Our night this night was pretty awful: There was no good level campsites left and so we all slept (more or less) on a hillside, slowly migrating down and then up all night. The day was cold and brisk and all of our tents were soaked with condensate. Fortunately as this was our last day, we elected to pack the tents wet and head out.
There was much less "off roading" this day, and once we hit the main trails we more or less stayed with them.
The angle of coming upon this tree made it look very much like an Ent. This would be terrifying late at night, I suspect.
The latter part of the hike (10 miles total) had us traversing the hills and then a steep downhill. It made for beautiful views.
Our return trip was celebrated - as it almost always is now - by burgers and shakes upon our return. Other than being pretty stiff (and my soles hurting a great deal, but I think that was due to wet shoes), I would consider this a successful first outing.
That tree does have an air of "Are you hinting my apples aren't what they ought to be?!" about it.
ReplyDeleteIt really did Warren! There were some fun tree shapes on this hike.
DeleteLucked out with the last night being the worst one rather than the first night TB. Anybody else seen out on the hike?
ReplyDeleteIt was lucky Nylon12; I should not like to have tried the long day on the second night's sleep.
DeleteThere were a number of people out on the hike - like always, they are always pleasant and happy to greet you or have a brief conversation.
I wonder if a bathroom tile squeegee would have worked to remove the bulk of the condensation.
ReplyDeletePutting the tent away while wet is also good training for when it rains.
Among the many things I am thankful for is that I don't live in a Tolkien universe!
Thank you for sharing the adventure.
John, that is not a bad idea. It is always about the weight/bulk though. To be fair, the first day we waited until our tents dried, so that was an option as well.
DeleteIt does always make me think of camping before modern times. Canvas and wool must have been hard to deal with.
I don't know why the first thing I crave after returning from long hikes is junk food. It is not like I eat it regularly before I leave. It must be something about my brain being hardwired for some quick calories after burning and awful lot.
ReplyDeleteEd, part of it for us is something to look forward to when we get back. In the middle of a long or difficult hike, a vanilla shake and cheeseburger can be quite a motivator.
DeleteMore blessed scenery, TB. Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteThe start of your post reminded me of when hubby and I drove to Michigan from California. The "campground" was on the side of a hill. We pitched our tent, lit the lantern for heat and spent the night rolling or sliding down and moving back up.
It wasn't until later that we realised if we had just turned our sleeping bags so our heads were uphill, that would not have happened as easily. :)
You all be safe and God bless.
Linda - That is a pretty familiar story. We had given some thought to what if, but I think the reality was that the pitch of the hill was a little too steep.
DeleteI'm trying to get caught up on blog reading. Sounds like this first training hike was a bit challenging, but with beautiful scenery. The combination makes for something memorable. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was, Leigh. We all were certainly a bit sore on the following Monday.
DeleteOne of the nice things I am finding about hiking is that it always causes us to use our problem solving skills in different ways, which is a good thing no matter what.
One good note: I had no new foot issues or blisters, which was unexpected. The hiking shoe selection may be a good one this time out.