Camping with the Sierra Club

Every Martin Luther King holiday weekend, the Golden Triangle Sierra Club plans a camping/biking/hiking/canoeing excursion, and after several years of invites I finally cleared my schedule and joined the group for this year's outing to Boykin Springs in the Angelina National Forest,  in the heart of East Texas.

Cold rain prohibited our planned Friday and Saturday night stays, so Patrick, his adorable girlfriend Amy, and myself (Bill stayed home sick) arrived at the campsite Sunday morning early enough to set up our camp, before setting off for the day's hike.  Now, those of you who know me well already sense that I am WAY outside my comfort zone, especially in the absence of Bill, and I admit to being very skeptical to my success at camping.  However, the planners and veterans of these trips are not just tolerant of newbies, they enjoyed the opportunity to teach and assist wherever needed.

So, Saturday morning the 9 of us (plus the most gorgeous, friendly Golden Retriever, Sunny) set off on a 5 mile round trip hike to the Old Aldridge Mill Site, the ruins of a thriving sawmill town that was abandoned around 1920.  The hike through the piney woods was really lovely, following and crossing clear cold creeks along the way.  We had our packed lunch at the ruins of the mill, which were massive, spooky and desecrated by graffiti 'artists'.

Later in the evening, our group gathered around the fire to tell stories and be entertained by Patrick who had brought his guitar and honored us with a few tunes.  This was a great group of folks to hang out with, ranging in age from 17 to 81.  Our oldest camper was none other than Maxine Johnston, "Godmother of the Big Thicket National Preserve".  Although I've briefly met Maxine before, it was an experience I'll never forget - hearing her stories, and being entertained by her heartily singing a Disney tune, "The Reluctant Dragon".

After a cold and sleepless night (our sleeping bags were completely inadequate), six of us put our canoes in the Neches River at 9:00 a.m. and set off for a 15 mile canoe trip.  Let me say this, if like me you've never canoed before and someone says, "we're going to canoe 15 miles today," swallow your pride, be a weenie, and bail out or ask for a shorter trip.  Despite truly glorious moments, such as the sun sparkling on the river, the stillness, sighting a bald eagle and Maxine's aforementioned singing, 7 hours of canoeing is grueling.  Patrick and Amy turned their canoe over at mile 2, and by mile 5 I knew I had taken on WAY more than I could handle.  Thanks, however, to the patience and perseverance of our excellent guide, Gerald, we finally reached the end of our travels shortly before 5 p.m.  Yes, it's true, I shed a few tears of joy and relief when I spotted the bridge that signaled the end.  Maxine, by the way, is tougher than a $2 steak - I asked her if her arms were sore after all that paddling (mine were in agony) and her only complaint was her, "hands were a little raw."

The three of us made it home around 8:30 Monday night, after stopping and pigging out in Jasper at The Cedar Tree (best meal ever!).  We were dirty, exhausted yet exhilarated and haven't been able to stop talking, laughing about our experiences.  And, as I told Gerald, despite all my whining (and some cussing) on the river, I'm in for next year.  You should join us!