Black Creek Part 2

Life

līf/

noun

1. 1.

   the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.        

   
   

   Sometimes "life" isn't easy, but I guess no one ever said it would be.  It is something we all know and probably experience on a daily basis, some more than others.  For almost ten years now, I have taken mine for granted.  Tried to stay away from "life", but being alive is the greatest gift we will ever receive and very few truly experience it and take advantage of it.  I am not saying that you have to hike ten miles in the woods, or canoe down a swift stream with a friend or loved one but I am saying life is to short not to enjoy it.  Whatever it takes you must enjoy life.  Find your adventure, find your life.  Go outside, it is amazing.

   
   

   

   
   

   

   From First Trip

   The wife and I got an early start today and decided to head back to Black Creek in Mississippi.  We would definitely have more time and cover more ground as well.  After driving for almost two hours we are finally back to Big Creek Landing, the beginning of the trail.  Lots of yahoos out because of the holiday, but all of them are on the water drinking and carrying on.  We would hike all the way to the last bridge we made it to the week before and have a lunch and then continue on the trail where we had not been.  We were really covering some ground today with and average speed of 1.5 mph and top of 4 mph.  After a quick lunch and packing everything back up we would adventure into a new part of the Black Creek Trail, I was so excited I skipped lunch.

   
   

   The trail varies from grass to sand and sometimes spots that seems like no none has seen in years, but we continue relentlessly in hopes of seeing the next great thing.  More people out and about than last time and I was also noticing new things on the ground, so people have definitely hiked the trail since we had last week.  We run into two fellow hikers, spoke for a minute and they told us a nice little shortcut to dodge most of the overgrown path, which was a gravel road that led to some private property on the water, maybe a hunting camp or vacation spot, either way it was a nice place.  To the right of the gate was the trail and a white diamond which confirmed the direction we needed to head in.  Stopped and photographed the wife under some huge jungle looking leaves and we continued on.  The people we spoke to earlier said we would come very close to some sandbars which I knew my wife would love to see. 

   

   Way point/shortcut.

   
   

   

   The trail started to get interesting as it hugged the sandy cliffs overlooking the water.  The briers are awful and we seemed to always be dodging them, but no complaints for me.  The trails would only stay thick for a few minutes and then open back up.  We would come across another tree bridge, this time it crossed the whole creek to a sandbar and we decided to give it a go on the way back.  The ticks really seemed to like me and not my wife, but briers seemed to be more attracted to her than me, but still no complaints.

   

   Sandbar that the tree bridge led to.

   
   

   Crossed a power line cut and then the trail lead us into some nice shaded woods.  We kept saying we should probably head back, but we kept on going.  I am glad we did because we came across the some more man made bridges on the trail, which seem to be my favorite.  After a few more minutes we where at the road.  Walking back down the road was very tempting, but we decided to trek back through the woods, today we became hikers.  We called this the first part of the trail. 

   

    

   We made it back to the tree bridge and though there were drunk turkeys everywhere we decided to cross it anyway, who cares what they think.  This bridge was a little bit scarier than the last, but the wife and I both made it to the other side and then back again.  I set a way point at the "shortcut" and we finally made it back there and I decided I needed a little break for some food and water.  Three liters, we found out today just isn't enough for the two of us but we made do.  We are a great adventuring team and when I am with her (wife) it really makes me feel alive despite the nonsense in the world,.  We both really needed today, it relaxed us both very much.  A total of 5.6 miles in 3 hrs 45 min.

   

   
   

   
   

   

   After making it back to the car and realizing we where the only people around, to the creek we went to cool off.  I got down to my skivvies and waded out into the cold creek, it was so relaxing and felt amazing after a hot day of hiking.  Time to head back to Alabama, but on the way back where HWY 49 meets 98 there was a little BBQ  joint called Rose's and I decided to stop and give a try.  Don't know if I was just really hungry or it might have been the best BBQ I have ever had, especially since it was a gas station.  A few minutes down 98 I would stop so my wife could get a salad at Subway and back towards Mobile we headed. 

   
   

   

   

   
   

   

   Interesting Pathway

   
   

   

   Overall hike (5.6 miles)

   
   

   

   The Road

   

   Sign

   
   

   

   Another adventure in the bag.

   
   

   
   

   Today was a great day, life is short. We must do everything we can to enjoy it while we can.  Find an adventure, it will change everything and it will make the hardships of life seem easy.  Share it with someone and if not go and enjoy yourself.

   Until the next adventure.