Lehigh Gorge State Park (20-May-2016)

Third post this week with this view. With the clouds I think this is the best one so far. After taking the  canal path this is where I end up. This view looks down river and I am standing on the end of the flood plain when taking the shot. Here I am able to access the rocky channels that go through the plain and they allow for easy walking all the way to the top. The goal was just one large tire and a sack full of trash. It didn't take long for me to realize I was going to be taking out more than that.  

I found this tire and I tried to remove it. Once it was out I put it in the middle of one of the channels so I wouldn't forget it on my way out. This wasn't the tire I was looking to pick up so already I decided I would be taking at least one additional tire out.

I worked my way up through the channels picking up little stuff and looking at the tires I still need to get out. For some of the tires I am trying to determine what tools I am going to need to get them out. Above are two interesting pieces of small trash I picked up while walking through the channel. I like finding cameras on the river, but the one on the left wasn't the condition I like finding them in. On the right was a shoe that completes another pair. I found the matching shoe I think several weeks ago further down river.

My first river vacuum cleaner. If this was on the Delaware I might think it was the result of a house getting flooded out. This is the upper Lehigh though there really are no homes close enough to the river for that to happen. So someone had to have thrown this vacuum into the river? What kind of person throws a vacuum into a river? Probably the same as would throw tires. 

I explored a little further up the river above the flood plain. This is looking down river the flood plain is on the left in the distance and there is a nice run of rapids on the right. 

Working my way back down the flood plain when I came across this tire. I thought it might fit inside the big tire I set out on this trip to get. So I took it and made my way to the big tire.

I forgot to take a before photo of the big tire, but this is what it looked like after I pulled it from its resting spot. I think there is a photo of it in one of the previous posts though. The tire I exposed below the big tire is still there. It is on my list though.

So I did reach my goal with the large tire and a sack of trash. I went a little over it though and collected four other tires as well. 

The tiny tire did fit in the big one and the two rolled nicely together. Up on the canal path Penny gave me the "Why are we doing this again?" look. I think she had a good hike and with the heat we had to visit the river several times to get her cooled down. 

The pile has grown fairly large now and will be completely removed soon! 

Everything from my sack and pack. There were no real standout items. Cans, hats, footwear, glasses most everything except the Hoover was the average river trash.

Not sure how, but I spotted this female Five-Lined Skink in a small pile of fallen branches a little further up river than the flood plain. When I approached it ran to the old railroad tie it is in in the photo. 

She posed for photos and for the most part didn't seem to mind I was there. Like I have said before with other wildlife in other places, don't go to the Lehigh Gorge expecting to see a skink.  Where I was they are not abundant, they are small and they blend in well to their surroundings. 

With hauling all of the tires this week I may take a break over the weekend. Think I am going to try to get out in the kayak. If I do most likely I will end up cleaning up more trash.  
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA