Intertwining Signal Mountain Trails- Oh my!

So this is a blog post about lessons learned while hiking. Secret the Wonder Pup and I headed to Signal Mountain because I wanted to go to Edward's Point from Shackleford Ridge Road. Mistake #1 was I didn't know exactly where the trailhead started. I actually pulled off on the side of Shackleford Ridge because I saw trail markers and another car. We hit the trail and it was almost immediate that it became almost impossible due to downed trees and lots and lots of puddles and streams across the path. Mistake #2- I didn't turn back. We found blazing for the orange trail and the blue trails and followed them for quite a while. What I didn't realize was how many forks there were in the trails. I also thought I was a lot closer to Edward's Point than I was. I didn't want to just trot up to it but I also didn't bank on 4 hours in the woods.


We never made it. The fallen trees were so bad when we were about 1/2 a mile from the point that I had to get off the trail to go around. I had dodged puddles, jumped over fallen trees but this was ridiculously covering the trails to the point I had a hard time even finding the trail. By this time I was sweaty, tired, I was drinking water like I had an addiction and the gnats were driving me insane. Secret even had a little wobble in her step. So, we turned around.

Yes, with 1/2 a mile to go. You see our middle school teachers have been challenging each other to read Carol Dweck's book on Mindset and so I am reading it again. As I stood there in the woods I asked myself, "what was your ultimate goal?" The answer, "exercise." So I turned around and headed back. 

I tend to have a pretty good sense of direction and on Signal you are either going to hit a road or walk off the side of the moment. I knew the way back to the car but as I was walking back it became quickly evident I had not realized how many trail splits there were. And I will be honest, I got confused. I found myself looking for our tracks walking in to make sure that I was heading back the way we came. We saw NO ONE on this trip, nor heard no one. So I was a little leery when I looked down and saw bear tracks!

As we continued to walk back to the direction of the car, (Mistake #3- I should have dropped a pin where I parked), the trails became more confusing but I knew I was heading the right direction. So we kept plodding along...both of us exhausted. We heard the traffic off Shackleford Ridge and knew we were close, I also knew I wasn't on the trail we came in on. We popped out of the woods and walked about another 1/2 mile back to the car. I cried. I knew I wasn't really lost but there was that sense of lostness a few times. So my new rule is, only walk on well marked trails when alone or take  marking tape.

Leaving you with the positives- It was a pretty walk in the woods. If I knew my fungi it would be a good place to collect mushrooms. It was completely shady which was nice in the July heat.