Again today I went off to the woods to tackle an orienteering course (intermediate level) at Hickory Run State Park. This week's course was in an entirely different part of the park than two weeks ago and considerably longer and more difficult. I can't say I improved much but most of the Orange course runners (and hikers) screwed up even worse so my placement was better.

Aside from avoiding the unpleasantness of getting lost, performance was secondary to sightseeing. The weather was perfect. Though the bright sunlight revealed more than a little autumnal yellow in the thinning foliage, the temperature was in the seventies.

Hickory Run is filled with rock features left behind by the melting glaciers. Long spills of stones and small boulders where only ferns can grow form highways, easy to follow but hard on the feet and ankles. Here and there you encounter a narrow sparkling, rivulet edged by thick tangles of mountan laurel, the lusterous dark green of the laurel leaves a contrast to the light grays and greens of the rocks and ferns that predominate.

The control points are usually on prominent features - boulders, spurs, stream bends. Most of the orange and white control flags might have been marking the focal point for a painting.

Toward the end of the course, as I stopped to study my map, I heard a sort of crunching noise. Looking around I saw a doe nibbling some low, bright green groundcover. She was so close I could hear her chewing. She looked at me then resumed eating. I continued my walk, both of us happy to enjoy the woods on a beautiful day.