National Wild and Scenic Rivers, SC & NC

Such as the Chattooga, the Nantahala, and the Whasitcalhuh.

click to enlarge in new window

Count the 7 hill ranges - the last one is faint, on the horizon.
We swam in several rivers, camped, hiked along ridgelines and alongside the whitewater.
Snorkeled in the billibongs. Strong current! Strong current!
How To:
Get underwater. Find large anchored stones and hook your arm to keep from moving downstream faster than you know is safe.
I surfed several slick rocks while under 4 feet of water by planting my feet, leaning upstream and letting it scoot me along.
Surfed that mountain!
A good ride was had by all.

Whitewater Falls

On the NC, SC border.

Top of Panthertown Valley

A good spot for lunch after a swim in a waterfall, a hike through varied foliage, and before more "wild and scenic" river action.
That's the official title: "National Wild and Scenic Rivers".
So I shouted "wild and scenic" when I changed from my hiking shorts into my bathing suit in front of God, the water, and the trees.

Cooling feet at Devils Elbow

This was an intricate formation in Panthertown.
Way upstream the Devils Elbow started out deep and seemed still. It dropped, turned left, right, went who knows where, then came out around here where we accessed it again. Plenty of wash-out spots to get in if you want cold jacuzzi invigoration.

I'd like to thank . . . .

. . . The SFGate, the online arm of the San Francisco daily newspaper.
They asked for a defining image of summer 2005.
One of the top 5 selected images was our July 4th post:
SFGate Culture Blog:Summer 2005
(scroll down to the sunflower)

they wrote to us:
"Your many "fans of bigbonton" are enthusiastic lobbyists
with a keen eye for talent."

Thanks! You flatter me.
Keep those cards and letters coming!

mid-September, on the road again

Harvest Moon 2005 rising over the old Hwy 40 in western Colorado. Heading east to Denver after a Rocky Mountain excursion.

Yes, this is a recent photo, not a shot from last October 2004.
Needed some thin dry air after surviving my most humid and sweaty summer in decades in the Sea Islands of the Low Country.

Colorado wildflowers on Table.

click on image to enlarge in new window

South Table Rock, Golden, CO

We hiked to the top of the butte / mesa after work.

Above the Alpine Tundra.

click on image to enlarge in new window


This marker is also called the top of the Rockies although it's not over 14,000 feet up. It shows direction and distance.
I just love saying "alpine" and "tundra"
so when I can say "Alpine Tundra", well, yee-Haa!

Bull Elk

A bit grainy, this big guy stood head-and-shoulders taller than everything. Add the rack and he was Moose sized.
A whole lotta meat!

Meadow in Rocky Mtn National Park.

click on image to enlarge in new window



Fly fishing on the left, rushing waters on the right, peaks ahead. In every view there is always a larger peak looming in the distance.

yellow Aspens 2005

a bit early in the season, off in the distance

Hanging Lake

click on image to enlarge in new window

Hanging Lake II

click on image to enlarge in new window

Hanging Lake III

click on image to enlarge in new window
This was a little Hawaiian Eden in the Rockies.
To get there step 1.2 miles up a 1200 Ft elevation gain.
Near Glenwood Canyon, Colorado.
We're big fans of canyons, they have the most dramatic features.

Baseball in Denver

Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks


Of course the Rockies lost, not even close.
Saw Arizona Diamondbacks second basemen Craig Counsell bat with that peculiar stance he has.

Better hurry if you want to see the Rockies play, it's late September, they won't play much longer this year.
For you un-sporting readers: this is a post season play-offs joke.
- I once went to Wrigley Field. The Cubs were not playing, it was October . . . (same joke).

Does anyone know why the AZ pitcher was thrown out of the game? Happened in the 9th inning & by then we were having too much fun in the stands to pay much attention.

Spiders from Mars

A Kansas City-based UFO expert says Mars is inhabited by giant spider-like creatures.
The expert also says orbiting Mars probes have photographed large sponge-like creatures similar to tumbleweeds rolling across the Martian landscape on a regular basis.
The floating, rolling, and tumbling process is apparently an established transportation method.

In this actual photograph (above), local NASA affiliate bonton laboratory has re-created an image from the red planet to enlighten our readers. The use of night vision lenses resulted in the green hue.
(He took it all too far, but boy could he play guitar)