Beating the Heat

It’s hot here.  And we’re making our way south.  After our super-hot trip to Kentucky and West Virginia in July we said we would not travel south in the summer again, and yet, here we are.  We didn’t think it would be this hot in mid-September.  At 89 degrees today, we’re nearly ten degrees above normal, and the afternoons are particularly sweltering, with relatively little shade available here in the State Park.  Even now, in the early evening, the temperature is still well above 80 and the temperature inside the RV is 89.

So far, the nights get cooler.  As soon as the sun sets, we can feel the heat of the day begin to dissipate, but it’s difficult to cool this tin can that is the RV.  

In the morning we’re putting on hoodies and long sleeves to combat the chill.

So today we set out early to do a couple hikes before the heat set in.  A couple of relatively rugged trails run along the gorge toward a few waterfalls and we hiked the few miles of these trails, having to step very gingerly at times because of all the rocks and roots.  Very easy to turn an ankle here.

In addition to being very hot here, it has also been very dry.  So dry that Clifty Falls and Little Clifty Falls and probably every other waterfall in the area are nearly completely dry.  If you look closely, there is a little dribble coming over the falls, but these are just dry gorges for the most part.  Kind of weird hiking to a waterfall and not hearing the sound of falling water.  I guess we have to use our imaginations with these.

We drove to the inn and found what little shade was in the parking lot and made lunch there.  Then we did  what one should do after a hike and a good lunch on a hot day, we took a nap.  We could get used to this.

The inn sits on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River.  The other side is the state of Kentucky.  It’s probably the only point with a good view of the Ohio River valley.  Several view points in the park, one of them with an observation tower, have the views obstructed by tall trees.  The view was probably great when these trails and viewpoints were made.  Now it’s just a walk in the woods.

Taking another hike in the heat of the day was just not palatable so we drove back to the camp site and watched the movie ​Madison​, a film about the hydroplane boat races here in the little town of Madison, Indiana.  Based on actual events, it describes the efforts of the Madison boat racing team and how their unlikely win of the 1971 Gold Cup race saved Madison from the economic decline of the day and put the town on the map.

We’ll probably go downtown Madison tomorrow morning and check the place out.  Already we could recognize landmarks from the movie.

After the movie ended we were looking out the window and noticed some sort of fruit on the tree behind the campsite.  Abigail recognized it immediately as she remembered eating this fruit in China.  There appear to be lots of persimmon trees here and the fruit is ripe right about now.  So Abigail delighted in picking a few from the tree and from the ground and eating them.

Persimmons.  Who knew?  From her description I thought they were only available in China.  And here they are, growing wild in Indiana.

We also discovered lots of Lotus Root growing in Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge yesterday.  I’m sure Abigail would have like to eat some of those also, but they were knee-deep in muck and water.

Another thing in abundance: walnuts.  They are all over the place.  We found a few choice specimens, put them in a bag, and ran them over with the RV to crack them open.  This was only partially successful. The rest took a pliers and considerable force to break them apart.  Abigail, with her now-walnut-stained hands has been eating the insides.