Was standing out in the river taking pictures of this when Dan Sims called to chat.



I think I took about 30 pictures just of the sunset. All slightly different. Hard to decide which one I like best, so this one will have to do.

While talking, the full moon came up behind me and was cut in half by long horizontal almost purple clouds.
A smallie was busting the surface in the dead water next to a riffle a few feet from me.
A doe and two fawns half her size came off the island and headed for shore. They crossed the river down stream from me about 100 yards away.
The conversation was interesting anyway, the scenery made it more so.

I had caught 7 smallies on the other side of the river. Six of them came in a 30 foot stretch of dead calm water along a shore full of big boulders sitting in the sun. They were chasing down the lure no matter how fast I moved it and smacking it hard. Jig and twister of course.

I may elaborate more later. Put in the obligatory arms length smallie shots. Maybe another sunset or two.

I saw the sun go down over the cut corn and geese across the street from my house. It was an amazing one for sure, you captured most of it's essence, but I seem to remember more glow in the sky.

That is a good outing anywhere on the river Ken. I have yet to fish that area.

Special Ed wrote:but I seem to remember more glow in the sky.

I think I have some that show what you're talking about. Everyone will tell you never to shoot directly into the sun, which is exactly why I do it. Exposure is a bitch to control, but they look interesting at times.

Ken, you ever go walking around the Saw Wee Kee forest preserve? Something about that place gives me the creeps.

ThunderStick wrote:Ken, you ever go walking around the Saw Wee Kee forest preserve? Something about that place gives me the creeps.

I'm afraid I don't get the creeps anywhere I go. I've wandered all around the place. I think I made it onto Barber Greene property. My stalker once commented on how going far up Mill Creek gave him the creeps. Ohhhh-kay.

I've lived in, wandered through and hung around in some of the worst neighborhoods (supposedly) in Chicago. And that never bothered me.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to get creeped out about while wandering around in the woods. Take a look at an aerial map of Marseilles. I've covered quite a bit of that by myself. I've done the same in a number of state parks. You should see where I used to go in Virginia. I guess I should be concerned about getting hurt while out there. I just assume someone will find me before the coyotes do.

Ken G wrote: You should see where I used to go in Virginia. I guess I should be concerned about getting hurt while out there. I just assume someone will find me before the coyotes do.

Que the banjo....

Ken G wrote:

ThunderStick wrote:Ken, you ever go walking around the Saw Wee Kee forest preserve? Something about that place gives me the creeps.

I'm afraid I don't get the creeps anywhere I go. I've wandered all around the place. I think I made it onto Barber Greene property. My stalker once commented on how going far up Mill Creek gave him the creeps. Ohhhh-kay.

I've lived in, wandered through and hung around in some of the worst neighborhoods (supposedly) in Chicago. And that never bothered me.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to get creeped out about while wandering around in the woods. Take a look at an aerial map of Marseilles. I've covered quite a bit of that by myself. I've done the same in a number of state parks. You should see where I used to go in Virginia. I guess I should be concerned about getting hurt while out there. I just assume someone will find me before the coyotes do.

Its not being in the woods that creeps me out, its that place in particular. I cant articulate it more than that other than seeing a couple hovels and the freaks who were living out there.

ThunderStick wrote:Its not being in the woods that creeps me out, its that place in particular. I cant articulate it more than that other than seeing a couple hovels and the freaks who were living out there.

Ahhh, you must be talking about walking further west in that area. Yeah, you do run into that, but they're pretty harmless. There's a trailer park/campground out that way. Apparently there are some very disgruntled residents. I just grunt back and they leave me alone.

This is kinda funny that you guys are talking about this. I posted something last spring about that area. my son and I took a hike over there. We started out at Saw-Wee-Kee and headed west towards Yorkville. Yeah we saw a couple of houses back in there and few odd looking areas. They used to do alot of Mining back there before the land was purchased by Oswego and various others. I think it was Ken that told me that. When you get to that dead end in the road, there are a few houses scattered in that general area. I just wonder who lives there. They must have lived there before that land was bought and yes they are pretty secluded back in there. So, on our walk we ended up at the Yorkville campground. It was a Good walk. I wouldn't do it in the summer and the reason is I think some of those trails probably get choked out by growth, plus during the other seasons there is more your able to see with the growth and leaves gone. I think the campground is pretty much a permanent home for most there. We talked to an older gentleman and his wife, they were nice people but I think they visit their camper on weekends like some other people there. However there are permanent residents and there appears to be some very strange ones. After being through there twice and taking a good hard look, there seems to be a few Vietnam vets that probably could never re-adjust to society after violent combat and their own country spitting on them when they got home.....Bad. Some confederate flags too. One time I saw a guy with a beard down to his belt , with his shirt off, fishing in a swamp over there.....wow! Other than that , I think you have some creeps and quite a few misfits (people kinda hidding) that live there year round. I would have goosebumps if I were with my kids sitting by a campfire there on a warm July night and not because of the wild life but because of one of the probable molesters or serial killers that might be there. I would love to hear some other stories of the area!!!! Thunderstick, I bet I creeped you out even more now!!!!

Yeah, see....Montgomery knows what I'm talking about! There's some bonafide freaks back in there.