North Country: Still sitting here in Texas!

Jun 10 2013

Went a mile or so up the road from here to West Juniper Point and picked up the trail-head of the Cross Timbers trail that runs along the southern shore of the lake. (Lake Texoma in case you got lost.)  You would think a lake shore trail would be relatively flat, but according to my GPS I managed to climb 1500 ft. during the 8 ¼ mile hike. Of course, since it was an out-and-back hike, I had to descend that same 1500 ft. too!

I probably should have made this more like a 6 mile hike, 8 miles in Texas in June really kicked my butt! I started fairly early and the temps were in the mid 70’s, six and a half hours later I staggered back to the van with only a little bit of water left and temps in the high 90’s.

It’s a pretty good trail and I saw no one else out there on it except at the 2.5 mile mark where the trail cuts across a marina. (Gee, I wonder if that was a clue that summer was not the best time to be traipsing around out there!!?) When I first started the dew was still clinging to spider webs strung out just about everywhere, including across the trail itself of course, which was a narrow, lightly used path through the otherwise thick growth that brushed alongside me with every step

There are primitive campsites scattered along the trail and according to one reviewer who was out there on a Memorial Day weekend there’s no problem snagging one so it sounds like this trail doesn’t see a lot of traffic even in better hiking weather. There was another 10 miles of trail in front of me when I finally got smart enough to turn around and head on back. Clearly that’s going to have to wait for another time.

I’m still at the Cedar Mills Marina campground tonight, kicking back and seeking out any little breeze coming in off the water and thinking I'll need a second shower just before turning in. All in all I’m pretty sure this day’s hike is going to leave a mark and I’ll probably be creaking around like an old man tomorrow. Oh wait! I am an old man, at least according to my daughter, so that’s OK, I’m allowed.

Even the critters that live out there had enough sense to stay indoors rather than go traipsing around the trail in the heat!!