Fall in the Marinoni

Posted on November 8, 2014 by ozarkmountainhiker

View from the trail down into the Briar Creek drainage.

Fall colors, sunny skies, and high temperatures in the 60s. It doesn’t get much better than this! The Marinoni Scenic Area is beautiful in fall.

An unassuming beginning point for the beauty to be found down this trail.

An unassuming beginning considering the beauty to be found on this trail.

The Dawna Robinson Spur Trail leads to the Ozark Highlands Trail and then east into the Marinoni.

View into the Indian Creek drainage as you climb switch-backs up toward the OHT.

Hiker-dog enjoying walking with new friends.

I never tire of walking alongside the bluffs of the Marinoni.

Hiking with Hiker-dog up the Dawna Robinson Spur Trail.

Hiker says, “Wear orange and don’t act like a deer.”

I learned something new about Hiker-dog on this day. She stayed close to me and on the trail when deer hunters were firing in the area. She had her hunter orange on and didn’t go prancing through the woods. Smart dog!

If you need more information and driving directions to this trail, check Making Time for Marinoni.

Pinnacle Mountain Musicians

Posted on April 16, 2013 by ozarkmountainhiker

The Pinnacle Mountain Trail is located 12 miles west of Little Rock on Highway 10. It has become a benchmark of sorts for me over the past few years. I used it to loosely gauge my fitness level. Struggling up the mountain or flying up easily told a lot about how I was doing.

Arriving at the top of Pinnacle Mountain with the Arkansas River in the distance.

Monday, April 15, I hiked it on the warmest day so far this spring, making occasional stops to take in the view… and the breeze.

As always, there were a number of other walkers on this trail. I always carry an extra bottle of water and usually come give it to someone who underestimates the need for water and the difficulty of the climb. Today I picked up four empty water bottles left by other hikers along the trail. Ah, the joys of walking among thoughtless and inconsiderate hikers!

Rockslide on Pinnacle Mountain and view of Lake Maumelle.

When I arrived at the top grumbling under my breath about litterbugs and my eyes stinging from sweat, I heard pleasant string music. What I found was a group of young people taking in the view and making some nice music on guitars and mandolin. They gave a friendly nod and never missed a beat. These are the types of young hikers you like to see on the trail. They were taking care of the trail while enjoying it unobtrusively.

Pinnacle Mountain musicians

The music, the breeze, and the view! Found myself wishing I could sit for a couple of hours but it was time to step down the trail and begin the drive home. Looking forward to my next benchmark test on Pinnacle Mountain!

Daily Prompt: “Mentor Me” Sharpening saws and shaping beliefs…

Posted on February 17, 2013 by ozarkmountainhiker

By: Jim Warnock

I learned a lot about teaching from my grandfather, Arch Warnock. When I was 12 years old, he taught me how to sharpen saws during a summer visit in Smackover, Arkansas.

He found an old saw blade in his shop and that I couldn’t damage, loaded me up in his ’57 Chevy, and drove me to the hardware store. He told the owner of the store he needed a saw handle because his grandson was going to learn to sharpen saws. He attached the handle, showed me how to place it in the rack and then went to work showing me how to set the points and the proper way to file. He placed his hands on mine and led me through the process. Gradually he let me take over while continuing to coach and make adjustments.

Then came the hard part…PRACTICE! He’d leave me to work on a saw and then return in an hour or so. He would test my work by cutting a quarter inch piece off of a two-by-four. After a few quick strokes and a look at the saw blade he’d scrape the tips off of the whole saw with two sweeps of a large flat file. This meant it wasn’t cutting right and I would have to do the whole saw over again. After watching me file and making suggestions, he left me to my work.

This went on for several days during which I gradually gained some confidence, skill, and blistered fingers. I finished filing the saw for what seemed like the 75^th time; now for the big test. As my grandfather made the first few strokes with the saw I noticed a smile forming around the mouthpiece of his pipe. He sawed clean through the wood, stood back and declared, “That saw will cut!”

I’ve never forgotten the pride I felt as my grandfather proclaimed the saw would cut; that saw I sharpened would cut! This was an early taste of real self-esteem, the result of going through a struggle to learn something new, coming out on the other end able to do something that seemed impossible in the beginning.

My grandfather did the following:

1. He gave me a clear goal.

2. He set a high standard and believed I could meet it.

3. He coached and encouraged me.

4. He gave me opportunity to practice in a hands-on way

5. He showed unconditional love for me regardless of my skill and celebrated my success.

I didn’t make a career of sharpening saws but I think he would be very pleased that his grandson is a school principal and that those lessons in sharpening a saw have shaped my beliefs and influence my work to this day. When I see a student succeed because of the work we do in our school I sometimes imagine my grandfather looking on from a distance and saying with a smile, “That saw will cut!”