Cleanin' ...

     Howdy!  Just got back from doin' a different kind of time in the grime ... pickin'-up trash in the Sam Houston National Forest with the North American Wood Ape Conservancy.  NAWAC adopted a 2.7 mile stretch of road on the Montgomery County side of F.M. 1375, and y'all can read all about their efforts by visitin' http://woodape.org.  If you aren't familiar with NAWAC, they are a top-notch research group as well as bein' a pretty swell bunch of folks!

 

     All I can say is that this was quite a humblin' experience, and everyone worked hard to get the job done.  One could only imagine what-all was found out there; everything from someone's voter registration card to a castin' seat, plenty of cans & bottles, discarded or shredded tires, busted furniture, Styrofoam cups and a bunch of used diapers.  Folks might think that diapers are biodegradable ... but it was downright degradin' to pick-up so many in such a short stretch of road.  The top find of the day was a brand-spankin' new Abu Garcia rod & reel combo by NAWAC member Travis Lawrence!

 

     After the clean-up, some friends of the NAWAC hosted a gatherin' and bonfire on their property, where we got to mow-down on some barbeque and unwind.  We listened to each other's experiences out in the field while listenin' to some good music as well.  I was pretty tuckered-out, and did not really want to drive all the way back through Houston on a Saturday night.  A few of the members had pitched a tent, and even though I had packed my bivi ... I opted to sleep open-air in the carpeted bed of my truck.

 

     Upon my departure this mornin', I drove the stretch of F.M. 1375 to view what we had accomplished.  I was familiar with the area 'cause I had bowhunted the Walker County side quite a bit some 18 years prior.  A lot has changed, but it's comfortin' to know that some folks still care enough to keep Texas wild.  I hope to join them again on their next clean-up, which I understood would happen 3 more times throughout the course of the year.  If y'all would like to help out, please give the NAWAC a shout!  Until next time, y'all be careful and have fun runnin' 'round out there in them woods.