Clear Creek Trail

Last night was the last under-100-degrees day we're going to have for a while, so after work I went out to Clear Creek for a quick hike. I needed to check out part of the Clear Creek Trail for my book (and as it turned out, it was a good thing I did check, because I had the layout of the area all messed up in my head).

I parked at the gristmill. I've mentioned the gristmill here several times, and I finally thought to take a picture. When my mom's family moved here from Lubbock, Texas in 1964, Mom was a freshman in college. That summer she got a job at the gristmill for a short time, which is where she met my dad. So every time I go to the gristmill, I think about them both. Mom says she was walking down the stone steps on the side of the building on a rainy day when Dad caught her arm and said, "You're going to slip, sure as God made little green apples."

Anyway, I hiked from the gristmill to the water treatment plant, which according to my map is .7 miles. I always thought it was shorter than that. From there, I hiked up to the Clear Creek Spring, another .7 miles. I was there just last weekend, but I didn't pay that much attention because I didn't think my characters would be spending much time there. Turns out I needed them to make camp nearby, so I spent a few minutes scouting around for somewhere they could have a semi-hidden campsite. I couldn't find one, so I'll have to fudge a bit when I write that part.

<--Our magnificent water treatment plant. When I was a kid, the sight of the blue tower through the trees always excited me. Mom took us down to the picnic area behind the plant to play in the creek sometimes. Also, I always wanted to live in that little brick house. The blue building has a big sign posted on its door that says "CAUTION: CHLORINE," which would be a drawback to living there.

I did find an access road leading to the spring, which I knew was there but which I didn't realize actually went anywhere. It leads up to a lane with a few farms around. I drove by the area later and discovered the lane leads to Upper Clear Creek Road, which is not far from the entrance to Lower Clear Creek Road, which is of course the start of the watershed.

After that I followed a deer trail, or maybe just a water runoff "trail," alongside a deep gorge. The gorge must get some serious water during storms, since a lot of dam thingies have been built along its length to help slow the water. It was pretty cool. I considered having my main character have to hide in the gorge, but decided it would be too hard for her to climb down into. Besides, I'd already written the hiding scene and I like it the way it is.

 <--That picture doesn't do the gorge justice. It's very deep and cuts into the hillside all the way down from the top. I took this photo at the bottom because I thought it was nifty the way they've directed the water stream with rocks. There's a bench just off to the left of the picture, and of course it would be too bad if a flash flood swept the bench away.

Next I need to hike Dyer Hollow Trail, which is not far from the gristmill. I would have hiked it last night, but it was getting late and I had a lot I needed to do at home (none of which I actually got done, but I might have). Dyer Hollow Trail should be the very last trail I feature in Shadow Trail, incidentally. I'm very close to finishing the draft! In a way I'm disappointed; I've enjoyed the excuse to get out and hike different sections of the watershed. Then again, it's always exciting to finish a new project.