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6/00 Morgan Sisters/Symms Creek "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity, redeem me and be merciful unto me." Psalms 26:11 Day 1 I'm finally going to hike this trail! I've planned on it for over two years now and am finally going to get over there. I had always figured it would be a long drive but it was not bad at all. Right about 3.5 hours if you know where you're going. I didn't so it took 4.5 hours! It's the typical story for me. Directions to the trailhead sucked! I want to hunt down the author of "50 Hikes in Ohio" and beat him within an inch of his life! These loops are very remote to begin with. If you add in the bad directions factor and it equals me throwin' a pissy fit along some unnamed backcountry road cussing up a storm and slamming my forehead into the steering wheel! One of these times the airbag is going to go off and make me crap my pants! It's like this every time I go to a new trail. I finally...FINALLY!...found the end of a gravel road that counts for a trailhead. It has stormed for the last hour before I take to the trail. I have decided to hike in barefoot. I was hoping to do the whole weekend barefoot but the trail is little more than a trace. More like bushwhacking from tree blaze to tree blaze! I hike in about a mile and strike camp as it begins to rain again at about 7PM. I have in the past almost looked forward to seeing what I forgot to bring on the trip and how I will get along without whatever it is that I forgot. Like the time I forgot eating utensils and I made chop sticks from a sapling. Great fun! This trip, however, is different. As I start to string my tarp/poncho I found that I was woefully short on guy line. This is NOT fun! It SUX! I had that damn thing tied off to whatever would reach with not much more than 16" of rope. LOL! This was one of the most pitiful shelters I've ever come up with. It was so whopper-jawed and droopy that I had my trekking poles stuck under it any way I could to keep the rain running off my poncho. But just as with every "crisis" I put my self through by forgetting stuff, I pushed the envelope a bit further. As pitiful as my meager shelter was I stayed absolutely dry all night as it rained and stormed on and off all night. As I set up my poncho I cursed myself and swore I'd bring my sil-tarp from now on but as even an improperly set up poncho kept me dry I scowl at the idea of carrying a poncho AND a tarp. I spent the remainder of sunlight writing and reading here in my journal. I never thought that I'd like reading my journal entries but it is great reading back through past trips. I also forgot my headlamp so when the darkness comes I'm going to sleep. I did bring my little flashcard flashlight but it is fading fast. POS! Day 2 Man what a great night! The new hammock was so comfortable it's almost like cheating. I decided to hike in sandals today. It was the right decision because this trail is wild. It's not too rough but it is very overgrown and little traveled. I don't think this trail is used very much at all. If it weren't for the illegal ATVs there wouldn't be a trail in areas. I find that by lunch I have fallen into that hiking groove where you lose yourself in thought and cover a lot of ground. The modest 13 miles of trail will be done by the end of the day. I am really amazed at the no-cook food I am trying out the weekend. I'm not hungry at all. I don't think I will need to cook on the trail until late fall. About 2PM I began hitting the wall and decided to take a break. Within 2 minutes I was lazily swinging in the hammock dozing. A few ATVers went by as I slept and gave me weird looks. After my short nap and some gorp I was ready to finish the trail. It was fairly humid as I finished the trail. I was glad to make it back to the car. I love hiking in sandals but my dogs were a barkin'. It will just take a while to get used to them. The highlight of the trip was I found a Sonic Burger [Sonic Burgers are a hamburger stand complete with car hops on roller skates!] on the way home and had a Super Sonic Jalapeno Cheese Burger. I know, I know, "Shame, shame Nigal!" All in all, a great weekend. This trail is good for an overnighter but a double overnighter is stretching it. CT
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