Moss Rock Preserve, Alabama

Before i went to Cuba i stopped Alabama to "adjust" to the warmer temperatures and visit my family. The "adjustment" part didn't really work out because they had some freak cold weather and it ended up snowing more than it had in a decade, or something like that. More than the snow, ice accumulation on the roads kept my friends from being able to meet up with me for several of the days i was there. But i did get plenty of time to visit my mother.

My sister on a rainy trail at Moss Rock Preserve with the Shepards Gordo and Cochino.

Although it's surrounded by neighborhoods and business the park has some really nice rock formations and streams.

One of the days i drove to Birmingham to visit my sister and her boyfriend. They took me to a pretty neat park in the area called Moss Rock Preserve. I had never heard of it, but it's a nice place tucked away in the urbanity that surrounds it. The park is made of a layer of rock called Little River Canyon Sandstone. Little River Canyon, in northeast Alabama, is one of the coolest places in the state. This park, southwest of Birmingham is part of the same syncline rock formation. In fact, if you followed the ridgelines from Little River Canyon they would lead you straight to Moss Rock Preserve 100 miles away. So there must be some other cool areas in between, and indeed there are. Horse Pens 40, this rock bridge, Noccalula Falls and Yellow Creek Falls and Cherokee Rock Village are all long the same rock formation.

Moss Rock is known for it's Little River Canyon Sandstone Glades, like this one. The glades are wide open areas of barren rock eroded by rain into interesting patterns.

A natural water slide if your butt can handle the ride. Wear a helmet.

Entering another glade, i have never seen this type of area in Alabama.

To entertain myself I kept throwing Gordo sticks on slippery rocks. He still went for it every time, and didn't mind falling in the water.

Gordo finds another slippery area. A useful skill on rainy day.

This was uh, weird. Some demons flying under the moon on a black box nailed to a tree.

One part of the park has a lot of huge standalone "boulders" that were really more of a broken cliff line.

Mary Beth comes out of a tunnel that went through the rocks.

Unfortunately there is a lot of vandalism in the area of the boulders.

Gordo poses triumphantly on top of a boulder with Max. He likes to be given tasks.

In Huntsville i tried to do some cave exploring, and walked my mom's dog (Kelli) to get her in better shape. Kelli had aged tremendously since the last time i saw her about 4 years ago, and i worried i might not see her again before i came back. Other than that i made an effort to satiate my southern food hankering, and reacquainted myself with nostalgic locations.

A crazy snowfall for Huntsville. Should have been nice and warm. Lucky me.

My mom's dog Kelli. She didn't seem to know what to do when the blizzard hit when i took her jogging.

The day after the snow the town was shut down but the weather was great.

Some motocross activity on the pedestrian trail.

Mary Beth and Max took me to this place called The Bright Star Restaurant in Bessemer. It claims to be the "oldest continuously operated family owned restaurant" in Alabama. Sounds technical, but the food was fantastic. In fact, i think they served me the best peanut butter pie i've ever had!

Finally got my southern food fix!

The interior has a bunch of murals on the walls that are heavily stained. They were painted by an artist "passing through the area" from Europe. I want to know a little more about that story. Across from our table they were repairing the murals and the difference was amazing.