself, all I see is the bridge and the backwater pond I’m standing over, surrounded by trees.
Nice memories.
It's interesting, almost amazing, how this little area changes through the seasons. Summer’s greenery dies down, its growth of weeds and plants shrinking away and disappearing. All the eye-catching yellows and reds of fall appear and too soon fade into the greys and browns of winter. Then, in the spring the magic happens. Once nothing but dark water surrounded by leafless trees, the backwater pond comes to life. The trees turn a soft yellow-green and an incredible growth of water weeds and plants begin to burst from the surface of this little backwater pond.
More nice memories.
Off to the left of this photo and out of view is where I saw that beautiful deer crossing the water just a few feet from where I stood on the bridge.
Another nice memory.
The bridge has had a tough life. Thousands of folks have walked across it over the years. But that was the easy part. Weather has been unkind to its wooden structure. On more than one occasion, during a rainstorm, trees have come crashing down onto the bridge. Parts of the railing have been destroyed, as have parts of those slats where so many folks have walked. A few times, my weary legs trudged across that bridge when it was so unstable I wasn't sure it was going to hold me up. But the park manager always eventually sent workers to repair the damage.
This fall, as the weather begins to cool, and assuming good health for me, I'll be headed back to the park. The destroyed footbridge mentioned earlier has been replaced by a metal one, something I’m anxious to see. And, because I am a creature of habit, and because I sorely miss all the things I see on that favorite trail loop, I will venture out and try to make that trip again.
And when I do, toward the end of that long hike I will see this little bridge, step out onto it, stop, look around … and remember.