Hike to the Buffalo River with my imaginary dog with no rain
9/27/22
Many times I have wandered into this wilderness. Many times, return was in question. Peril is inherent to this plot of forest within the Ozark National Forest. Many pitfalls await the unwary. Deadly bluffs, evil woodland creatures, powerful streams and other assorted dangers will greet the uninformed visitor to this hellhole. My history here allows me to pass through unharmed, for the lowland and highland creatures know that I am king. Any challenge made is simply brushed aside as if, a feather or...something light like that. On this occasion time was limited. Entry was made at 3:45 in the afternoon with sunset scheduled for 6:58. The weather was as follows...79°, bright sunshine, low humidity and dewpoint with no perceptible wind. Early fall was present with a few colorful trees showing their loveliness. After a time, arrival was made at my chosen camp unit. Remember...I only camp in locations that are well used and have been worn down to bare dirt with caveman style stone furniture and fire pits that are filled with trash and copious amounts of ash...not.
My hammock was arranged near a straight sided boulder. The night was expected to cool into the low 50's in this region. Comfort would be achieved with my setup. As the sun approached the ridge across the river, I approached my designated food preparation area beneath a large, juicy boulder just down the hill. Remember...always eat away from where you sleep...not. Who gives a shit about bears and such coming into camp. They will be wrestled. A hearty portion of freeze dried chicken and dumplings was inserted into my mouf and sent down the gullet. As the light faded, I mused of times gone by where I wrestled a diverse population of ground hugging varmints...all of which were vanquished. Gnats and less so, mosquitos, provided a goodly bit of displeasure which ruined my hopes for a relaxing evening. The comfort of the hammock was sought, due to this, since a fire was not to be had. The ground was just far to dry, dammit.
The night provided around four hours of sleep with a low temp of 52°. It was quite comfortable. I arose at 4:30, packed and headed out. Breakfast was had at the South Park Restaurant in Clarksville. It was very refreshing. Then I drove home. My total hiking distance was around 4.3 miles.
