Christi and I wanted to take the trip down 10 mile road, which starts in Knox off 39. When we arrive we found it closed. A bit miffed, I suggested we drive South a little further. As we did I saw out my window (Christi was driving) what I thought was a Great Blue Heron. I hemmed and hawed about going back, because it appeared we would have to stop on a busy road to photograph while trying not to bother traffic or get hit. We then saw a parking area.
As we drove into the parking area we happened to see a dirt/gravel road, leading from the parking lot and toward the river. This happened to be the Yellow River. The signage, similar to the 10 mile road signage that had the gate block the drive, did not say would could not drive in. So we did.
As it turned out, the road actually paralleled the 10 mile road, however on the South side of it. Being I had not ever been on the 10 Mile Road, this was okay for me, and as it turned out, very much so for Christi as well.
As we entered this one-lane road, we saw a truck enter the road behind us. We found a little dead end T-section near the river and backed in. Well, this was the same area as the heron, and the gravel noise off our tires had scared it away. Still, we got out and photographed. Then we proceeded down the road.
Still surprising, there was some traffic. I estimate 6 cars total. Not a lot, however on a one way gravel road with no side to pull over on, it was a bit concerning. One car was tearing down the road kicking up a huge dust storm. We learned to look ahead quickly for a wider part of the road that had also a embankment of some sort that we could pull the right side of the car on. It worked. Without that, the only other was was down into the ditch that we would never get out of, and possibly not be seen. A couple times when we pulled over I felt the car sink into the ground and pull to the river. A bit freaky, but we made it.
This road is not named. It probably goes for 90% of the distance SW that 10 Mile Road does. The 10 Mile Road loops back to Rt. 8. This one, felt like you dead ended in the middle of country service roads to fields. People were actually using this road to get to somewhere, because most we never saw come back who passed us in the same direction. We turned around to go back through the same path. It was much more interesting than to drive through field service roads.
Here are a couple of photographs I took. The photographs looking up at the trees do not do the journey justice. It was beautiful there, cool temperature, great forest smells. So blame the photographer, not the journey.
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