The day consisted of touring southern Ohio's mound culture. I began at Chillicothe where I talked to a ranger who gave me a map of other native American burial mounds I could visit. I drove the back country roads of Ohio looking at mounds left my ancient cultures listening to the playlists on my ipod when Chrissie Hynde started singing "Back on the Chain Gang," I was overcome with emotion hearing her belt out those lyrics. I pulled off the road, climbed out of the car and looked over the yellow fields feeling I was in the middle of nowhere, or at least I could see it. I bent down and cried missing my sister, when a man came around the back of my car asking if he could be of assistance. Ah, one of life's embarrassing moments--someone catching you in a private moment. I'm not sure who was more embarrassed. After we spoke for a few minutes and he was assured I was going to be fine I regained composure and set off to find the Serpent Mound.
No mound was quite as impressive as the Serpent Mound. Serpent Mound is the largest effigy mound found to date. The trail around the mound is paved and not as spectacular as when you walk up the lookout tower. From the lookout tower you can see the entire mound that, as one would surmise is in the shape of a greatserpent.
I drove back to the campsite stopping at other mounds along the way. This area has so many mounds they truly are extraordinary. I was fascinated with them and stopped many times to just breath in the atmosphere and wonder about the culture long ago.
Back at the campsite I had a bite to eat and watched the people mulling around preparing dinner and rounding up children. I watched the the sun set over the horizon as the moon rose, very close to nearly full rising in the sky. a full moon to start my journey. The fireflies came out flitting through the night air. They were always my favorite part of summer growing up.
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