Welcome to Field Notes!
Ok, I get it! This film is 30 minutes long and you don’t have time to watch it right away. If ever, lol! I hope you do check it out, though. I’ve been chipping away at this one since May and finally powered through finishing it.
Five days of footage, pared down into this 30 minutes of video, had my laptop popping at the seams. It has taken a huge amount of time to go over the clips again and again. Then, there is the music. Listening to track after track, trying to find what works together and still fits the mood. And then the ultimate frustration- license agreements! All of this is just to say that this has been a labor of love and I’m proud to present it to you now.
I’m happy if you watch my film wherever you choose. It is presented in UltraHD resolution, so my recommendation would be on a larger screen. Since this is a Substack post, your option may only be a computer monitor, which is fine. I will always premier my films here in Field Notes, but another option would be to check out my YouTube Channel. I will upload it there in a few days, or maybe a week or two, but that may allow you to watch it on a television at a time that is good for you.
For newer subscribers, or anyone else unaware, here’s a little background. The Foothills Trail is a 76 mile long trail running from Oconee State Park in South Carolina to Table Rock State Park, also in South Carolina. Along its path it crosses the state line into North Carolina several times, most notably at the top of its highest point, Sassafras Mountain. This is the highest point in South Carolina and the state line runs directly through the middle of the observation platform at the peak.
Obviously, this trail could be hiked either direction, but this is how I hiked it in early May 2024. West to East. This placed me in the lower elevations along the Chattooga River in the beginning and culminated with Sassafras on day 4 and some more higher elevation views on day 5.
This was the wettest backpacking trip I have been on yet! Powerful storms came through almost every day and night. Many, especially the ones at night, didn’t even make it into the film. But, in the end, it was a profound experience and I look back fondly at all of the wet, the pain, and scary moments, because the highlights were sublime!
If you haven’t seen it and are interested, my Woodlands and Water essays are here-
The audio tracks in this film are as follows:
Can’t Stop Chasing You by Ben Johnson on Uppbeat.io1
In the Mountains by Artmusic (Vitalii Korol) on Pixabay.com
I Won’t Let You Down (Epic Motivational) by Marco Belloni on Pixabay.com
Joy of Life by Sergii Pavkin on Pixabay.com
Mountain Pine by Corals on Uppbeat.io2
Upbeat Indie Folk Vocals (Adventure is Calling) by MarkJuly on Pixabay.com
Me and Nature by Olexy on Pixabay.com3
The Closer We Feel by Ben Johnson on Uppbeat.io4
As always, I love hearing your impressions! Comments, questions- drop them here!
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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ben-johnson/cant-stop-chasing-you License code: RFELJDWDNILUDCF5
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/corals/mountain-pine License code: CYLBWJMZCAV23TB7
Pixabay license agreements available. Too long to post here.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ben-johnson/the-closer-we-feel License code: RAVC09BY4AZDVBE3
Field Notes Film: Woodlands and Water- A Foothills Trail Thru Hike