Sharpes Cemetery and much more

Photo by: Tim Bindner

On October 31st, I headed out for a hike with my mate Mark. Neither of us could expect what we would have seen.

Mark picked me up at 7:30am and we headed toward O’Bannon Woods State Park. I was excited to show Mark a few locations he had never been to before. That is a rarity.

We pulled into the campground visitor parking lot and unloaded. Our drive there provided brief glimpses of fog and I was hopeful we would see some in the woods. As you can tell in the above picture, I did.

We began our descent down Old Forest Road toward the Blue River. Old Forest Road is a paved road that leads to the campground but also veers right before the entrance to the campground and turns onto a gravel road. This road has a large iron gate that is locked. The only traffic this section of the road gets is from hikers, horseback riders and occasional official park vehicles.

I am a huge fan of movies that involve forests. Especially the Lord of the Rings series. Today I felt like we were heading into such a forest. The noise of the campground (which was not much), the smoke from the campfires, and the hum from cars and generators quickly faded into silence. The further we moved from the campground, the quieter it got.

Soon we reached our first destination. A tiny cemetery called Sharpes Cemetery. The cemetery has 13 headstones and is surrounded by a small circle of cedar trees, which is surrounded by 8 foot tall thicket. There is one small overgrown path to and from the cemetery and I have to say the vibe I get from this place is very peaceful. Many of the stones are broken and, in one case, Ruth Hines Sharp has a headstone leaning against a tree. She was born in 1771!

We grabbed a few shots, then made our way back to Old Forest Road and began the climb up the hill. As we headed up the hill, the fog began rolling in. A photographer’s dream (at least mine) is to capture woodland being illuminated by fog and sunlight. Mark and I took shot after shot. We were amazed at what nature was providing us and took full advantage. Fog happens, and the woods rise into it.

Half way back to the Jeep, we turned left onto the Fire Tower Trail. Nature was still fighting to keep its last grip on summer, but the obvious signs of fall were winning the battle. I lead the hike down the trail and soon the sun cut through the trees to our right. The fog provided the effect of beams of light cutting through the darkness of the woods like a bright flashlight at night. Mark and I were like kids in a candy store. Bobbing and weaving to get the best perspective, we took shot after shot. We’d move a few feet down the path and would get a new perspective and more shots.

The smell was deliciously tenebrous, seeping into the dim air from the darkness of the soil. The cool 50 degree air, the changes of the leaves, the darkness slowly losing the battle to the sun and me being there with my friend was a special day. The entire trip was about 2 hours, but one I will not long forget.

Soon, time took precedence over us, and we had to return to the car. The sunbeams and fog were now gone, and though the beauty of the woods was still magnificent, it was certainly not the same as our previous approach. I am so thankful I could witness what I did that day, share some conversation with my friend, and experience nature in her glorious self.

Until next time,

Tim (Kilmer)