21-Jul-2001 -- When I heard about the Degree Confluence Project, I checked the web site and discovered one unvisited confluence within 50 miles of our home. Early on Saturday morning, to beat the July heat, we (Bob, Jo Ellen and Jennifer) began the short drive with digital camera, GPS and maps of all types.

The confluence is in the Ouachita National Forest roughly 20 miles from paved road. From the maps, it appears to be very near the end of a road, but this turned out to be a logging or farm road that had grown over and was not accessible by car. However, we were able to walk in from a small county road, taking about 10 minutes to cover the 500 feet. The walk back to the car took about 20 minutes, thanks to a "shortcut" that I discovered. If we did not have the GPS tracks to follow, we might still be wandering around in the woods.

The confluence is in the midst of a moderately wooded, mostly level area at an elevation of about 900 feet. The site is about 150 feet from the edge of a large cleared area, perhaps formerly pasture, with a rusted pickup truck. At the point of the confluence was a small pile of field stones, apparently marking a property boundary or surveying node.