After A Week Of Rain

I would have loved to share the seemingly endless cloudy, rainy, cool days of Labor Day Week with my relatives, friends and ALL the inhabitants of Oregon, California and Washington. Alas, it doesn't work that way. 

When last Sunday turned out to be a beautiful, warm, sunny day, I felt the need to get out and enjoy it. HD was okay with staying home and watching football, so I took off for a relatively close county park - one I hadn't visited before, but found on an online search of Ringgold County Parks - Kokesh County Recreation Area. The information and photos looked interesting; Diagonal here I come.

Diagonal is a small town with a population of 330 people according to the 2010 Census. It was so named because two railroad lines intersected diagonally near the town site. In addition to Kokesh park a mile south of town, there is Fogle Lake Wildlife and Recreation Area which includes campgrounds, on the Northwest side of Diagonal. There was also the mention of something called Mapleleaf Pathway on the NE side of town.

You take the high road and I'll take the low road.... Because I missed my morning walk, I decided to go to the Mapleleaf Pathway first. Signage wasn't great, but I found the parking area and started down the path. It soon split and I went right. (The high road.) 

  

It was a nice path, fairly level, but with little to see of interest. 

I started off walking at a pretty good stride, which I kept up for about 15 minutes, then turned around and started back at a more leisurely pace. 

Reminder to self: It is not a good idea to walk for exercise right after lunch.

Back where the two paths diverged, I tried the low road. It was the better of the two, in my opinion; shaded, slightly hilly, and leading down to a secluded bench and picnic table.

I had the feeling that had I kept going along the upper trail it would have led me to this same spot.

The most interesting thing about the Mapleleaf Pathway, I thought, was that I did not see one single maple tree. 😕

The 15 acres of Kokesh Recreation Area were donated to the conservation board in the early 1970's by Fred and Pearl Kokesh. It seems like a very nice, attractive little park. Electric and primitive camping sites are available as well as drinking water, picnic tables and a restroom.

I couldn't help but think how much some of my great-grands would enjoy the playground. Ayden and Greyson especially are just the right age for this.

Aunt Pearl's Shelter overlooks Pearl's Puddle. It has six picnic tables and a grill.

 

There was no one else around while I was there, but there was evidence that anglers have tried their luck at the pond - several bobbers caught in tree limbs. 

You could even sit on this bench and cast a line, though I envision it as being a spot for quiet contemplation.

I didn't check out any of the trails through the timber. I think the time for that will be when the trees are showing their fall colors. A little purple on the Sumac bushes was all I saw this time.

I did stop at Fogle Lake on the way out of Diagonal, just long enough for a quick look around and to admire this old iron bridge. It most likely once carried traffic across the nearby Grand River. Now it connects the path from the campgrounds to a boat ramp and parking area. 

It was a pleasant little two hour get-away, just enough to offer a sense of freedom after a week of being cooped up in the house. 

Which is not to say I didn't appreciate the 4.2 inches of rain we received, because I did - we needed it.

Another rock addendum like the one I added to the end of "Wallace Prairie Walk Continued" August 30.

I found this on the Mapleleaf Pathway. I picked it up because of the quartz stripe and the odd shape. Is it a rock or a fossil? Or a fossil rock?