Big Cut and the C&P p.2

If you just came from the historically leveraged train article, you are no doubt radiating with the glow of pastly empowerment. That is one way of approaching the Big Cut and C&P Railroad story. I initially approached it like this:I rode up to Glenmora which resides on US165 between McNary and Oakdale, but much closer to McNary and near Longleaf, home of the Southern Forest Historical Museum, featuring a working lumber mill and a bunch of Red River and Gulf engines and stuff that roamed these wood [howz that Everett?]. I knew that I could find Forest Service Road 259 on up Boy Scout somewhere. I turned west off of US 165 onto Boy Scout Road right after crossing Spring Creek on US 165. I'm trying to be clear. You go by the Dunes, which is a four wheeler, dune buggy mecca. I took the next road to the east following a pickup towing a horse trailer. It stopped and I asked if they knew of an old rail bed in the area that went to a place known as Big Cut. Bike riders and horse people don't mix well. There has always been an amount of animosity between the groups. It was the Forest Service's fault for mixing them in the first place. Bike riders go fast and are intent on the immediacy of the terrain. Horse riders feel they have equal rights on the trails, which they do, but don't always realize a blind corner can mean disaster for their animals, themselves, and the bike rider. The solution would be to have separate trails for each since the horse people take umbrage about getting off the trail when THEY CAN HEAR a herd of berserk riders coming. They think that galloping is fast and don't realize these trail bike guys can be doing 60 and if the riders do see them, so what, it's over. That ain't my war anymore but I knew I wasn't dealing with a friendly group when I moseyed up and asked for help. [I think the Forest Service has now rectified this problem, no doubt causing many more]Bottom line, if you approach a group of horse people out on these back gravel roads looking for info and they look at you like they'd like to whip your butt, it isn't personal. Just turn off your bike a ways before getting to them, be friendly and ask if riding past their animals would be a problem. Your concern usually melts what are normally good people. Oh, the guy I asked said, "the tram is at the second corner, take a hard right and go to the end, and be careful". That was pretty nice as he could have said, "turn right, gun it and go as fast as you can". Soon we'll see why, for horse people, they were all right. I was going slow and looking from side to side as the grade lifted. I knew I was on the railroad.The trail was getting dark as I wondered how much further it would be.I came to a pile of dirt in the trail which usually means "End of Maintenance". I rode over the bump and parked. The rest of the way would be on foot. I gave the bike a parting shot. What I saw next seemed to fit the description.I leaned over and there were cement works. They were way to steep to chance.I walked down a path to the right and the Cut got shallower. I found an eroded area bikes had made and slid down it. I was now down on the Red River and Gulf Railroad level. I just shot and shot as I looked around.Looking up on the opposite north wall.Back to the south side.Looking west down the RR&GRR.The crazies ride here.Those are not routes down, they are routes up for motorcycles.Another perspective. I climbed back up and shot some more down into the Cut.I'm sitting here loading these pictures and it just hit me so I want it to hit you. I had been in a canyon where steam engines had hauled logs and passengers to and from the mills and mill towns. Above, steam engines belonging to the Army were used to train soldiers in the art of maintaining and building a military railroad. If ever there was a place to stay and wait for ghost trains, this is it. Want to join me? WoooooooWooooooooooooooooo.I looked around one more time. I love this forest and I cannot absorb enough of these woodsy scenes. It was time to back track. I had not had enough. I needed to find the other side of Big Cut and the Claiborne side of the rails. I had an idea where it might be. My GPS does not have FSR numbers so I guessed.I was headed west on the Claiborne & Polk Military RR.Or known to us mortals as FS 259.I rode up Boy Scout until I got to Melder Road and took it east to spectacular La.112.I took 112 to where it makes a hard left on to the boulevard of old Camp Claiborne. There I took a hard right onto FSR 200 that goes back into the rear section of old the camp. I had to ride to where our old campsite was. Such good memories.I reversed and went back to pick up FSR 264 to get back to the "subdivision" where cement roads of old Claiborne were set up as "blocks". By the way, that cement is still mostly perfect. I'm thinking this was a warehouse area from looking at Mark's maps.I headed to the back and picked up 259. It looks like a rail bed raised high on an embankment. I have taken my RV down this road. I was more crazy than I am now. This place is one of the cooler places in all of Kisatchie. Yes, Everett, you can drive your school bus back here.When the road turns left, stop and park. You are 30 feet from the precipice.Anticipation One more down the shoot which is set on the side of the timber support "steps".I headed back up the C&P bed to the bike.You have to take it easy along here. There are holes. This stretch was used by an oil company at one time which kept the road deep in this green stuff that really worked. Erosion is starting to take its toll.Back at the subdivision, the tracks curve around alongside the back street and then cure toward the front toward 264.Here, my bike is looking at the bed headed back up to FSR 264.Before I got back to 264, the front road of the subdivision, I saw this little building which should have been along the tracks. Had it been a part of the railroad?Sure it was. Believing is more fun than shunning. Let your imagination go. This place is unbelievable, speaking of believing. Where else can you follow 2 historical railroads within a few square mile area? I'm sure there are many, but not as pretty as this place. On the next page we visit the sewage disposal plant that serviced Camp Claiborne. That's tomorrow. Later. PS, and the museum is just a few miles away, do it all. Oh, and don't miss sewer time, tomorrow.