The temperatures were just about 60°F (16C) and rising, stiff southerly breeze and partly cloudy when I left the apartment. Skies cleared during the ride. I headed out to Draper Lake on the Post Road corridor and just chugged against the wind. Around on the south side at the eastern end of the dam stands a tiny little rocky point of land. It would have been a high ledge above the deep trench of East Elm Creek.
I’ve been promising to stop and visit; today was the day. I dropped my bike down among the boulders used as rip-rap on the water face of the dam, just so no one would see it and wonder where the owner was. I knew I’d be out of sight from the road atop the dam most of the time.
One thing that makes this spot so unique is it features tiny nodules of red sandstone, which makes the spot good hunting for rose rocks. It’s the only place I’ve seen around the lake like that. An incubator for rose rocks is very rough terrain and not a good place to go barefoot.
But that was only on the eastern side; out on the end and around the western side it was smooth with several flat terraces dropping off into the water. It was tempting to go wading, but I didn’t want to stay that long waiting for my feet to dry. Still, it was nearly ideal with no insects and the temperatures of both air and water about right.
On my way out, I spotted this bush still holding its ground, despite exposed roots. The presence of dried (inedible) fruit shows that it was green last season, so should make it at least another year. Turning now away from the wind, it was pretty quick heading back north. I stopped at Miracle Hill for awhile; it had been too muddy the last time. Then I headed home via the Sooner Road corridor and had enough energy for a strong finish.
