Naturally Homesick

The other week I went for a hike at Prince William Forest Park, which consists of over 15,000 acres of forested trails, streams, and hills a short commute south from Washington, DC.  The park preserves one of the largest remaining tracts of Piedmont forest, which once extended almost continuously from New York to Georgia.  All 37 miles of hiking trails in the park are surrounded by this glorious forest, and some of the trails tread a long flowing brooks and streams with small waterfalls and cascades.

The sound of leaves crunching underneath my feet, and that sweet smell of autumn aroused a sensation that had more to do then with being just "out in the woods."  It felt like home.

As much as I love the coastal environment where I am living now (the tidewater region of Virginia), I frequently miss those foot hills near the Appalachians.  I miss seeing salamanders hiding under rocks in a cool, spring-fed stream.  I miss being surrounded by nearly endless forest, with tall northern red oaks (Quercus rubra) and hickories (Carya spp).  In a way, I guess I am naturally homesick.

An old quarry road passes through Piedmont forest alive with fall color at Prince William Forest Park in Quantico, Virginia.  October 26, 2012.  

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