Friday May 23: Forney Creek to Forney Ridge

Andrew’s Bald and onward. The remaining explorers wake on the morning of the 23rd well rested. They eat quickly and pack up ready for another long hike back up the Forney Creek Trail to the Forney Ridge Trail to Andrew’s Bald. From there it’s the Forney Ridge to the Springhouse Branch Trail and their next campsite. At Andrew’s Bald they discover a small paradise. A mountain top clearing where animals feed without fear at the feet of human beings. Terrific views greet them on all sides. They gather for lunch in the midst of this beauty then head off in small groups, each at their own pace, down the mountain.

Friday May 23: Noland Creek Trail, Late Afternoon

The long descent is trying on the knees and feet of our weary travelers. But, with dogged determination they make good time and find themselves at the planned camp site at the intersection of the Noland Creek Trail and Springhouse Branch Trail. The site, normally set aside for horse campers, is large and well populated, a factor that is depressing to some of the campers.

From Ben’s Journal,

“The sight of people, strangers, in the midst of this wooded expanse is an unwelcome jolt. It is easy to become disassociated from the bonds of civilization out here in the wilderness. The unspoken codes of behavior and civilian expectations that one must follow in the real world are truly shackles and chains that bind us as we practice commerce with our fellow man. In the forest it is easy to see how suffocating our real lives are, how wrong things have become. Out here, away from the hustle and the bustle, everything feels right, seems correct, appears as it should be…”