Pine Glen Campout

As the weeks of school trudge on, I grow weary of the endless lack of wilderness. After some struggle,

Mike and I decided to go camping this weekend.

Mike

 My family is discussing a family campout at pine glen campground, so Mike and I decided to go test it out. Pine glen is located some distance from any major towns, and is thus rather peaceful. 

Pine Glen Close to the Middle

Father and Olivia followed us out there and stayed for a little while. The campground is located in a bend in Shoal Creek, making white noise in the night and making a pleasant valley to hold the campground.

The Creek

We lit a fire and began to set up the camp. 

It was a rather pleasant campsite. 

I ate some freeze dried spaghetti, and Mike had some tomato soup, then we ate hot dogs for dinner. 

Before long, the sun set and the valley was plunged into darkness. 

I walked to the restroom facilities, which were fairly clean, and on the way, my flashlight went out. 

See?

When it did, I noticed small, dim lights on the ground. I first thought it was a reflection of a distant lantern, but then I realized that they were too many and moving. I turned my flashlight on on one of the glowing spots, revealing small centipedes. There were thousands of them, little bioluminescent centipedes. It was spectacular. The stars were also amazing, and equally as unphotographable. Mike went to bed fairly early, I stayed out and poked the fire and watched the stars for a while, and then retired into my hammock. I used a foam pad for insulation, and slept in my mummy bag. I never got cold, though I could tell it was cold. After we woke up, we lit the fire back up and made some grits. We packed up and continued driving north, finding a cemetery and then stopping at sweetwater lake. 

It is a beautiful and fairly large lake made from a dam on Shoal Creek. 

Mike ended up jumping into the lake, I changed into some gym shorts and wading in a short distance. 

 The Loch Sweetwater Monster

It really is a pretty lake. It is very secluded too. Miles down a fairly bad road. The road had a number of unusual humps, I assume they are designed to stop boat trailers from coming down the road. 

We then followed the road on until we found a bald with a few and a small trail heading up it. The views were impressive. 

Duggar Mountain

Not long afterwards, we emerged from the forest in Rabbittown. We then proceeded home not long afterwards. It was an excellent trip, and a welcome reprieve from the stresses of daily life.