Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Into the hills

 My baby brother dropped off his Ranger ATV for us to use for the afternoon so we headed for the hills. 


It was quite a view from the top of the hill.  A view I have never seen before because this area was all mature trees. 

 

There is a Fire Tower at the top of the hill.  When I was a young bike riding gal we would walk our bikes uphill and then see how far we could get coasting down...a perfect rendition of a thrill ride for country kids. 

I have not been to the base of the tower for many years.  My baby brother reports that the first 20 feet of the ladder have been removed. 

  I climbed to the top only once in my lifetime and that was once too many for me.  My baby brother and Danny coaxed me down...knowing if I didn't come back down they were going to be in big trouble.   That was the first and last time they talked me into climbing the tower...after that I was always the third person to go up...I would reach the treetops and then go back down. 


A few Maple leaves are turning.

Far Side

28 comments:

Val Ewing said...

My youngest son had a job one spring sitting in fire towers watching for smoke and fire in WI. He liked the job.
You must not like heights too much!
I see hints of color here and there when I went to town for some groceries yesterday.
I like these cool mornings and nice days.
Beautiful view from the hill.

linda m said...

What a beautiful view from the top of the hill. I know what you mean about climbing that tower - not my cup of tea. Trees turning colors here also.

Pauline Persing said...

Memories. Just looking up at the top of the tower would be enough for me. I can handle little hills but it has been a long time since I have climbed anything higher.

Miss Merry said...

What fun memories. You were very brave. I would have never made it to the top of the tree tops!!!

Wildflower Adventures said...

I enjoy getting out, riding & seeing all the sites. Sounds like yall had a great time. Karen

The Feminine Energy said...

Our leaves are turning and dropping like crazy, Connie... not as bad as they will be but they're starting. What a beautiful view and a terrific ride. I'm glad you got to go. Thank you for sharing your pictures. ~Andrea xoxoxo

Sara said...

A beautiful view from that hill. I climbed the old water tower in my hometown when I was a kid, and it was a similar experience. Once was enough! My mother would have grounded me for life if she had known. LOL

Ed said...

I'm not sure I would make it up to the top of that tower either!

Betsy said...

There are some tall, tall fire towers in the west too. We used to hike a lot when the kids were younger. Some of the towers, or fire look-outs as they were called there, have now had their ladders removed because of vandalism. How sad. The mountain views were always incredible from the look-outs.
Blessings,
Betsy

Maebeme said...

It looks like a nice ride. I'm impressed you even climbed the tower once - there is no way I could have done it.

Tired Teacher 2 said...

Happy that you and FarGuy were able to get to the top of the hill in the ATV. My legs shake climbing a short ladder, so you’d never find me climbing a lookout tower! I imagine the beauty of your scenic photo would be multiplied.

Terry and Linda said...

I'm with you. Although, Terry was a lineman by trade and climbed poles with just hooks. Shuddder. Quake

Rita said...

I'm afraid of heights, too, and would not have made it past the tree tops.
Coasting on a bike was a thrill no matter where you could do it.
Beautiful area! :)

DJan said...

I used to be afraid of heights and then somehow I became a skydiver and it went away. I can remember once in a hike getting lost and climbing to a high place, looking over the side and seeing a sheer thousand-foot drop. I was so shocked that I can still remember it vividly. Sounds like it was a great outing! Glad you got down safely back then. :-)

Linda Reeder said...

I have been in some fire lookouts in the west, but they are usually built on rocky outcroppings high on a hill, and you get there by driving on scary roads. Very little climbing is involved though.

Cynthia said...

The fire tower cab looks pretty up in the canopy of leaves. The ones here are all rusting and not kept up. Funny — I loved to climb trees but fire towers and such I never made it past the first couple flights. There were lots of them to climb when I was a kid but now the bottom stairs have been removed almost everywhere.

Shirley said...

I can climb a mountain but being on a tall building or in an airplane gives me the willies!

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

A great view, although I am scared of open heights

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

What a beautiful view! I re member as a kid that there were fire towers where I grew up in Northern Illinois. I am scared of few things but heights is #1! I have no idea when it happened as when I was young I climbed every tree I could but I think it was ferris wheel ride with a cousin and we got stuck at the top and he started rocking it. What a fun afternoon you had! Leaves turning? I am excited!!!

Rose said...

I could have did the tower when I was younger but along about 50, I started changing...I could see it in how I was at work. Funny how we change...

I have seen a bit of color changing here, too.

Granny Marigold said...

I'm another one who is afraid of heights and ladders too. When I was a kid I'd climb up into the hay loft but coming down always frightened me and I took forever going down. Much to the disgust of my brothers.

diane in northern wis said...

How fun to ride around for an afternoon in your brother's ATV....and what a view huh? Fun memories from days gone by climbing up high. I can remember days like that in my life, when my legs worked better and I had a lot more energy than I do now. Glad you had a great day out in nature!

Bonnie said...

Those are beautiful views from the top of the hills. It is so nice to be in a wooded area like that and so peaceful. I'm afraid of heights too and I doubt if I would have been able to climb that tower at all!

At Home In New Zealand said...

What a great memory! I used to climb trees when I was younger, but now I can't stand the heights anymore. We used to have a lot of fun climbing higher and higher - but our parents never knew about it :)

Victoria Zigler said...

Sounds like a nice trip out in to the hills, and some fond memories from previous ones.

thecrazysheeplady said...

Ahh, fire towers. I'd forgotten about them. No longer in use anywhere I guess these days?

L. D. said...

I don't do ladders anymore. It looked like a great place to drive through. Minnesota wilderness.

aurora said...

Beautiful view and I am with you on heights.