Noland Trail - Spencer Beeson

Our trip to the Noland Trail, which started with a short rain, turned in to a good walk on a beautiful day. Dr. Redick introduced looking at the natural landscape up close, from a medium distance, and from afar. I found it interesting the different things I picked up in each of the perspectives. Up close I noticed small details such as the texture of the wood and displacement of logs. In the middle perspective I could start to get the bigger picture but I cold also still notice some details like a squirrel running up a tree. The far perspective is cool because you can get the bigger picture but the details are left out. In our time to walk alone I was able to experience the difference between the near and far perspectives of a particular area. We started our hike by the Lions Bridge which is marked by giant sculptures of lions and its view of the James River and Noland Trail. Later in the hike, when I was by myself, I was able to view the Lions Bridge from a distance across the lake. My experience of the bridge the second time was significantly different, I could barely make out the lions and I could not even see the people walking around the entrance of the trail. What seemed so big and important before now just seemed like an obstacle in the way of an even larger view of the James River.