I am, in fact, still here.

[joewynne@mindly.social]

I am, in fact, still here.

The intensity of travel days over the last few weeks has consumed my time, but I should have time to post mornings this week.

I've traveled northward along the Blue Ridge, past moonshining hotspots, to arrive at Breaks Interstate Park, Virginia.

️ My lodge room looks out over a gorge where a loop of river has carved out elongated bluffs called "The Towers".

I was able to capture sunset highlighting them last night. There are more views from other overlooks that I'll share.

#BreaksSP 🧵
#TravelTuesday #Travel #Landscape #TravelPhotography

[nousersmanual@social.vivaldi.net]

@joewynne the SW corner of VA is an amazing place. I hope you have a great time out there!

[joewynne@mindly.social]

@nousersmanual
Thank you, I will!

[joewynne@mindly.social]

Today we enjoyed a small piece of what our planet has to offer to make us happy.

Happy #EarthDay !

open for horizontal pic

#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #Landscape #TravelPhotography

[joewynne@mindly.social]

🟣 On a hike with walls of rock on one side, we came upon a spot where water dripped down, creating a seepage slope. This type of microhabitat is often a place to find treasure and this time we were not disappointed:

A little patch of wild irises.

#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #WildflowerWednesday #WildFlowers #NativePlants #TravelPhotography

[joewynne@mindly.social]

🥾 We hiked past a water impoundment that is usually disruptive to a mountaintop environment, but this one was full of salamanders!

These amphibians prefer cold, clean, running water as in pristine streams. This pond had to be relatively undisturbed.

I stayed still and got a pic of a Spotted Salamander as it floated into a sunny spot. Love the orange spots!

#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #WildlifeWednesday #Wildlife #TravelPhotography #Biodiversity #Environment #Salamander #Salamanders #Amphibians

[theeddieshow@beige.party]

@joewynne

Come to Salamander Country!

[joewynne@mindly.social]

️ Hiking trails in this park are on several horizontal levels. The middle levels give you rock walls on one side and vistas on the other.

🥾 And, because of a large amount of geological thrust faults, sometimes you have to maneuver through unexpected formations.

#FootpathFriday
#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #TravelPhotography

[unfinishedsymphony@gts.epigaea.net]

@joewynne That's an Eastern Newt.

[joewynne@mindly.social]

🥾 Hiking amidst boulders.

@vlrny

#FootpathFriday
#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #GoOutsideForMe

[contrinitiator@metalhead.club]

@joewynne Impressive hiking!

[joewynne@mindly.social]

@contrinitiator It was both delightful and inspiring. An awe-filled day.

[contrinitiator@metalhead.club]

@joewynne I feel it looking at the pictures. Waiting for your next posts!

[vlrny@disabled.social]

@joewynne
🥰

[joewynne@mindly.social]

🥾 Despite being on fairly steep slopes, the forests of this area are dense. In the moist wind-protected coves, ferns are happy.

#FernFriday #Fernstadon #Fern
#BreaksSP 🧵
#Travel #TravelPhotography #Hiking #Nature

[alicefrieren@mastodon.social]

Ferns thriving on steep slopes always feels like nature showing off its grip strength. Do you have a favorite fern species or are they all equally charming?

[joewynne@mindly.social]

@alicefrieren

I don't have a clear favorite species, but I like to be in fern-filled areas.

[otterx@mindly.social]

@joewynne @vlrny so cool!!

We have a bolder passage just like this in eastern Massachusetts, although probably manmade, being in the wildlife sanctuary land which used to be a private property.

[carstenraddatz@pixelfed.automat.click]

Quite the rock. That reassuring orange arrow there sure is reassuring.

[joewynne@mindly.social]

@carstenraddatz

"This is the way, really!"