A Walk in da Woods

Got home this morning and slept a couple of hours. Filled some bottles of water, and shoved them in may pack We drove 40 min to our favorite city park that is in a valley on top of a mtn. We started at the dam on the lake. It was maybe 70 degrees at 9:30 this morning, and warming quickly Ah ha! Got her. My high school sweet heart for the past 35 years. We took off for a destination 5 miles to a cabin on the other side of the park where we have hiked to from another park on the opposite side. We walked the normally frequented lake trail and cut off after this foot bridge on an unexplored side trail that would take us in the general direction of the cabin The trail followed along this saddle to the top of Cherry Knobs. There were people living up here until the early 60's. There were a few dirt roads that are going back to nature An unmarked cabin. The old chestnut logs can be seen on this old cabin We continued on in search of our destination. The foliage was realy taking over already, making these rarely used trails iffy with snakes, briars and stinging nettle. After a couple of hours we figured we would give up our trek to our cabin destination because of the previous trail conditions, gnats, foliage and we were hungry. I forgot the peanut butter m&ms. So I checked my trail map for an alternate out of the jungle and off we went. We will return this fall when the weather cools. We didn't see any snakes. 1 toad and a blue lizard.

 

Nice pics. I didn't get to go on a hike but I will settle for roasting marshmallows in the back yard.

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We keep talking about staying up after dark and having fire in the iron fire pit, but it seems like something else always comes up. Even though I work a night shift, I clonk out in the evenings when I am off from work. Ha go figure.

 

@killeroy154

Sounds like you had a warm hike. I've said it before, the country you live in is beautiful! I'll bet it was nice just getting out for awhile.

We have a little something in common that I believe is not all that common any more. I've known my wife since kindergarten. Just kind of neat I think.

What is your walking stick made from? Did you make it? How long have you been using it?

With Snoop gone now and my wife in South Dakota for a week, I've decided to get out for a few days myself. Nothing more than a campgrounds in a local forest. I'm going to spend Tuesday through Saturday. Strangely, I'm looking forward to a quite Friday night. I'm bring a glass of Port I've enjoyed occasionally over the years, a Hoya de Monteray Excalibur #1 Maduro cigar and will have a fire in the fireplace. 2230 my time, I'm lifting my glass and pulling on my cigar to a couple of kindred spirits!

 

An evening outdoors is hard to beat anywhere you can have a comfy fire!

 

Wow kindergarten! That's got my wife and I beat. We met our junior year in high school 1981. We are all we know, if that makes any sense. My staff is from a dogwood tree that died in the yard about 14 years ago, and my wife's is from a laurel, that someone broke off, and shouldn't have, and left at a trail head. Both these sticks have seen many trails. Yes we were sweating by noon. It got to mid eighties here yesterday afternoon. It's almost tropical here, and I have heard out of state people complain about the humidity. We love the country here.

Cigar! Oh my I haven't had a cigar in maybe eight years. Quit all my tobacco 7 years ago. And yes I do miss it. Scared to even sniff any tobacco burning or not might make me start back. We grew that stuff for a couple of years when I was younger. I also worked in it for local farmers till I was 19. That's some bad, nasty stuff to work in. When it is mature, ripe, in the field is usually around August or September. Hottest and muggiest part of the year. You have to reach under and grab hold of each plant, chop off above ground, pass plant over your shoulder to man behind you, and then he shoves stalk onto a cone shaped spear that is placed on top of a 5 foot stick, the plant is then slid past cone spear onto stick. 5 or 6 stalks are speared onto one stick and then you leave stick standing on end for a day or 2 to wilt in the field before taking to barn to hang. You get lots of good ole green tobacco juice dripping on you and your clothes not to mention the grass hoppers, tobacco worms and God only knows what else is crawling around in that field jumping on your sweaty bare skin eewww that stuff is work. Not to mention the nicotine that is absorbed through your skin by contact. They never mention that. But boy do I miss my tobacco. Sorry, probably more than you wanted to know.

 

Kindergarten or Junior year in high school...Roy it's all the same in this world we live in today. I still say we are part of a rare club! Only you take all the marbles being, one and only, I admire you from deep in my heart.

My wife and I dated in high school, when we went to college we drifted apart, she ended up marrying a guy for twenty years and having a daughter. I retired from paramedics in Omaha and decided I would go to a monastery. I got a invitation to a thirty year class reunion which I decided I wouldn't go to since I was leaving for monastic life. Margo was in charge of sending emails to people that hadn't responded to the invitation. When I got the email from Margo, I decided to tell her how I had always felt about her (not hitting on her) just emptying my backpack so to speak. I sent it off, jumped in my dad's RV with him and off for a two week vacation before he dropped me off at St Benedict Abbey. During the novitiate, you are not allowed to write family or friends. But for some reason, they waived that for me. A week after getting there I went into the computer room and checked my email account. There was an email from Margo. I opened it and the first thing I see was a WAIT...

See told me she wasn't married anymore and basically to make a long story short, I left the monastery, she drove from Oklahoma to Wisconsin to pick me up, took me back to Oklahoma. I got a job, we dated for a year, then got married. Ten years this past Friday.

We have ten years under our belts, you have thirty something under yours. I've loved her for over 40 years, but that doesn't count. . .yours counts! Maybe getting sappy, I'm getting old I'm allowed to get sappy once in awhile!

Man, that job in the tobacco fields is wild to hear! I've smoked a pipe for 41 years and once in a great while I enjoy a cigar. Friday night with imaginary kindred spirits, I'm having one in honor!

 

Man you guys are getting sappy. My wife and I have been married for 11 years this August. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was the one. Within a few months I asked her to be my wife and life has been great for us ever since. Other than you guys she is my only true friend and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Bibs congrats on 10 years and killroy congrats on letting go of the tobacco. If only I had the strength to stop my self. That port and stogie by the fire sound to good to me.

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Thanks Madman4800! Looks like we'll be wishing you a happy (sappy) anniversary soon! You knew from the moment you saw her...AND YOU CALL US SAPPY!!! My gosh, movie cameras are on there way to you as we speak. Don't sell the rights too cheaply. Maybe you can get Nicholas Sparks to write around any rough edges!!! Baahhaaaaaaaa! Let's have a cigar and laugh!

 

There are plenty of rough edges here. Hahaha!! I figured if you guys are going there I will too.

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@killeroy

I keep going back to the cabin, man those chestnut logs blow me away! Do you know the story? How old? Who lived there? Cool story no doubt.

 

Where did my man card go? I better go drive some nails or split some wood. Hahahaha

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Ohhhh, you had to bring up the man card! Know we are obligated to hold it until you construct a cabin worthy of a man cave! Then we may be able to return it to you...we'll have to call a special conclave and get the members to vote. Keep your knife sharp and chin up. We'll get back to you on the card...or never????!!!!!

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Baahhaaaaaaaa! All these rough edges, one of us is going to bed tonight with a butt full of slivers! Baahhaaaaaaaa!

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Well Bibs, now that is a romantic love story. All mushy and stuff. We're all (yes, including you Madman4800) we're all just a bunch of old pussy cats

Some of the cabins are named, but I never researched to see who lived there. Would be interesting tho. The cabin we were trying for was the Simpson cabin. We hiked up to it from the Laurel Run state park on the back side of Bays Mtn park a couple of weeks ago It is a log cabin under the clap board siding. Most all the chestnut trees were logged out by the 1920s because of a blight killing them that still effects the American chestnut trees. This whole area including what is now the Smokey mtn park were clear cut also. It was a profitable opportunity for logging companies, and it did create some badly needed jobs that helped the economy here as well. But they clear cut everything they could, and that left this area setup for huge flooding problems. That's another story. Anyhow it's 6am I am going home and get to bed. I hate working for a living.

 

Ok, ok, we're all old wet smelly pusses. Giggle.

Oh my that floor rug looks awesome!

Blight on the American chestnut, Emerald Pine Beetle, Dutch Elm Disease just to name a few, how is it we have any trees left at all? Makes sense, now that I'm into hammock camping, all the tree's are wiped out. . .wankers!

Roy, I don't know how you work nights and still have a functioning body. I've worked 24 hour shifts, did just fine but when I was assigned 12 or 8 hour shifts over nights I was a waking zombie. Always felt tired, foggy headed, lost my appetite AND i never felt like doing anything. I don't know how you do it, work nights then go for a hike in hot humid weather forgetting the lunches... if this were me, I believe what I just described would be a recipe for homicide! Ha ha. Sleep well really old man, there is another night shift with your name on it coming your way.

 

Wow, I am speechless with the photos. However, I am wanting for some details on your hike. It looked like an overnight camping trek but I'm confused with the water, is that the only thing you brought along, the bottles of drinking water? Anyway, I wish we have those kind of woods here that represents nature. Woods and wilderness here are all spoiled by humans with liter and vandalism on the trees, oh, you know what I mean. And with river or creek, expect the water to be dirty. Anyway, I'm really happy to see those photos you posted, thank you for that.

 

Thank you. There is a place in the park where people can camp. Backpacking everything in and out, and have to obtain permit. We only hiked for little more than half of the day, so the water was sufficient, except I forgot the M&Ms. Give my wife a few of the candy treats and she would stay out all day.

There is so much beautiful land around the world that most people will never see a portion of it. So this is my little ole spot on this planet, and I love sharing photos and stories. Maybe this fall I get a hike in up in the Smokey Mtns park and the Appalachian trail in that area. If I do I'll post lots of pictures.