A Sense of Discovery

The Great Outdoors: part three

   So, with all the information available out there, don't hesitate to get out and do some exploring.  I was talking over the fence with my neighbor a while ago after Kat and I had just got home from a day hiking.  Telling him about our adventure that day his response was 'I could never do that, I wouldn't even know where to go'.  Later I got to thinking about that comment, personally I wouldn't forgo hiking just because I didn't know where to go.

    Some of the best times we have in the great outdoors happen when we have no particular place in mind.  Once while hiking up Big Buffalo Creek from Dixon Ford, we were a little upstream from Nuckles Creek and saw an old road trace heading up a hill back to the east, it was pretty overgrown and didn’t look like anyone had used it in quite some time.  We decided why not, let’s check it out.  Just up the hill about a hundred yards we found an old homesite with rock walls, a stone fireplace and chimney and some old rusty wash tubs (see: 80 Dixon Ford to UBMBT).  Although nothing special, we see old homesites all the time while hiking, but not knowing about it in advance made it very special indeed. 

old homesite 'discovery'

     That feeling you get from finding something unexpected that’s what it’s all about, this is called the ‘sense of discovery’.  It’s just not the same finding an old homesite in the woods if it’s on the map or if you read about it.  The NPS at the Buffalo doesn’t seem to understand the concept... we were hiking the BRT and just north a little from Parker-Hickman Homestead we came to a trailside sign pointing left up an old road and stating, ‘Discovery Site’.  I don’t think you can call it a ‘discovery’ if there is a sign pointing the way (see: 54Parker-Hickman 8).  While having a destination in mind might be nice, it isn’t really necessary, just get out there and have a good time, it’s easy.

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