Sugar Maple in fall wardrobe

One of our favorite ingredients in the fall stew is that spectrum of color now washing across the landscape.  As trees begin to prepare for winter, the colorful palette is just beginning to show and most observers believe this year has all the necessary ingredients for putting on a memorable show.

The fall color season has been less than outstanding the last few years due to weather conditions.  For the best coloration, experts note that the right combination of a good growing season, adequate fall moisture, cool night and warm days make for the most vivid foliage.  So far, this season appears to have all those factors in place.

Leaves change color due to a combination of factors, the most important being the steady decrease in sunlight.  As days grow shorter while average temperatures begin to dip, a series of biochemical changes occur to help trees and shrubs transition to their winter dormancy.

A major factor in this process is the decreased production of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the green color of leaves and vital to the production of sugar the plants use for energy.  As fall progresses, the decrease in chlorophyll allows other pre-existing pigments in the leaf, such as yellow or orange, to be seen.  Certain other colors such as pink and purple are actually due to chemical changes inside the leaf.

Leaf watching is big business in much of Indiana and the entire eastern U.S.  In many heavily forested places such as Parke and Brown counties, the middle of October is the busiest time of the year.  While most visitors will never leave their vehicles except to purchase handicrafts, Hoosier forests are also packed with hikers enjoying the nice weather and beautiful show.

With everyone enjoying the outdoors, the trick becomes finding a good place to hike or drive without sharing your day with the entire population of Ft. Wayne.  To enjoy a day without constantly rubbing elbows with the remainder of humanity, we suggest opening a map.

There are all sorts of maps available today, both printed and online.  Before heading out on a trip, try to find those out-of-the-way roads and natural areas that most tourists will never see.  While Brown County is certainly beautiful, the surrounding counties have as many wonderful vistas with just a fraction of the visitors.

Moreover, don’t think you have to drive to southern Indiana to find a great show.  Some of our favorite drives are the back roads along the Wabash River in northern Indiana.  I find the combination of well-kept farms, open views and wooded bluffs to be just as enticing as the thick forests of the south.  We find that small, relatively unknown out-of-the way nature preserves scattered throughout the state often provide an enjoyable hike without crowds.

You can also partake in our other favorite fall activity: aimless driving.  On these days I set an outbound time limit of one or two hours in which to traverse only secondary roads, stopping anyplace that appears intriguing.  The end result is ending up lost but a quick check of a map, GPS or asking directions gets us headed back to a main road for the return trip.  It is quite possible to have an adventure from the seat of your car.

Just the same, we always take time to park the car and enjoy a hike even if it is just a city park.  There is nothing quite like the tangy scents of falling leaves as you saunter down an easy trail on a warm afternoon.  Add a locally grown apple for a mid-hike snack and I consider it a well-spent day.

Photography is a prime activity during fall but every year brings the onslaught of lifeless pictures.  You will be inspired to take pictures of the gorgeous colors but realize a standard panorama shot of that breathtaking vista will result in a boring shot only suitable for filing away alongside the pictures of Aunt Edna’s 74^th birthday party.

As we have mentioned many times before, pictures with people in them are far more interesting than an ordinary scenic shot.  If you want to show the pretty colors of fall, take a picture of your friend hiking past a particularly beautiful tree rather than a shot of the entire treeline.

Keep in mind that dreary days are common during this time of year but should not be an excuse to stay indoors.  If you are shooting pictures, the even lighting will help saturate the colors better than a harsh, sunny day.  There is also a good chance that you will be the only one outdoors there as most people wait for nice sunny days to go wandering.

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