Lots of activity around the Fort this afternoon.
Here's a nice picture of some canoes coming back in next to the pool (which was slammed full again today).
Nothing earth shattering here (these have been covered by other DIS posters) but I revisited parts of the Fort Wilderness RailRoad (FWRR). There is one area of the FWRR where the real rail still is in the ground and covered up by brush. It's pretty well trampled down near it meaning people are visiting it like I do but I try to include a picture of the rail each trip.
The old FWRR rail bed used to run right next to the Meadow TP on the 900 loop side (I mean right next to the building) and went down through what is now 600 before getting out next to the street (Fort Wilderness Trail) and then broke left running between 800 and 700 loop. There are still old wooden ties and gravel in that section and part of it is part of a dog walk area in the trees back there. Here is the view from the street.
I got off my bike and walked it back between 800 and 700 following the old rail bed.
There is a point along the rail bed where there is a Y (a fallen tree currently marks the spot). The right fork is the original track bed and it wrapped around to the stop that was at the entrance of what today is the 400 loop (the cars would block Fort Wilderness Trail during the stop).
The left fork in the picture is under all the ferns. It is currently blocked by thick underbrush but this was the fork installed when River Country opened so that people could be dropped off at a station BEFORE Fort Wilderness Trail (near the current Settlement Bus Depot) and have a shorter walk to RC. There is a walk around to the left side of the fern-covered left fork.
Anyway, the original/right fork is cleared all the way back out to civilization for easy walking and comes out at the old golf cart parking lot (now blocked off) between the Settlement Bus Depot and Fort Wilderness Trail. You can see the yellow traffic posts as you near the end of the woods view.
Here is my bike where it emerges out of the woods.
Standing right there, if I swing 90 degrees to my right, I see the Settlement Bus Depot (just to give you an idea of where this is).
Going back to the left fork, as I said there is a walk around through a slight open field and then there is an opening in the brush to get back up on the rail bed and follow it out.
This left/old-RC fork comes out right next to the Settlement Bus Depot.
Both forks are easily walkable and it's interesting to see some of the Fort's past.
Tonight I am hoping to make the campfire sing-along with Chip & Dale. The Rescuers is the movie tonight and I won't stay to watch it all but I may start it.
Bama Ed