Day Hike: Percy and Edwin Warner Parks

Although I am just now posting this write-up, this day hike actually took place on Monday, November 7. Little did I know at the time, but this would be my last day of vigorous activity for over four weeks. On this day I developed a fever which would last for over two weeks and ultimately land me in the hospital. The culprit was identified as histoplasmosis, a fungal disease orignating in the soil of the Ohio River Valley. Folks in this area can contract the disease by gardening, mulching, landscaping, and, in my case, even walking in the woods. When contaminated soil is disturbed, the fungal spores can soar as high as 20 feet. When inhaled, these spores can cause an infection, particularly in those of us with a suppressed immune system. While I am much better now, the infection brought my fall backpacking season to an early close.

November 7 was a great day for a hike. Our 9- or 9.5-mile hike (I can't remember now) was a terrific workout. At the time I remember being somewhat puzzled by just how challenging the trail seemed; after all, this wasn't the first time we'd hiked these trails, and I'd remembered them as being enjoyable, not exhausting. Of course I didn't know I was on the cusp of being bowled over by a fungal infection severe enough to require an ER visit and an ensuing hospital admittance.

Due to the amount of time that has transpired since this hike, I don't have much of a trail description. There were a fair amount of people on the trail that day and most everyone was very friendly. I was out in front, with Tara following close behind with the dog. The Warner parks are so beautiful that, except for the sound of automobiles on the nearby roads, it is easy to forget you are inside city limits.

This is Nashville

We were hiking along the trail when Tara asked, "Is that a snake or a stick on the trail?" I turned around and, without nary a glance, automatically replied, "Oh, that's just a stick." I had just walked right over the spot where she was pointing so I most certainly would have seen a snake if one had been there. But Tara was still hesitant. I walked back to kick the stick off the trail and ease Tara's mind when it became apparent that this was indeed a snake in the middle of the trail. Tara said she had watched as I stepped square on the snake, but I hadn't noticed my foot landing on anything other than dirt. Because the snake wasn't moving, we wondered if it was dead. Finally, as I closed in for a picture, it began slithering away. I imagine that getting stepped on once was enough for this serpent. I'm not a snake expert, but I believe this may have been a black rat snake.

The rest of the hike was thankfully uneventful. The climbs on this hike were a bit of a struggle for me - inexplicable at the time but perfectly understandable now. The beauty of autumn now long gone, I hope to capture and share some winter images here in the near future.