Paulding Forest

Some time last month I apparently went hiking in the Paulding Forest. I don't remember the motivation exactly. I remember that it was kind of late in the day. Seems like I had a bunch of stuff to do that day, and I was just trying to fit something in.

Well, whatever the motivation, I hiked the "Stuffed Lion Road", which is just east of whatever that church is off of Braswell Mountain Road. The various roads back there were supposed to kind of tie in to the loop near the church. I guess I figured I'd go see if they really do or not.

I parked at the gate, but the gate was unexpectedly open. The stuffed lion was also unexpectedly missing, having been tied to the gate for at least the previous couple of years, and from the look of it, longer than that. I didn't find it lying nearby either, so it seemed like it might be gone for good.

The road itself wasn't much to write about.

Not especially scenic. Not much to see to either side. It runs along a bit of a ridge, and it's been used as a tree farm to either side for years and years. There were dozens of little strip cuts off in either direction, down the length of it.

I did notice something lying in the road though, not too far from the gate.

I recognized it immediately. The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. One of my favorite albums of all time. I originally didn't buy the album because I thought the song Remedy was just too blatantly obviously about drugs. Then, at some point I realized it was about sex, and I was like "Ohhhhh.... Ha! I'm an idiot" and bought the CD. I was hoping for a continuation of the first album, but it was so different that it was initially disappointing. At the end of each song I kept thinking: "Ok maybe the next one will be like Sister Luck." Nope. Damn. It wasn't until I'd gone through it once and accepted that it wasn't going to be Shake Your Money Maker II that I gave it a listen on it's own. And I was like "Ohhhhh... Ha! I'm an idiot" and loved it ever since. Since then, I've always contended that the Black Crowes know better what I like than I do.

Just up the road, off to the left, this whitish little pillar caught my eye.

Veal Cemetery, eh?

Yep.

Dozens of graves. Most time-worn and illegible.

I expected to maybe see something else along the road, but there wasn't anything else to be seen, all the way down the length of it. I did find where it teed in to the other little system. There was a semi-overgrown spur that might be worth exploring one day too. And, there was a creek crossing. Nothing else though.

Well, almost nothing. It generally goes without mentioning that I found a balloon or two.

I found a balloon or two.

I don't honestly even remember if the hike was satisfying or not. I guess if I don't remember, then it couldn't have been all that great. On paper it wasn't too great. But, it does count as exploration, and Adventure. So, I guess that's something.