text: [Themes: Slice of life, Travel]
  
  > Describe the surroundings
  Trail Junction (Appalachian and Low Gap trails) (on the ground)
  You stand in the center of Low Gap, where two trails intersect. For
  the Appalachian Trail, this is a low spot, and the trail climbs both
  to the southwest, toward Cosby Knob, and northeast, back toward the fire tower. Conversely, this is high spot on the Low Gap trail, which descends into Walnut Bottoms to the southeast and, to the northwest, toward home.
  
  > go southwest
  You'll have to get off the ground first.
  
  > Xyzzy
  If that actually could work, you'd certainly miss out on some
  beautiful scenery.
  
  > go to the southwest
  According to the sign, the AT climbs toward Cosby Knob in that direction. Not only is that out of your way, but it's also uphill, and you're just not down with anymore uphill today.
  
  > Go southeast
  The Low Gap trail drops down into Walnut Bottoms in that direction. It's a lovely area, but completely out of your way. Home is in the opposite direction, to the northwest.
  
  > Go northwest
  With a lightness in your heart at the realization that you're on the downhill stretch, you set off toward the campground. At first, the going is rather steep, but the trail soon begins to switchback upon itself, snaking slowly downhill toward flatter ground. Though the
  tight switchbacks reduce the angle of descent, they also make the
  trail longer and limit the space for trees. There seems to be little
  or no shade, and the sun beats down relentlessly upon you as you descend the west-facing ridge. It's tempting to simply cut off-trail and travel crosscountry to save time, but you realize that if everyone did that the erosion along this ridge would be terrible.
  
  After about two miles, the switchbacks disappear and you find yourself comforted by the shade of the woods once again. The air is cool here, chilled further by the presence of Cosby Creek, which flows parallel
  to the path for a quarter mile or so. Larger than the other streams you've encountered today, Cosby Creek is full of white-foamed cascades and deep, dark pools. The water of the stream feeds life into the forest, and everything along this stretch is green and moist and
  mossy. From time to time the landscape seems rather surreal, as if you're strolling through a fairytale rather than a real place. After a time, the stream flows off into the forest, out of sight, and you're somewhat sad to see it go. No matter, this means you're even closer to home.
  
  The trail begins to widen, from a path to a road, and you come to another junction.
  
  Trail Junction (Low Gap & Access trails)
  You smile as you enter the junction and see the sign in the northeast corner of the clearing:
  
  <- Cosby Campground 0.4
  Low Gap 2.5 ->
  
  Less than half a mile to the campground! Of course, the parking area's another half mile beyond that, but that's of little consequence... you're very close to home now.
  
  Somewhere in the distance, a woodpecker drills in search of insects.
  
  > Go east
  No, there's only forest in that direction, with no path amongst the trees. You can return to the parking lot by going either north or
  west.
  
  > go north
  You decide to take the access trail back, seeing as how it's a
  slightly shorter walk in that direction. This portion of the access trail isn't very heavily used and is slightly overgrown; grass brushes against your legs as you walk. After not quite half a mile, you find yourself back in the same clearing you passed through earlier today.
  
  Trail Junction (Lower Mt. Cammerer & Access trails)
  You're standing at the junction of two trails, one running northwest-southeast, the other running northeast-southwest. At the north corner of the junction, two signs are nailed to a single post indicating where each trail leads.
  
  A previously unseen skink on a nearby log is startled by your presence and skitters under the bark.
  
  > go south
  To the south lie dense woods, with no path among the trees. Two trails bisect the standard cardinal directions here, one running northeast-southwest, the other northwest-southeast. Your quickest route, back to the parking lot, is northwest.
  
  > go to the northeast
  No, you've already been down that trail today. It's time to go home. The hiker parking area is just under a half mile to the northwest.
  
  > go to the southwest
  That's the longer route back. Not that it matters, really - your feet are up for an extra quarter of a mile. You head down the wide trail (it's more of a road than a trail, really), and quickly find yourselfback in the campground.
  
  Lower Mt. Cammerer Trailhead
  A standard NPS trail sign indicates that the Lower Mt. Cammerer trail begins here, leaving the pavement and entering the woods to the northeast.
  
  > Go north
  To the north lie dense woods, with no path among the trees. The trail leads into the forest to the northeast.
  
  > Go northwest
  You continue walking northwest, through the campground. Parents at a nearby site are setting up their tents for the evening, one for them, and a smaller one for their children. A young boy and girl are
  laughing and throwing a frisbee (and not throwing it very well)
  nearby. Suddenly, the frisbee comes flying right toward you! Fortunately, you see it coming and deftly toss it to the little girl, who thanks you and runs back to play with her brother. Another quarter mile finds you back in the parking lot.
  
  You stroll into the parking lot, light on your feet despite the
  sixteen miles behind you, and glance at your watch. It reads three twenty-nine in the afternoon. Not bad time, really, considering all
  the stops along the way to check things out. You take off your pack
  and plop down on a grassy hill at the western edge of the parking lot. Lying back, angled with your head uphill of your feet, you watch the clouds that are gathering overhead. One of them reminds you of a galax leaf. You smile to yourself, thinking of the wonderful day you've had, close your eyes, listen to the birds the nearby woods, and eventually drift off to sleep in the grass. What a fantastic day.
  
  As darkness falls, the serenity is broken by the sound of an approaching car, and you open your eyes to see your ride pulling into the parking lot, right on time.