Back Down
(Saturday Traveling Stories - part 11)
When we got to the Crib Gap Trail, I calculated that we should reach camp by around 3. We headed out on this last leg, or at least the last long leg of the hike. Being eternally optimistic, I pictured this trail in my mind as kind of a flat, valley trail that only exists to connect a couple of other trails together. What I didn’t realize is that the route we took down actually brought us to a lower elevation than the Anthony Creek Trail and our camp site. Which meant back up the mountain again we hiked.
The trail crosses Laurel Creek Road at a couple of spots (Once is actually on the Lead Cove Trail). When we got to the second road crossing we looked left and right and didn’t see a trail to go to. I looked at the map again and it looked like it angled to our right, so we crossed the highway that direction and started walking along the shoulder until we came to what looked like a trail.
There wasn’t a sign marking it as the trail, but I had to assume it was. My guess is they didn’t mark it because they don’t want people thinking it is an official trail head where they can park their cars along side the road and take a hike. So it is an incognito trail of sorts.
I was fairly confident I had chosen the right path, and I calculated how long I thought it should take us to get back to the Anthony Creek Trail; my reasoning being that if we exceeded that time we might start considering the possibility that I had chosen wrong and we could double back.
I think it is always wise, in life as well as hiking, to consider the possibility that you took the wrong path and might need to turn around. In church we call that repenting. I was hoping there would be no repenting necessary about this choice.
Timing was spot on and we got back to the Anthony Creek Trail just up a few hundred yards from the picnic area a little before 3. We thought about crossing over the creek, but wading across slippery rocks didn’t seem like a wise move considering M’s already beat up state. Instead, we took the longer route which was back out to the main road and up to the entrance of the camp and then to our campsite. Instead of 200 yards if we waded the creek, it was about an extra ½ mile. Good news is that made our hike exactly 10 miles, not the 9 ½ it would have been had we crossed the water.
Yeah, I don’t know why that is good news either, except I like nice round numbers like that. I don’t want to go for a bike ride and finish with 29.8 miles. I will ride up and down the block until I hit 30. It’s weird, I know.
Back at camp we sat for a bit. Then we walked over to the store for some good but way overpriced soft serve ice cream. Yes, we had desert before dinner, but the store was going to close at 5. I should say at this point, that after some confusion this morning about what would and wouldn’t remain open here, they said the store and the campground would remain open for now. I think the Loop Road is closed though.
Dinner tonight is going to be some kind of witches brew camp stew M is making up out of her head. It will be good no matter what it is.
P.S. I was observing Mark across the way prep for their dinner. He left his meat out on the table while he went inside his camper. Oliver, his giant poodle dog, was licking it while he was away. I thought about saying something, but decided it is not wise to interfere in another families goings on. Besides, they are going to cook it. It will be fine.
Pet's licking our food before it is cooked (sometimes after it is cooked) seems likely whenever one has a pet or two. I'm fairly confident our mini schnauzers, Rudy and Roxie don't get on the table or counters. They are mini's after all. But Mickie the Main Coon is quite agile is able to access any food prep or prepped area and is a stealth master. She is also very petite, never taking big bites, but that little cat tongue?? As you say, it will be cooked after all.....but occasionally it may have been taste tested before I present a meal to Cindy. And she doesn't like to think about things like that.