Just for Giggles - Day 296

  Would you like to know how a hiker reads the named features on a map? Here's a sampling from today:

Cross River- hiker reads, "Steep descent and ascent. It's a river, so it's large enough that there is probably a bridge that hasn't washed out. Please, God, let the bridge be there." Actual situation: a large bridge was indeed there. So large and high, in fact, that the impliction is that several smaller bridges probably washed out previously until someone came up with the money for a real bridge.

The Ledge- hiker reads, "Climbing up and down on rocky trail, often steeply." Actual situation: truth.

The Falls- hiker reads, "Rocky ascent. Possible nice views." Actual situatino: truth

Boney's Meadow- hiker reads, "Large grassy area with low wet places, probable beaver activity with flooded places. May be horrible to walk through." Actual situation: the trail stayed high and outside the meadow. The beaver have turned the meadow into a pond, but the hiker did not have to walk through it.

Fredenberg Creek- hiker reads, "Steep descent and ascent. Since it's only a creek it may or may not have a bridge, and if it had one in the past, it may or may not be usable. Hopefully, there are stones to cross on." Actual situation: there was no bridge, but there were stones. There were remains of some other bridge upstream from the crossing that must have washed down from somewhere else.

Tower Overlook- hiker reads- "This is going to be a really big climb. The view may or may not be worth it." Actual situation: it was a great view!

*-*-*-*-*

Here's that big Cross River bridge.


And Tower Overlook.


A dear litte garter snake was showing off on the reindeer moss.


The best find of the afternoon was Ruffy Lake.


The lake is actually a bog with acid-loving plants. These are the dried flowers of pitcher plants.


And there were lots of wild cranberries.


*-*-*-*-*

People are always asking me what I think about all day. Sometimes,a lot of the time, the answer is "nothing important."

Today's silly mental project was to write alternate lyrics to the song "Follow the Gleam." It's based on Tennyson's poem of Merlin following the quest for the Holy Grail. You may know the song if you are old. It also helps (I think) if you are female, although I've seen it in a couple of hymn books. The original was written in 1920 at a YMCA camp, and it won a prize that year from Bryn Mawr College. I can't find a decent version with the lyrics on You Tube. (You know your tastes are weird when there's not even a recording of a song you like on You Tube, right?) You can hear the tune on a fake organ, however, if you want.

First of all, everyone, this is a joke. I hope I don't start getting hate comments for being negative. We all need to be able to poke fun at ourselves from time to time. Everyone who has hiked or worked on the North Country Trail knows what a challenge it is to keep it maintained, or sometimes to follow the correct path. OK? Are we all on the same page?

To Rangers in days of old,
Keeping watch on their forest, green.
Came a vision of North Country,
And the Park Service said, "That's keen."

Chorus:
Try to follow, follow the blue,
Signs missing too,
Oh, lucky you,
Try to follow, follow the blue,
Of the challenge that is the trail.

And we who would serve the trail
With chainsaw, pulaski, and paint,
In the sweet evening stillness know
Somewhere, a tree just fell on the trail.

Chorus

*-*-*-*-*

Miles today: 12.3. Total miles so far: 3501.0. 3500!

See From Placid to Furious