Promised Land Lake

Trip legs (latest at top):

11 Oct 04 – Promised Land State Park, Pennsylvania
Our stay indoors ends with the completion of our week at the condo. We decide to spend the next week at nearby Promised Land State Park. Though I had swum in the lake often as a kid, I have never really explored the park. We find the primitive campground almost deserted after the Columbus Day weekend.

Promised Land Autumn
It's just after Columbus Day in the Poconos, and the foliage is hitting peak color.
Dawn's Log Snooze
This log is embedded in the lake bank just a couple feet from shore. Maybe not the most comfortable place to take a nap, but the ambience is unmatched.

12 Oct 04 – The Most Beautiful Campsite, Promised Land State Park
Because we have only a tent, we move camp to a secluded campsite a hundred yards from the nearest parking for our car, and lug everything by hand. The site is gorgeous, and we easily start planning to extend our stay. We overlook the atrocious vault toilets.

Most Beautiful Campsite
Such a gorgeous, gorgeous campsite, probably the single most beautiful site we will have all fall. Just to the right is the lake.
Promised Land Campsite
Another view to try to show how pretty it was. Dawn is starting dinner.

The town of Promised Land, Pennsylvania is a small place, but I have my choice of four watering holes to watch the Green Bay Packers play on Monday Night Football. It's not camping, but it's a nice touchstone to my old life.

13 Oct 04 – Lakeside Meditation, Promised Land State Park, Pennsylvania
The beauty of Promised Land State Park continues to reveal itself at sunrise today, with the passing of a flock of ducks in the still morning waters.

Ducks at Daybreak
Photographed from our campsite, on the slight hillside just above water level.

We enjoy just sitting around the campsite marveling at the scenery, then meditate at the lake shore only inches from the water. The fall foliage is at the height of its beauty. In the afternoon we take a short hike by one of the lake’s outlet streams. And in the evening we are briefly blessed by sunset’s golden rays on the fiery foliage across the lake from our campsite.

Outdoor Incense
We did a lot of sitting meditation (zazen) at this campsite, because it was quiet as well as pretty.
Promised Land Lake
The foliage is at peak.

Here is some video taken today at the lake: Sunlight reflections on the bottom of autumn foliage, Promised Land State Park, Pennsylvania, 13 Oct 2004 (8 MB, 27 sec)

Little Falls
On the East Branch of the Wallenpaupack Creek. Still in Promised Land State Park in Pennsylvania.
Fruiting Lichen
I didn't even know lichen could fruit. Pretty cool.
Autumn Woods
It was overcast, but a beautiful day to be out in the Pennsylvania woods.
Foliage at Sundown
Looking east, the sun setting behind us is causing the shadow to slowly rise.

14 Oct 04 – Great Blue Heron Hunt, Promised Land SP PA
We are prepared for the light rain when we wake up today, having set up our dining fly and stowed the wood supply the night before. After breakfast, we hike down the far side of Pickerel Point on which the campground is located, and soon find a pair of great blue herons trying to avoid us. We eventually learn to successfully stalk them for photographs. The method we use is to learn which direction down the shore they are walking as they fish. Then we unobtrusively place ourselves 20 yards further down the shore, and sit quietly. The birds notice us, but continue their walk undisturbed, passing us within only a few feet. A pretty neat experience.

Great Blue Heron Fishing
They don't walk very fast when they are looking for little fishies. We were about 10 feet away and had placed ourselves beforehand to let him walk by us.
Heron in Autumn
How's this for a picture? Promised Land State Park, brilliant foliage, a camera, and patience.

16 Oct 04 – Conservation Island, Promised Land SP PA
We hike from our campsite about 1 1/2 miles to a stone bridge leading to Conservation Island, then completely around the perimeter of the island. We then return back across the bridge and hike back to camp. We have been spending more and more time at camp meditating, and less time hiking, so a 4-mile hike feels good. Conservation Island has no man-made structures, just a footpath. It’s a quiet day, and a quiet hike.

Rainy Morning Pancakes
This is what it looks like when you need to stay warm and dry just in order to cook. I'm pretty fortunate to have a partner who thinks this is an adventure.
Christmas Tree Club Moss
You know you've been outdoors too long, when you remember what the ranger said 2 months ago. Ranger Bob in the Porcupine Mountains had identified this for us, but back then I didn't get a good photograph.
Bridge to Conservation Island
Peak Autumn Foliage
Promised Land State Park, on the Pocono Plateau in Pennsylvania. Perfect.
Solid Olive Oil
It's a little colder when we get up in the mornings, now in mid-October.