The Mansfield Adventure

I had agreed to lead a hike at the Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center south of Mansfield, Ga with the Newnan Hiking Club on a Saturday, June the 21st and so I decided to get a little camping in also by heading up on the Friday before and use the primitive camping facilities. 

I got off duty on Friday around normal time and headed home.  Once there I started to pack and get my gear together but I walked too close to the comfy chair and realize, too late, that it latched onto my behind and started working its magic of somnia.  Once I had awaken, I started again to ensemble the needed paraphernalia only to have Ranger B.A.T. take my face in his paws, with his scimitar ever so slightly protruding, looked at me as if to say "Listen here ol' boy, we being friends and all; it's time you gave me a little TLC since I have finally learn how to purr.  Lately you haven't given' me much to purr about".  Time out to rub him down until he's purring loud enough to rattle the windows 

    

I finished throwing the pack together and was ready to go when I realize I was missing my figure nines.  A diligent search turned up nothing and I was spending too much time in the process.  I will have to do without.  

So, I am finally off and heading eastward on Ga 16.  It didn't take me too long to realize that Ga 16 between Newnan and Turin was not optima, especially between five pm and six.   But I was able to dodge the no drivers and cruised into Griffin.

The Dwarf House looked mighty good. So, I stopped for some body fuel and then for some cycle fuel later at the station next door.

Well, after I left the Chick-Fil-A in Griffin, I headed eastward looking for my turn and missed it.  Google Maps has come a long way but they still need to id a turn by the highway number and not the street when appropriate.  I didn't know that the street I was looking for was actually Ga 155 and missed the turn, something I didn't realize until I was east of town.  So, instead of turning back, I continued on to Monticello.  There I can pick up Ga 11 and head northward. 

    It was a nice ride to and through Jackson and I eased into Monticello where I checked my directions again then eased up towards Mansfield.  The sun was starting to set and dusk was coming up fast but the ride was still enjoyable.  There is a Pecan grove outside of Monticello that was a delight to behold as I rode by.  Soon I arrived at the turn off to the Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center.  No mistaking it, a great big ol' sign that even the blind wouldn't have missed.  I turned onto Marbin Farm Road and there was a kiosk with information for the center.  I stopped and looked at it for a moment or two and then I headed towards the camping area.  By now it was dark enough to make picking out a spot a challenge.  I found one and dropped the pack off the back, then I remember something very important; no water. 

    Yep, I had meant to pick up some water before I arrived but I thought "No big deal" and  that a trip over to the Visitor's Center was in order.  I left the pack, headed over to the Visitor Center and came to the realization; not a spigot to be found.  I spent a while looking before I realize that I was out of luck.  Yeah, there's several lakes in the area but I'm not fond of lake water that's unfiltered plus I wasn't about to tramp through the woods in the dark in search of a fast moving stream. 

      I decided to head to Mansfield for water.  So, mounting up the Pork; I'm off.  I arrive at Mansfield and discover that it is one of those quaint little town that pulls it's sidewalks in at sundown.  I'm sure I could of found a water spigot with some diligent searching and equally sure that I could have been shot, or at lease shot at.  Coming from Monticello I knew that I wouldn't find water until Jackson. I was faced with the possibility of either a dry camp or to trudge on.  Trudging northward towards Social Circle I came upon a crossroads that had an open convenience store.  Great!   

    A course they had the liter water that I needed and a Dr. Pepper that I wanted.  I got all that and a bag of chips ( Egad! That sounded so nineties), loaded it up and away I go.  I found  the campsite again and began the task of setting up.  There was a tent about a hundred feet away with a truck parked beside it and no lights visible.  They're asleep so I must be quiet (like that's really goin' to happen).  I used a big rock that was handy as a make shift table and I started to unpack, placing items on the rock.  Removing my culinary cups and bowls I placed them on the rock.  Gravity got the best of them and they succumbed to a trip to ground via sliding off the rock.  No, they weren't quiet about their travels.  I stood cringed with an eye towards my neighbor, in case they were inclined to, at the lease, chunk rocks towards my general vicinity or (since this place did have a shooting range) decide to get in some late night target practice.  It would seem my neighbors are sound sleepers.  

    I was able to get the rest of the camp pitched without too much incident.  I donned my kilt, slavered up with the baby oil and proceeded to climb into my sleeping bag, only to find that a sparassidae was already trying to occupied.  We eyed each other for a moment and I'm sure that this huntress spider realize that she may have been in error but I hurried her decision by sweeping her out with my pillow.  After checking to make sure she allowed the pillow to help her be propelled through time and space and not latch onto it to hang on for dear life, I finished crawling onto the sleeping bag. 

    Now, a quick description of my camp is in order.  Instead of using an actual tent I'll place a tarp on the ground, stake it out and then using trees I will run a line that I can drape a rain fly over.  If only a single tree is ideal then I'll tie my line off to it and run the other end to the ground pass the tarp and hang the fly over it (Indian camp style).  If I have two trees that are ideal then I'll run the line between the two and configure the fly in a campfire tent configuration.  This is idea when you want the campfire to help warm you while sleeping in the early spring or late fall.  I had two trees that were made for a campfire tent and this was the configuration I used.  No, no campfire.  It was still too hot.  So, I had the bag open and was laying on top, and I open my tank bag that had my cell phone in only to discover that... 

    I had left the phone on. 

    and the battery was just about dead. 

    with no way to charge it. 

    I am such a genius 

    Not! 

    By this time it was after midnight, still sweltering, and my phone was dead.  Believe it or not; I've experience worst.  Even worst than the next guess to visit my intended sleeping space: carpenter ants. I'm sure they were just being neighborly and checking me to see that everything was okey-dokey but my generic reflexes to SLAP them when they crawled on me was a force that I couldn't over come.  I did get to sleep but I doubt if I passed the ream R.E.M. because of the enquiring of the little black workers that were only showing their concern.  I imagine that it was 4ish before it cooled down enough for me to wrap in the bag, which stopped the ants inadvertently awaking me to their immediate demise. 

    First light, I heard my neighbors banging around, in possible retaliation for my late night pollution, and so I arose and put on the night shirt that was way too warm to wear the night before.  I saw my neighbors leave with a jon-boat and I wished them a great haul.  I then look around to see what type of site I chose.  There was several other fire rings, but I had chosen the one on the high ground.  If it had rained I wouldn't had to worry about being flooded out. 

    Breakfast is in order.  I bought two boiled eggs and some oatmeal with peaches with COFFEE (I may camp primitive but I refuse to camp uncivilized).  After breakfast was consumed I set up doing house keeping and breaking camp.  After sweeping off the couple of dozens carpenter ants caucuses I packed up, loaded up, and then traveled over to the Visitor's Center to await the arrival of the hiking club. 

    The visitor center has a small museum telling the story about Charlie Elliot and bathroom with running water.  After talking with the lady that was running the visitor center I learned that there was no outside spigots (as I surmised the night before) so I refilled my  bottles from the sink in the bathroom.  My fellow hikers wasn't slated to arrive until 11 and I still had a few hours to kill. I made the most of my time by sitting in one of the rocking chairs; napping.  A little before 11 I awoke, washed my face then set about to see if I could locate the group I had volunteered to lead. 

    I first met Bill Meyer who used to live in Coweta but now lives in Monticello.  We chatted for a few moments when Jennie Sellen and her friend located us (for the life of me I can't remember the friends name but she was very knowledgeable about the wild mushrooms we would see on the hike; I can only remember Bill's and Jennie's from the e-mails from the group on who would come to the hike).  We waited around to make sure no one else was arriving and then we started.  The hiking was pleasant, the weather just about right and the terrain was not too difficult. There was a couple of head scratching moments where the trail split while we were not sure which was to go (naturally, the center's maps were more approximate than precise).  We did come upon some archery targets, where the archers were to shoot from the trail down a path at the target.  The one of the bear was in the right types of shadows that when Jennie took it's picture it could be mistaken for real.  

    We met with some trail workers that informed us that a new trail was being cut into the western part of the park.  We realized that we had seen the beginning of the trail a while back when we came upon a bridge that crossed Murder Creek built out of logs.  The workers told us that that bridge was built by a Boy Scout for his Eagle Scout.  To say the lease, the bridge was impressive.  This new trail, along with other things, makes a good argument to return. 

    Once we had returned to the center the hike was over.  We said our goodbyes and I started to suit up for the ride home.  I was going to see if I could return by the route that I was suppose to travel but again, I missed the turn.  Oh, well; Monticello and Jackson are nice places to travel through.  When I got into Monticello, I started to hear a noise.  I tried to locate it while I was still moving and then discovered that an old truck with an even older cattle trailer was behind me.  I believed, there was my noise.  I pulled over to allow them to passed and continued towards Jackson.  The noise returned.  No truck behind me, no one behind me; what now... 

    I started looking for a place to pull over when I felt the snap, and the lurch.  Instinctively I grabbed the clutch but the engine had died.  I was coasting up hill and decelerating rapidly. When the bike stopped I was over as far to the right as I could get.  I looked down and my fear was realized. The chain was broke. 

    I will not attempt to repeat the string of "word" I uttered but here I was with a broke chain and a dead cell phone.  I knew that Monticello had nothing to help me so I decided to start heading towards Jackson.  I figured that some motorist would see me pushing a bike and at lease called to have the sheriff come out to investigate, or stop to see if they could offer assistance.  Cars upon cars roared pass. I pushed the bike about a mile before a woman in a mini-van heading towards Monticello turned around and offered assistance.  She called a tow company for me who promised to come out immediately.  She then offer to go into town to get some water for me but I told her that I had water and thanked her profusely for her help.  

    I then pushed the bike to the other side of the bar-ditch for safety and awaited.  Soon a truck stopped to offer help. I told him what had happened and that I had a wrecker coming. He then offered me a Dr. Pepper; how could I refuse?    No sooner than I secured my prize gift and my benefactor was pulling away when I noticed that Jennie Sellen, from the hike, had pulled over to offer me assistance.  Unfortunately, I had assistance coming and so after assuring her I was alright she went her way.  Only a few minutes later I spotted the wrecker. 

    He only took less than twenty minutes to get to me and I started to push the bike over the bar-ditch again when I notice that he had drove over the ditch himself to be on my side of it.  We made introductions and loaded up the bike on the roll back.  While trying to get back over the bar-ditch the bike layer down.  Great!  I've layer the bike down and I wasn't even on it.  We got out and looked the bike over, the highway peg was turned around on the engine guard and the guard was bent a little with one of the bolts that holds the top of the guard and the oil cooler secured had popped its head off. Nothing big.  We got the bike upright and resecured it and with a few tensed moments got back over the bar-ditch.  We first went to Jackson and stopped at Advance Auto Parts to see if they may have a master link.  No, but they turn us on to Cycle Nation of McDonough and we called them; they had what I needed.  So we were off to McDonough and I was getting just a little worried about the towing bill but we found the place, unloaded, then my wrecker man not to worry about the bill since there was some damage.  Great! 

    I was met by some of the service people who were concerned with being able to take on another job before time to close.  When I informed them what parts I needed and that I could do the repairs myself they were relieved.  While the parts person was looking up my master link I made a decision, that if it wasn't too dear, to replace the chain.  The price was right so i bought a new chain, breaker, and master link.  I then asked if they had some tools I could borrow, mainly the 23 mm wrench to loosen up the back tire and a 14 mm for the adjustment bolt.  Next thing I knew I had a "helper" with a tool box that politely took over and replaced the chain.  Once we got the old chain off an inspection revealed that the old chain was pretty much worn out with several of the links frozen. I have been oiling it every 600 miles as the service manual suggested. Another thing that we found was that it broke was from the side panels splitting.  Glad I made the choice to replace the chain.  

    After it was over I asked how much extra I owed and was informed that that was a promotional.  Now, I'm sure they don't do that for every costumer and was concerned about me not getting the chain back on before closing but still;  that was some great customer service. 

    So, once again I was Moreland bound, traveling south on Ga155 to Griffin (this was actually part of the route I was to take to Mansfield), where I had another lovely dinner experience at the Griffin Dwarf House and then home.  I made it just in time to see the sun set. 

    I had to work on Sunday, midterms in Speech on Monday, studying for midterms again on Tuesday, and midterms on psychology Wednesday with a mother lovely shift to work on Thursday.  It wasn't until Friday that I was able to get around to Pork Chop.  But when I did I took off the engine guard, straightened it, removed the beheaded bolt and replaced the guard.  The new bolt wasn't wanting to thread right so I had to take a tap and retap the threads and the new bolt fit just fine.  I also installed a power point with a USB plug so I can now keep my phone charged while out with the cycle.  I have also found a chain stretcher; that with a master link, chain breaker, pliers, and a small screw driver will ensure that the next time the chain breaks I will be able to repair it on the side of the road. 

    But, now that I'm prepared; that will never happen.