The Goal Post Tree

We set out to look for " a tree in the forest" for the second time. "The goal post tree". The Indian's used to mark trees or bend them so they would grow a certain way to use for markers in the forest. Chuck and I didn't find this tree the first time we set out to find it. Since then, Chuck got on line and found information that would help us locate it. Within the first 15 minutes of our hike, there it was! Just a few yards off the trail. Since we found the tree so fast, we decided to hike up the trail to see if we could find the canyons. Sure enough...there they were so up we started. The whole time I was going up, up,up , I kept telling myself this isn't going to be a " good thing" when it's time to come down. I had just gotten my back aligned with the chiropractor and I kept thinking how he would frown upon me doing this. It sure was worth the climb though. It was just beautiful. A perfect place to have lunch and rest before starting down. We were so far up above the tree level that my cell phone actually worked and I was able to call Shell to tell her where we were. I had called her before we entered the forest and told her the area that we would be in and if she hadn't heard from us by dark to call the rangers. Don't laugh...we have been lost in this forest before...lol. Shell knew it was a good thing that she knew where we were going.She has been with us when we were lost...even though Chuck won't admit we were. After the slow climb down from the canyon tops, Chuck took me to see this old small cemetery that he had stumbled upon when looking for the tree first time. ( I had been sitting on a fallen tree resting) It's neat to think that people used to live in the forest a long, long time ago. On the trail back to the explorer, we ran into two "squirrel hunters" and their dogs. They stopped and introduced themselves and talked forever. We knew their life stories after 15 minutes of talking to them. That's just the way "southerns" are. We just laugh and enjoy their " tales". Another fun hike in the forest and we can take people to see " the goal post tree" because no one ever finds it on their first try.