frozen – evilmoose

So, with the Jeep still out of action at the mechanics (and while it’s away we’re secretly looking at every Subaru we see for sale), we ended up cycling to the ice. First we tried to have a look at the Pigeon Mountain Falls near Dead Mans Flats, but the guys at the quarry in front of it weren’t having any of that. So we cycled onward to Heart Creek.

Creeksicles

Nothing was looking particularly inspiring – and Heart Falls definitely didn’t sound very frozen, I couldn’t be bothered with the scramble round to confirm one way or the other.

Thoroughly unappealing look at some of the early season ice at Heart Creek

So we ended up playing on the left smear near Bunny Wall (WI2ish) – which was thick enough to take screws if you chose your spot carefully.

The two smears near Bunny Wall at Heart Creek

Of course by the time we left it was already 4.30pm. And there was a headwind. And we were hungry. And it was uphill. And the only way home is along the freeway. And it was 25km of cycling in the dark to get home. Just sometimes, I think a functioning car could be a handy thing.

I went hiking in Great Falls Park today. There were frozen waterfalls, and icy puddles, and trees without leaves. Hoards and hoards of trees without leaves. I can understand now why people get so excited about the leaves in autumn (or fall), as it would be pretty spectacular. Just about all Australian natives are evergreens, so our autumn isn’t anything special.

These are the Great Falls of the Potomac. Hmm, apparently many people consider them to be the most spectacular natural landmark in the Washington DC area (according to google). The Potomac is actually the dividing line between Maryland and Virginia – these photos were taken from the Maryland shore. More photos if you click on the link thingo underneath (the later photos are taken further downstream, earlier on in the hike).