Planted by: the TP division (Blanche and Corki) of the LA Womyn

Where: Central Virginia

Difficulty: easy (after a few hills - good cardio workout)  - need compass

Length: 1.5 miles

Making sure that you are wearing appropriate apparel, find the state owned

recreational property located by a power plant.

Lil Riding Hood (LRRH) forgot to bring her map so make sure not to make

the same mistake - pick up a map at the entrance. 

To pick up her trail you must make your way to the Big Bad Woods.

LRRH was on her way to her Granny's house beyond the Big Bad Woods.  She

was bringing her Granny some collards and fresh baked corn bread for dinner.

 Granny has been a triflin' lately and momma always told her that greens

are good for what ails ya.

Trying to make her way quickly, LRRH hurries along - she was askeard of

the spooky woods.  She had heard tales of the big bad wolf (lions, tigers and

bears, oh my!) and bad, bad things that happened to little girls who

tarried in the woods.

LRRH came up on a crossroads of 3 signs.  As she was tard, so tard, she

sat on the bench a munchin' on a bit of the corn bread. The sun was behind

the clouds so she couldn't figure what direction was what and she was askeard

that she mightin a lost her way so she got out her compass to ponder her

path.  The greens was getting cold and mamma told her to get Granny's supper

to her afore ittin cooled off - nothin worse than cold collards.

She noticed a path at 135 degrees.  She dashed off to the SE - afraid she

wouldn't be able to make it there and back before dark.  Her momma always

told her that it ain't no good for a young gal such as herself to be out in

the wilds after dark.  You never know whats behind all them bushes and

trees.

As she wandered down the path she kept looking over her shoulder thinking

she was being watched - it was so, so quiet. She was walking along kicking

stones when she glanced up to her right.  "Oh my", she said with a startle,

"This is the old haunted potter's field that my momma warned me about!"

LRRH had heard the tales of the misfortunate folks who had wandered up on

this place right about twilight time. "I must get agoin", she thought.

Little does she know but Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Wolf has seen her and

smelled her and her Granny's meal acoming.  He gets prepared for her arrival.

He's already stashed Granny down at the Smoke House.  Tied her up good and

put a sock in her mouth. He put Granny's nite clothes on and climbed into her bed.

LRRH comes upon two little wee old folks a sitting around the fireplace

smoking their corn cob pipes, a pickin' and a grinnin', a laughin' and a

cacklin'.  She asked these two characters if they know the whereabouts of her

granny.  They seem not to hear her but one of them points to 160 degrees and

the other points to 150 - they're just too busy playing the juice harp and

blowing the jug, stampin their feet and slappin their thighs and smoking

them nasty pipes.

She approaches Granny's bed very, very slowly on tip toes.  It seems that Granny has the

quilts pulled up to her ears.  All she can see is Granny's night cap and two

very shiny, feverish eyes.  "Well, that certainly is peculiar," thinks LRRH

to herself. 

"Granny, granny, are you okay your eyes look so bright?" she asks.

"Oh yes, my little one, come closer so I can see you."

LRRH tiptoes about 25 paces towards who she thought must be her Granny.

Who else would be in Granny's bed wearing Granny's silly night gown and hat?  "Gee, Granny, you sure sound funny! I

carried you some greens and corn bread from the house for your supper."

"Bring them closer my sweet so I can smell them", says the imposter

Granny.

All of sudden LRRH gets really, really spooked - the little hairs on the

back of her neck stand on end.  She knows this just ain't right - she's

heard this story before.  "Granny, you sure sound funny."

"Oh just you never mind and bring me them vittles", says imposter Granny.

Just before she gets to Granny's bed she stashes her supper basket out of

sight - she knows something is very, very wrong. She looks up to her left

just as the Big Bad Vodoo Daddy Wolf springs from the bed.  She turns and

runs back down a shoutin' and a screamin' to the trail, just narrowly getting

away.

Big Bad Vodoo Daddy Wolf just misses LRRH but smells the basket.  Oh it

smells so good.  Little girls are one thing but you can't beat fresh corn

bread and greens.  It takes him awhile but he finds where she carefully

stashed the basket out of sight.