At Greenleaf State Park

Today we did what folks do when camping.  We went hiking and explored the park.  One of the features of Greenleaf State Park is a system of hiking trails that can be as long or as short as you wish.  The main trail runs about 8.5 miles from the trailhead to the farthest point, and there are two primitive campgrounds along the route that provide a place to overnight, as long as you pack in your own amenities.  We opted for a shorter portion of that trail, which loops around the southern end of the lake, taking the highway bridge across the lake, and then through the woods out to the eastern end of the lake to a suspension bridge, which crosses a narrow inlet of the lake.  The posted distance is about a mile and a half out, but because it has many elevation changes and varied types of terrain, it seemed much longer.  It was a cool and overcast day, but the weather was warm enough to be comfortable, and the trek was enjoyable, although very tiring.  My lack of running and other exercise during the winter months is obvious to me now.

The suspension bridge

We encountered several groups of people--and some solitary individuals--hiking the trail.  Several of them were carrying large backpacks for overnight stays in the primitive campgrounds.  Surprisingly, we even met a couple of guys from  Tahlequah that we knew.  It will be interesting to hear their accounts of the hike when we next meet up with them.

Later, wandering around the campground, we were impressed with the casual friendliness of the average campers.  That's something to look forward to as we anticipate lots of camping this summer.

This time, I did not forget to load the television, and it was a very weird sensation to be able to watch the Today show while eating breakfast, and in the evening to watch a movie on the DVD player linked to the TV.  Sure beats the tent!  Of course, nothing beats sitting out at night watching the stars without the "light pollution" of the city.  The sky had cleared during the afternoon, and there were millions of stars visible from the mountaintop where we were camped.  And the Google Sky app on my phone identified all the constellations and all of the planets and largest stars.  I am reminded that they're all right where God has placed them and even those orbits are temporary!