RAs to Bent Tree

This is a continuation of images from the RA's June 5 trip to Bent Tree.

Johnny makes a flying leap for the cool pool, above. At left he is making his way behind the falls.

Michael York and Michael Callihan in the water after one of Michael C's jumps. At right above, Johnny and Ron Callihan introduce Michael to the falls.

Michael and Michael jump together.

Jumping off the ledge was a big challenge for Javier, but he was determined to do it. This is proof that he made the leap.

Having finally done it, he climbed back up and did it twice more. I think that's the look of the joy of accomplishment on his face.

Franco's dad joins the action with a dive into the pool and exploration of the falls.

Michael Callihan makes a flying leap off the cliff into the pool below the waterfall. The waterfall below the spillway and the pool below it have become a favorite place for the RAs. This is our first trip to Bent Tree this summer.

This shows the waterfall with the pool below it. The ledge on the right is the point from which Michael is jumping in the picture above.

The waterfall comes partly from the spillway on the left, and from a pipe deeper in the lake on the right. The deeper water is much colder, so when you were under the falls you could stick your hands in the water and one hand would be in much warmer water. On t his day the average was quite cold so it was a bit of a shock the first time you jumped into the water.

Rod was shooting video from up on the ledge near the falls. Javier was taking still pictures.

Ron and Michael Callihan, Michael York on the rocks at the far side of the pool below the falls.

Franco fishes with his father watching. Fishing in the lake was the other activity of choice on this trip. Franco caught a bream and was very pleased.

We had our traditional RA lunch of peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches followed by Brenda's brownies. Our lunch spot is the picnic table by the spillway.

Franco and Kevin at the lunch table above. Javier Lopez at left didn't get in many pictures because he took most of them. Thanks, Javier.

Michael with a fish he caught from the lake. They finally had time to fish after working to repair the reels. Their fishing spot is shown below with Michael and Ron in the distance under the trees.

The stream from the lake and a background view of Big Stump Mountain. The two towers on the top make a line which points to our house just down the mountain from the shorter tower. We can see the lake through the trees from the house in winter, but not in summer. One of our regular RA hikes in the Fall and Winter is up to those towers and on up to the top of Oglethorpe Mountain.

It was a beautiful day and lots of folks were out enjoying it. This group stopped to let their horses drink at the spillway, just a few feet from our lunch spot.

We got the extraordinary opportunity to watch a pileated woodpecker close to the creek below the falls. It was apparently a young one. It had brilliant plumage and was not very much afraid of us. It was pecking at some rotted logs and let us get within about 30 feet of it.

We saw several deer and one wild turkey. Javier got this shot of a doe by the roadside as we headed for home. It was a relaxing trip, and we praised the Lord as always when we got them all safely home.