# HABU's World... Random Photos...



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## Bluejen

awesome pics Habuland looks amazing! :2thumb:


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## spicewwfc

I think i need to come and live with you for a wile mate.
Those shots are amazing, you lucky so and so.
If i had scenery like that by me i would never be indoors.


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## HABU

spicewwfc said:


> I think i need to come and live with you for a wile mate.
> Those shots are amazing, you lucky so and so.
> If i had scenery like that by me i would never be indoors.


 
i'll be camping and hiking all this summer... anyone's welcome to come on an excursion with me... free tours...

gets a bit lonely out here... no locals ever want to do this stuff... they take it all for granted...

i'll be taking my british flag with me this summer that you guys sent me... you'll see it often in my pics... the rangers will come to know who's camp it is when they see the union flag flying!:lol2:


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## naz_pixie

HABU said:


> image
> 
> image


habu do you know what species this is?!

it is stunning and not a species i reconise atalll x


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## HABU

naz_pixie said:


> habu do you know what species this is?!
> 
> it is stunning and not a species i reconise atalll x


 
i'd have to look it up... i know the name but it escapes me right now... and that bugs me to no end... i can almost say it...

i hate when that happens... haha!!

been so long since i had to say what it is... very metallic!!:2thumb:


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## HABU

find the watersnake...


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## Pauline

Wow, stunning pics, gorgeous scenery. You're a very lucky man to live in such a beautiful area.


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## angels1531

AMAZING... you are a very lucky person... I guess you know that already....


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## HABU

Pauline said:


> Wow, stunning pics, gorgeous scenery. You're a very lucky man to live in such a beautiful area.


 
and i thank ya for that!:2thumb:


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## HABU

had enough?:lol2:


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## andy2086

WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! :2thumb:

Fantastic scenery & great wildlife - better then the odd grey squirrel near me anyway! : victory:


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## HABU

andy2086 said:


> WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! :2thumb:
> 
> Fantastic scenery & great wildlife - better then the odd grey squirrel near me anyway! : victory:


Backpacker Magazine - Ohio's Shawnee Backpack Trail
*Ohio's Shawnee Backpack Trail *

When the footpath is named the Backpack Trail, you know what to do. 
by: Jene Galvin 
Awhile back, glaciers laid silt across most of Ohio and created the type of terrain that's ideal for farms and high school football fields. But the grinding blue ice didn't touch a place the locals call "the Little Smokies of Ohio." Here, gentle stream erosion carved lush ridgelines in the Appalachian Plateau, yielding undulating ground that today holds oak, hickory, and pine forests as well as the Shawnee Backpack Trail. 
The route meanders through Shawnee State Forest's 63,000 acres of second-growth timber, which is Ohio's largest public land holding. The trail strains up 1,200-foot mini-mountains, passes along wooded ridges, plunges hundreds of feet into emerald hollows, and runs beside big-boulder washes. At some points, if you close your eyes, you can imagine you're deep in the Smokies. When you open them, you might spot wild turkey, deer, or a black bear. 
The Backpack Trail contains a 40.9-mile main loop, with about 15 more miles of connecting side trails, including one that carries you into Ohio's Shawnee Wilderness Area. 
Here the land is slowly returning to the way it was during frontier days, when Shawnee Indians roamed the hills. 
For a good weekend trip, park at the trailhead parking lot on OH 125 and hike 7 miles north on the main loop to Camp 1, a site deep in the forest and big enough for seclusion even if other backpackers arrive behind you. The next day you can backtrack, or bushwhack south to Rock Lick Horse Trail, then south on Forest Service Road 1 to Camp Oyo, then west on the side trail to your car. 
So let's see: relatively short drives from three major cities, eight large campsites spaced 2 to 7 miles apart, and a nice mix of scrambles and breath-catching ridge walks. Is it any wonder the Cincinnati Sierra Club uses this spot each October for its backpacking school's graduation trip?


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## HABU

Cincinnati Hiker: Tuesday's Trail: Shawnee State Forest


Now that spring has finally arrived and warmer weather has decided to stay, I will be posting weekly on different trails in the tri-state area. Today's trail is the Shawnee State Forest backpacking trail. I love this trail, and it has quickly become me and my husband's favorite place to backpack.

Located in west Portsmouth, OH, it is only a 2 hour drive from downtown Cincinnati, making this the perfect weekend getaway trail. Total mileage comes in around 60 miles, so its perfect for extended trips as well as overnight adventures. The great thing about the trail is that it is a loop, so there's no need to repeat any part of the trail in order to get back to your car. There are 7 backcountry campsites throughout this loop, each located near water sources and a latrine. The trail is marked with orange blazes that are very well maintained. You must complete a backcountry permit if you are camping overnight.

What makes this trail so appealing is clearly the challenge involved in hiking it-- there are many ups and downs with frequent elevation changes of more than 1000 feet. Between campsites number 2 and 3 there is a hill I like to call Devil's Mound. Either way you hike it, it is a beast and will quickly rip your butt into shape if you're not already. Be sure to carry plenty of water at all times while hiking this trail-- you're going to need it!

The Shawnee Backpack trail is not for the faint of heart. It has commonly been referred to as "Ohio's Little Smokies", and I would vouch that describes it pretty well. You need to be prepared and in good shape to hike this trail successfully. If you are, I can guarantee that you'll be coming back for more!

_*Photo by Rachel Campbell, Shawnee Backpack Trail 2009_


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## HABU

Shawnee State Forest, also called the "Little Smokies of Ohio", is Ohio's largest state forest, coming in at nearly 64,000 acres, or 100 square miles for comparison. Located in the heart of the forest, 1095 acres is set aside for Shawnee State Park and its elegant lodge, cabins, campground and two lakes. A marina and golf course are located a little farther south on the Ohio River. 
Shawnee Indians used the forest as hunting grounds until the 1700s when settlers, using the Ohio River as boulevard, began to penetrate the forest, clearing and thrashing the wilderness as they sought to create homesites and farms. By the early twentieth century, the Shawnee hills were left denuded of trees, burned and abandoned. In 1922, 5000 acres of ravaged lands were purchased, building the foundation for Ohio's biggest reforestation project. In the 1930s, six Civilian Conservation Corps camps were located in the forest. Many roads and lakes still used today were constructed during this period. 
Shawnee's size, ruggedness and opportunities for solitude are unparalleled in Ohio, making the forest a special place to visit. The seemingly endless trees comprise Ohio largest contiguous forest, and home for a large number of animal species--including bobcat, black bear and timber rattlesnakes, a great number of bird species and many rare and endangered plants. Ohio's only designated wilderness area--state designation, not federal--occupies 8,000 acres in the southwest corner of the forest and is off limits to timber management and motorized travel. In 1999, an additional 8,000 acres adjacent to the wilderness area was designated as a backcountry management area. This area provides wildlife and endangered plant management, as well as walk-in recreation and hunting opportunities. Motorized travel is restricted. 
The hills in the forest represent some of Ohio's highest. Terrain relief commonly reaches 400 feet and exceeds 600 feet in some areas, especially in the southwest quadrant. Average ridge top elevations peak between 1100 to 1200 feet above sea level with a few high points breaking the 1300-foot contour. The normal pool elevation of the Ohio River represents the lowest elevation in the region and averages about 500 feet above sea level. 
A variety of vegetation grows in Shawnee State Forest. Several species of oaks and hickories grace the ridges alongside sassafras and native pitch and shortleaf pines. On the mid-slopes, expect to find oaks and hickories in addition to maple, basswood, yellow poplar, buckeye, blackgum, ash, elm, hackberry and aspen. Sweetgum, beech, black cherry, black walnut, sycamore, birch and butternut can be found in bottomland areas. Hemlocks can be found thriving in narrow, cooler valleys. 
In February of 2003, a major ice storm hit the forest causing widespread damage and uprooting an estimated 40 percent of the forest's trees. If not uprooted, nearly every tree sustained damaged of some degree from the severe ice build-up that lasted for days. Although widespread, damage was not dispersed uniformly across the forest. Some parts of the forest appear ragged looking, which could be mistaken for selective timber harvesting activities, while other areas show little evidence of the heavy icing. 
*The Trail* 
The Buckeye Trail aside, if you were to rank Ohio's trails in categories based on qualities ranging from difficulty to biological diversity, and everything in-between, then the Shawnee State Forest Backpack Trail would probably come out on top in most categories. The 40 miles of the main backpack trail, along with the nearly 10-mile wilderness side trail, plus an additional 7.2-mile day hike trail, travel through Ohio's most remote, most contiguous and certainly its most precious forest resource. A multi-night trip on the trail will take you away from the civilized world and into a forest world where only the most hardy hikers trek. 
The orange-blazed main trail is laid out in a large loop, with State Route 125 nearly bisecting it in the middle. A 5.3-mile cutoff trail paralleling SR 125 from Camp 3 back to the trailhead divides the main loop into a 23-mile north loop and 27.5-mile south loop. Most backpackers refer to the backpack trail in terms of its two loops, and usually base trips on one or the other. The 9.8-mile wilderness side trail takes hikers into the remote 8000-acre Shawnee Wilderness Area. For backpackers, visiting the wilderness area is a multi-night trip, allowing one day to get to a base camp, usually Camp 6, and then day hiking the wilderness area trail the next. Day hikers can access the wilderness area side trail via County Road 96 along Upper Twin Creek. Overnight parking along roads in and near the forest is at your own risk. 
All side trails, including the wilderness side trail, the cutoff trail from Camp 3 back to the trailhead and side trails to camping areas are blazed with white. The 7.2-mile designated day hike trail is blazed blue. The North Country Trail shares the path with the backpack trail along the north side of main loop for several miles, you'll find the trail in better condition along here. Along the backpack trail's entire length, expect to find a lot of up and down hiking with few switchback and numerous steam crossings. For this reason, Shawnee may not be the smartest choice for beginning or unconditioned backpackers. 
Seven camping areas are spaced approximately every five miles along the backpack trail's main loop. Most backpackers plan trips with stays at every other camp, meaning a day's mileage will be in the 10-mile range. Self-registration is required at the trailhead upon arrival. The provided registration forms ask for your planned schedule and dates you will be visiting each camping area. You should try to maintain your reported schedule in case a mishap causes you to miss your posted return. 
You'll find most camping areas to be located off the main trail. For instance, Camp 2 is nearly 0.5 mile from the main trail. Camp 3 sits about 200 vertical feet above the main trail, a tough climb at the end of a day's hike. Camp 6 is the most remote and scenic camp in the forest, and a must-do for any Ohio backpacker. Its location in a hemlock grove at the confluence of two streams is memorable. Pit toilets are located in the vicinity of each camping area. Most of these have been rebuilt in recent years. Potable water is also provided in buried tanks at all camping areas except Camp 6; however, water can be treated from streams running through this camp. 
You may have to go on a search to find both toilets and water hydrants once at camp because neither are typically located near the actual campsites. At Camps 2, 3 and 5, water is located at the beginning of each camp's side trail. At Camp 1, water is located on the main trail before camp. Water for Camp 4 is located on the main trail just past camp. Finally, water for Camp 7 is located down-valley towards a road. All this is assuming a clockwise direction of travel. Due to bad road conditions, water may not always be provided in winter. It is advisable to check with forest headquarters before setting out in the off-season. 
Shawnee State Forest is big, remote, rugged and not heavily used away from improvements in the state park. Being properly prepared and conditioned is key to reducing your odds of a mishap requiring medical or ranger assistance. The forest is home to copperheads and timber rattlesnakes, and once again black bears. Please take the time to learn how to lessen your chances of a negative encounter with these creatures. *Pictures:*

BackpackOhio.com - Shawnee State Forest Backpack Trail


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## vawn

i think we should do a holiday swap! i'll go sit by your creek n you can come n sit on my hill!


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## HABU

vawn said:


> i think we should do a holiday swap! i'll go sit by your creek n you can come n sit on my hill!


 
haha!! my creek?

there's a creek everywhere that you look here... must be a thousand!:2thumb:


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## vawn

HABU said:


> haha!! my creek?
> 
> there's a creek everywhere that you look here... must be a thousand!:2thumb:


that means you got some spare then :whistling2:


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## cabrera

the photos are amazing would love to live soewhere like that I would never be indoors. thanks or sharing the pics


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## andy2086

HABU said:


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Now that is a funky bug!!! :2thumb:


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## HABU

andy2086 said:


> Now that is a funky bug!!! :2thumb:


 
yeah those are all over... we have those big millipedes too..


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## andy2086

What's your favourite animal in HABU World?

And, what animal (any in the world) would you like to see in HABU World?

: victory:


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## HABU

andy2086 said:


> What's your favourite animal in HABU World?
> 
> And, what animal (any in the world) would you like to see in HABU World?
> 
> : victory:


 
Black Kingsnake.


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## sammy1969

HABU said:


> Black Kingsnake.


 I used ot have one of those as a pet here.

I wish I was able to walk and not in a wheelchair would love to come over and go hiking with you the pics you have on here are lovely shame really but such is life


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