Last week when the weather was cooperative, we packed a picnic and took a trip to Cloudland Canyon. It’s a nice state park located south of the state line. The trip was of an experimental nature. My husband’s knee has been a little bit wonky, and we needed to re-access his hiking ability before we started planning longer hikes.
Both of us grew up in rural areas. As people accustomed to fields, forests, and creeks, we have a less stringent sense of geographical boundary. Kids don’t observe barbed wire fences, they squeeze between cables. What appears to the casual observer as a flagrant disregard for trespassing, is usually nothing more than casual exploration, and the juvenile desire to mark territory.
I like Cloudland, but they have so many rules.
I don’t want to destroy the natural habitat, or damage fragile ecosystems, but I miss climbing, rock collecting, and stick hoarding. My husband misses blazing trails, and gaining better access to creeks and overlooks.
I want to preserve habitat for future generations, but I also long to collect moss and rocks to create a more natural setting within my own yard. In the past, I may have harvested these items, but only for the purposes of propagation, never destruction.
In spite of al the rules, we managed to have good time.
I bet you did sneak some moss home in your pack. I know you.
I’m sure that the little bits you take don’t have an appreciative effect on the park. the problem is that if enough people take a rock, or some moss, then the trails through our state parks will eventually be denuded for yards on either side of the trail. Surely you can find other sources of these things that don’t disturb the areas the parks are designed to protect?
Sometimes the government, through their rules, really knows how to suck the fun out of life. Glad that you and your hubby were able to enjoy yourselves despite (or is that in spite of, looking at Meno’s reply) the rules.
meno, yes, you know me, but I didn’t sneak home moss this time. It was a few days later.
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Bob, the problem is I know what I should do, so I try to comply. There are other places with fewer restrictions I will visit later. Okay, did visit later, but I was very careful not to diminish the experience for others.
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Lynn, yes, I have moss fetish. You are onto me. I’m not a felon yet, but it’s probably a matter of degrees.