It's been a while

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."   -John Muir

  It has been a while since I have written anything, spoke my opinion or logged an adventure.  Needless to say all of that still exists inside of me.  I still ponder many things about life and the universe.  Every adventure leads me to more questions about existence of me and the things I see.  I often wonder what was going on years before I was in the spot that I am in, who else has been here and what purposes this particular piece of land has served.  It is easy these days to get frustrated and caught up in the world around us, often we do not take the time to enjoy ourselves in whatever ways we do.  Finally when we do get to do the things we enjoy, we are usually wrapped up in ourselves to truly enjoy or get away from it all.  Sometimes I wonder if it is really possible to get way anymore.  I am grateful for every chance I do get to get out in the woods, in my canoe or out on an adventure, sometimes even work.  Realizing I am very privileged in this aspect of life and not many people or at least they say, cannot get away from it all and escape into the beauties of the outdoors.  One day I hope that it will be all that I do.  I want to live there, breathe there, work and play there.  I want to truly emerge myself into the outdoors and never come back.  After every trip as soon as I get back into civilization , I always question why?  Every trip, every adventure just makes me long for it that much more.  Maybe I have a sickness, or maybe just maybe I have found my one true calling in life but the question is how?  How do I make this the only thing to do?  Hopefully I am on my way.

  Since the last post I have accomplished many adventures.  Right after Cheaha my wife and I did the first six miles of the Tuxachanie National Hiking Trail located in Mississippi.  It was a great hike with six miles in to the Airey Lake Campground, which is a free place to camp with toilets and running water and then six miles back.  A total of twelve miles in just under five hours.  The first part of the trail is filled with pines, palmettos, and pitcher plant bogs; among other things as well.  This first part of the trail also follows and old abandoned logging railroad from the 1900's.  You can still see some of the remnants if you look hard enough.  The trail is located off of Highway 49 just north of Gulport in the Desoto National Forests.  When we do the whole trail I will have a blog for it, but for now I thought it was worth mentioning. 

 Here recently a group of us went back to the Sipsey Wilderness.  We hiked in on the 206 trail, roughly four miles or so and stayed for 3 nights.  The first night we arrived late and stayed at the Wolf pen Hunter's Camp.  Overall we stayed five days and four nights, it was nice to finally get to see some of the great sights at Sipsey.  On our way in we got a look at "Ship's Rock", we hiked to "Big Tree" and then one of the days my wife and I went on our own adventure and found "Eye of the Needle."  Every trip to Sipsey seems to be a learning experience, well I guess if you really want to be honest every trip in the woods is a learning experience, but there is something about Sipsey.  She always wants me to learn something from her.  Like Muir said it is a clear way into the Universe and I truly believe it, it is just finding that path and staying on it. Overall it was a great trip and really enjoyed being in the woods with others.

   I hope I am privileged enough to keep adventuring and to keep finding stories to tell and inspiring others to run to the woods or get out in a canoe.  Finding one's self in nature is truly amazing and there is nothing like it on this earth, nothing can take its place.  Growing closer and closer to a world that is not like the civilized one we are forced to live in and be one with, but to truly be free is to be in nature, in the woods.

Thank you all who support me, read my ramblings, followers and picture viewers.  Things have slowed a bit  but no matter at what pace I will continue t\o move forward.  I have stickers still available.  You can also view many more pictures at Living Wander or my instagram @living_wander.  Any thoughts, suggestions, opinions or places I should go please let me know.  Feel free to email me anytime.  Keep your eyes posted on the Facebook page for details on a hiking/camping trip I will be leading and inviting everyone to, I have had many people asking to go on some adventures, so I will finally get that organized and planned.  It will be in the Mobile or Baldwin County area.  You should know more at the first of the year.  Also some trips in our future (wife and I 2014) Oak Mountain, Rickwood Cavern, Cheaha, and definitely Sipsey.  Hopefully next year I can explore more trails around Florida and Alabama.  I am also hoping to complete the Black Creek National Hiking Trail.  Here is to many more adventures and stories.  Until next time live to wander.

South Cheaha Wilderness Loop

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.” 

― E.B. White, Letters of E. B. White

There is nothing like being in the woods experiencing all this earth has to offer, it is almost addicting.  Every time you go, you just want to go back, wondering when the next time will be and how long will you get to stay.  If you ever get the taste of nature, it is very hard to get out of your mouth.  Nothing compares to it and everything inside you knows it.  It is almost as if your soul longs for it, at least I know mine does and every since I have discovered this, there is nothing that can replace it.  I never thought I would come to a point in  my life where I would desire to be outside so much, but I am glad that I am here and look forward to where this will take me.

Cheaha is a beautiful place, especially this time of year.  With all the leaves changing colors and falling to the ground it is a wondrous site that no picture can truly depict the beauty that you are surrounded by as you walk upward to Heaven and Rocky Top.  With an elevation of 2160' it is definitely a site to be seen as you look out onto the earth below and you can even see the cloud's shadow.  

The loop consists of many trails with very few blazes, but it was still pretty easy to follow.  We started it a little different then what the website suggests.  Starting at Turnipseed Hunters Camp going up to Rocky Top and back down to Adam's Gap.  We camped very close to the C.C.C. chimney the first night.  We had no clue that Pinhoti 100 was going on and had trail runners coming through our camp most of the night.  With little sleep, the next day we would decide to go ahead and finish the loop and head home.  We had ten miles to go at this point.  I never seen so many people in the woods at one time,  it was a great weekend to be out and about.

From the Pinhoti to the Skyway loop we came up on Devil's Den and decided to take a break.  It was very peaceful to watch the water race by as I ate lunch under a rock.  From there we made our way up to the Cheaha Falls Shelter.  From the shelter we could see most of our travels on the other side, it was amazing.  With a quick rest there we would finish the loop way before dark even with the time change.  I feel like we accomplished something this weekend.  With over eighteen miles in two days dodging trail runners and many people it still felt good to be in the woods.  Thank you David for letting me join.

Life is a funny thing, you never know what is going to happen but if you are determined there is nothing you cannot do.  I think as humans we do not give ourselves enough credit, we are very capable creatures.  Challenge yourself and if you truly want to succeed, you will.  Go outside and enjoy the vast wonders of Mother Nature and this place we luckily get to call home.  This earth is not ours we are just guests here.  Don't try to change it or make it better, it is already the greatest thing you could ever be apart of.  Until next time, live to wander.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

"I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied."                     

                                                                                                                    -John Masefield

Never really been much on the beach, sand or the ocean but Sunday changed my mind a bit.  The beach that most people go and have their fun at is not the beach I experienced that day, it was almost like Bon Secour but it seemed endless.  Miles upon miles of undeveloped land and nothing but beauty as far as the eye could see.  White quartz sand surrounded by beautiful water, golden rods, and dunes.  Where is this?  The Florida district of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

A few friends and I headed down to Perdido Key to paddle out and see the earth, I had no clue it was going to be as amazing as it was.  We started the day by dragging our boats from the road through the sand to start off in Big Lagoon.  From Big Lagoon we would paddle around five miles or so to what was known during the Civil War as Fort McRee.  Halfway there we stopped to eat lunch and take a break on Redfish Point, an excellent island with so many colors and beauty as the sun shined bright above us.  The lagoon was a little choppy but nothing that couldn't be enjoyed.  During our break, we hung out around an old abandoned boat, probably washed up from one of the hurricanes in previous years.  I decided I would climb inside in hopes to find a sack full of money, no money but still very interesting to be inside.

As we arrived closer to Fort McRee, you could almost feel yourself going back in time as you looked upon the hill and wondered how rough it was for those soldiers during the most deadliest war in history.  Fort McRee was established to defend Pensacola Bay, along with Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas.  On November 22, 1861 Fort Mcree was bombarded by Union forces and ships Niagra and Richmond.  Though Richmond took heavy fire from the Confederate troops, Fort Mcree was no match and 5 p.m. that day the Fort was silent.  The next day Niagara resumed fire on the Fort as well as the Union controlled Fort Pickens, although the Fort survived it was badly battered.  With chunks of wall demolished by cannon fire and most of the wooden decks destroyed by fire the Fort was no more and the Confederate abandoned and set fire to McRee by 1862.  Battered and burned is how the Fort would stay for the next three decades.

In 1898 a battery was constructed with eight inch rifled guns, known as Battery Slemmer, also in 1899 a battery of rapid fire guns where installed known as Battery Center but by 1906 a hurricane destroyed most of the structures.  The guns where later removed for WWI and sent to Europe.  Later the sight of Fort McRee would be used during WWII as another battery, constructed but never used.  The war ended before the guns where even installed.  The remnants of this still remain.

After exploring the Fort, we paddled back across the lagoon and decided to take the Gulf back to the cars.  This would be a first for me and made me a bit uncomfortable, but I always up for new adventures and it was well worth it.  As we made our way back dolphins almost seemed to be following us, making sure we made it back safe.  There is nothing like watching the sun go down as you paddle back on the ocean.  I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone, do something that you will remember for the rest of your life.  If you have never experienced paddling give it a try, if that doesn't intrigue you, everything I talked about can be reached by foot.  Overall it was an eleven mile paddle, but the benefits and the sites you get to see are well worth the effort.  This earth is not our home, but it truly welcomes us as guest.  With a little respect and effort your soul can be freed.  Try it, I promise you won't regret it.  Until next time, live to wander.