Trip Report -- BSF -- March 2007

“Good morning everyone. Thank you Mike, Brad, Diana and Casey.

As far as a trip report, I don't have much to say yet. It's Monday morning, and I'm catching up with work stuff at the moment.”

“Thursday, March 8.
Got to Peters Mt trailhead about 2pm and found Stokley and LilTrooper already there. Spent a few minutes with introductions, and mentioned that Fridge should be arriving in about an hour. Stokley mentioned that this was her first TrailTalk trip, and in fact – was her first "let’s go hiking with a bunch of strangers" trip. Shared some of my experiences with other TrailTalk trips and got to know each other a little better until Fridge arrived. Found a great spot for our evening campfire and pitched our tents on the flat spots surrounding it. Mocs arrived about nightfall, and the five of us shared stories over dinner.

Friday, March 9
Maude’s Crack was everything we had imagined and more, and included a fun bushwhack to the JMT. Mistakenly assumed that we had reached "the point" and took lunch only to push on another ½ mile and get an awesome view of Boyette’s homestead from the (real) JMT overlook. Pushed on, and thought we had reached Rough Branch and Alder Branch. Chose to push on another ½ mile where we found a really sweet campsite with a spring flowing directly out of a rock. Found a great spot for our evening campfire and pitched our tents on the flat spots surrounding it, and the five of us reflected over our day and shared stories over dinner.

Saturday, March 10
TownDawg gets a 30 minute head start, but discovered that we had not reached Rough Branch and Alder Branch. Pushed on to Divide Road, where Stokley realizes that LilTrooper is having fun, but growing tired -- and the two of them elect to bail, able to return to their car at Terry Cemetery. They were lucky enough to meet a Boyette who was there waiting to ATV his eighty-two old aunt to the Boyette homestead, and got a first hand account (with unpublished details) of the 1933 murder of Ransom Boyette.

Fridge, Mocs and TownDawg pushed onward to Rock Creek Loop. The excellent views of the river and the abandoned railroad was everything we had imagined and more. We turned off, and followed the Sheltowee Trace northward to Great Meadow. Chose to push on another ½ mile, and crossed the river where we found a really sweet campsite on the "beach". Found a great spot for our evening campfire and pitched our tents on the flat spots surrounding it, and the three of us reflected over our day and shared stories over dinner. Got a late night visit from a park ranger who gave us two different (official) versions of the 1933 murder of Ransom Boyette.

Sunday, March 11
Fridge gets an hour head start with Mocs following 30 minutes behind. TownDawg took off in pursuit only to discover that with the trail poorly marked, ended up bushwhacking due east till I found Divide Road about two miles from the Peters Mt Trailhead. Fridge and Mocs pushed on to Hemlock Grove, and then elected to take Gobbler’s Arch trail instead of the Mark Branch Trail. Somehow even with my bushwhacking, I beat them back to our cars.



=================================
Pictures to come later.”

“You left out the good parts.



What did you guys cook?”

“LOLz. Ramen noodles of course?

Flour tortillas, and gnocchi pasta
Colby/Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

picante sauce
pico de gallo

olive oil
softened butter (softened for lightly spreading on tortilla shells)

dehydrated beef, and beef broth
chicken
shrimp
pancetta, minced: lean bacon (sliced into 1/2" pieces)

sliced mushrooms
medium-size onion, cut in thin wedges
medium-size sweet green pepper, cut in strips
black olives, sliced
fresh tomatoes, diced
lettuce
carrot, minced
stalk of celery, minced
crushed tomatoes or tomato paste, dissolved

whipping cream
sour cream
guacamole

dry red wine”

“Breakfasts
Blueberry pancakes –w- bacon
Western omelet –w- bacon

Dinners
Quesadillas
Gnocchi –w- meat sauce
Stroganoff –w- cheese sauce”

“Meat Sauce(for the gnocchi)
• 6 to 8 ounces (150-200 g) ground beef
• 2 ounces (50 g) pancetta, minced (optional; if you omit it increase the beef)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• A quarter of a medium-sized onion, minced
• A half a carrot, minced
• A six-inch stalk of celery, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water
• Beef broth (If you don't have any, dissolve half a bouillon cube in a cup of boiling water)
• A pinch of salt
• Grated Parmigiano.

Cheese Sauce(for the Stroganoff)
• 1/2 cup, of butter
• 1 cup, whipping cream
• 1/2 pound, Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon, salt
• 2 tablespoons, olive oil
• 1/2 cup, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large skillet. When butter foams, add cream and bring to a boil, then add Gorgonzola cheese. Stir and cook 3 or 4 minutes over low heat, until cheese is melted and cream begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.
last edited: 3/12/07 4:20:01 PM”

“That's my contribution to the TR. Maybe the others will chime in on their stories also.”

“My first time there in the BSF. TICKS 2 oveM
Lots of Laughs, On the first day after the squeeze through Maude's Crack and Bushwacking down to No Business Creek, Town Dawg , takes a step over a stone wall after crossing the creek and falls into a mud hole I know it was as deep as his upper thigh, so what does the Dawg do..........Keeps righ on going through it mud slinging up like a 4 wheeler trekkin. MUD up to his Arse. Laugh your arse off, reminded me of my own to dogs.
On the last day out I still don't see how the Dawg beat Mocs and I out. I know I was an hour ahead of the Dawg. There was a Campground 1 mile up from our camp and plenty of people headed out. Hey Dawg........you sure your not a SLACKER.

The Dawg says he bush wacked straight up to Divide Road and back to Peters Mountain where our vehicles were parked. It must of been straight up.
YO Town Dawg........I'll be sending pics to you tomorrow as well as Mocs.
This Dawg is a CHEF, I mean this Dawg can take cabinet junk and turn a mean and wicked dish, I don't think Mocs ever cooked did he, and the Stokley's.
I'll be back later with more, I gotta go spend some time with Calm Spirits..........”

“Fridge, fridge.. my good man. You forget that I brought a GPS with me?

UTM16 0703027E 4054472N (campsite)

UTM16 0703463E 4054907N (lost as a goose)
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=16&e=703463&n=4054907&datum=NAD83&u=4

UTM16 0706611E 4055402N (back at peters mt)

The middle waypoint was taken when I climbed to the top of the ridge to help see where I was, and where I needed to go.
last edited: 3/12/07 9:52:25 PM”

“This was not only my first trip to BSF, but my first TT trip as well. Needless to say I had a great time and met some wonderful people. Thanks to everyone for their knowledge and experience, and a big thanks to chef Town Dawg for whipping up some great meals for us.


My Pictures are now on webshots although they are not in chronological order.

http://community.webshots.com/user/Mocs123
last edited: 3/12/07 10:57:46 PM”

“Great pics, Mocs! (TownDawg, not TownDog though)

Fridge said he took over a 100. I'm not sure how many Stokley's got. So yeah -- lots of nice pictures to remember the trip by.”

“Hope ya'll enjoyed ur trip.”

“Sorry Town Dawg, It should be fixed now.”

“

Again, many thanks. Fridge -- I uploaded your pictures also.
last edited: 3/17/07 4:54:23 PM”

“Town,

I've only been to BSF once, about 10 years ago. My brother, best friend and I planned to hike from Leatherwood ford to Honey Creek. (My old Trails Illustrated map has a trail that connects the two.) Above the O&W bridge the trail/logging road trended west, not south. I didn't have a compass and wasn't as proficient x-country so we descended and camped at the bridge. We hiked out and drove over to the Twin Arches the next day. I'm not sure people know about all the arches in the area. If I went back I do the same thing and I think navigating across the plateau would be easier. I've noticed that new maps of the BSF don't show the old trail. I think it would be a great place to explore.”

“edoc -- I was reading somewhere.. I'd have to research it again.. but apparently the old trail (bushwhack) you name from O&W to Honey Creek has seen a resurgence -- cos I've seen several trip reports of the area lately.

In general? I think BSF is a wealth of ever expanding opportunity. I may be wrong, but my gut reaction says that there are large areas of the park that are not hardly traversed but would be quite passable.”