Vern, our leader for this event, educated us about bogs, marshes and swamps. As I think I learned, it all depends on the vegetation surrounding the area: lots of trees in and downed surround a swamp; reeds and low growth throughout are in a marsh; bogs are holes in the ground filled with water and low growing vegetation which eventually leads through sphagnum to the body of water. The vegetation will eventually grow across the "pond" and fill in so that there will be no water, but all land.
Following this lesson, we donned our bog boots and loaded up into the bus that would transport us to a nearby bog.
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| Nancy admires Archie's (aardvark) fashion |
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| A look at the full fashion statement |
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| Booted up, we make our way to the bus. |
Once parked, we found our way to a trail that would lead us through the forest to a bog.
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| We feel like we are walking on a giant sponge |
We have quite the experience wandering around on the bog and making sure we don't step into any holes -- or black holes -- that Vern had warned us of.
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| Rob investigates that where he will step is not into a black hole |
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| Vern (no "v" favorites known) continues our lesson about bogs |
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| Pitcher plant that holds water in the bottom and "eats" insects that fall into them |
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| A bog |
We walk along the spongy sphagnum and learn it has many uses -- at least in the past. It would be dried by the Indians and used as diapers because it absorbs so much fluid. During early wars it would be used to stanch bleeding wounds for the same reason.
This was quite the adventure and experience for all of us.
Another bike riding day coming up soon.
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