Spring Lake

Spring Lake is a man made lake with three dams strategically placed around it. If the sedge keeps advancing and the rains recede it will eventually become a meadow....There is some fire damage visible on the hill behind the lake which is the Fountaingrove section which was one of the housing areas heavily hit by the Tubbs Fire. 

It's unseasonably hot and was windy last night which is making us jittery. Something caused a loud crash at about 4am and we both heard it. OilMan insisted on going out  to check out the area. It's not surprising that he was unable to find anything amiss in the darkness. Neither of us went back to sleep.

All was calm this morning so we went to an upper trail above Spring Lake that is just right for Ozzie.  It's not heavily used so he can be off his lead as long as he behaves himself. The trail circles a little hill (which we can see from our kitchen window) and has a wooded path and nice views of the lake on one side. It opens up into a broad meadow, filled with wildflowers this morning...monkeyflower, buttercups and star lilies with wild iris hiding under the trees. There are a number of plants and flowers called "fire followers" that don't bloom until fire releases their seeds.

There is a pond  bog with bullrushes that harbor redwing blackbirds who utter their strange metallic cry when Ozzie launches himself into the water. The meadow marks the dividing line between Spring Lake and Annadel State Park...off limits to dogs but much favored by mountain bikers. Hikers and bikers are always being rescued from the steep trails and rocky descents, we don't know why the dogs would cause more of a problem.... 

We made our way past the little side trail to the abandoned quarry now overgrown by trees and home to an illicit campfire and dubious meeting party place for local teens. 

Back on the lake side of the hill we descend to the environmental center where children seem to have a small garden growing in raised beds on the patio. There is a little grotto with rattlesnake warnings at it's entrance and several picnic tables placed around the grass near the parking lot. There are year round events for children at the environmental center as well as a summer camp.

There is an Ironman triathlon going on throughout the county today. It ends at the town square which has been a gathering place for participants and the site of many booths and pavilions offering gear of every description all week. It is also the finish line, so we have been keeping our distance here in our own little quadrant of the county today.  Last year it was almost impossible to get into or out of town, but I think they have changed the route this year....