Flexible plans make for great adventuring!
Three Wonderful Women met and discussed a possible change in plans for a shorter route to avoid getting caught in the rain ... and so it began. Plan B was to take us along the yellow trail in the Sheriff Creek area and then up to the cliffs on Horne Lake ... however ... a short way in, another trail beckoned to us. Emily simply outlined the possibilities but it was a unanimous decision to follow the steeper trail upwards, afterall, the path had been blown clear of leaves for us! Each junction further along followed the same routine, options by Emily and voting - and never the easy way for the Wonderful Women! ... so upward we continued, past THE erratic and on toward the summit. Eventually the decision was made to exit the trail system at the area near the bench on the Lookout Tower Road, not in defeat by the challenge but to escape the unrelenting mosquito attacks. Highlights along the way included a beautifully picturesque stream, many bird calls identified by and sometimes returned by Emily, sprouting acorns, a patch of unusual red lady's slipper along with several other beautiful wild plants getting ready to bloom (Emily knew their names!), bear scat presumably by a solo young bearcub, and even a frog hopping along in the middle of the forest! The return along the road proved proftable - we collected $1.00 in refundable drink cans and we saved on reduced blood donations to the insect hordes!
Was Plan B shorter? - sure didn't feel like it!
The weather? - actually fully cooperated with our adventure, ushering us to our car under sunny skies! Ahh, another great day spent communing with nature.
