Not According to Plan

So on a tip from a work buddy, I started looking for an old iron furnace down in the Southeast corner of the state. I found it, but I didn't factor everything in very well.

First problem was the mud. There's a rather dry looking plain in from of the furnace (which is halfway up a small hill) which actually turns to about 6 inches of mud once you step into it.

The second issue I should have anticipated--bugs. Being out in the middle of a state forest, it stands to reason there'd be all manner of bugs. Mosquitoes, gnats, no-see-ums, horseflies, the whole works. Katie and I were the only large mammals nearby, so they weren't very inclined to leave us alone.

Heat. You'd like in July I'd realize that 4pm was probably the height of the midday heat. Well, I didn't. Sue me.

Then, the fact that the furnace is pretty well grown over from most angles, meaning a little bit of effort was going to be needed to get to where I could get good shots. However, I was not prepared to hiking and climbing. I'd only worn sandals--which were essentially useless once caked in mud. I was in shorts. I didn't have a hiking stick, or any good way to secure the camera (I meant climb--the hill to get above the furnace was pretty sheer and challenging).

I managed to get up above the furnace...but quickly realized that getting to where I needed to take pictures meant moving into the brush. Not my idea of a good time, in tick country, in shorts, with no shoes.

Getting down from that hill? Well. Let's just say I have some luck in those situations.

Long story short (too late), that post is going to have to wait a bit :-) The photos I did get will probably be up on Flickr soon.