Hiking: Jacob's story

If you haven't already read Andi's blog about our adventure than perhaps you want to scroll down and read it first. If you have then prepare to hear my version of how things went. As it so happens the idea for this adventure started in the breakroom at work where someone had left a backpacking magazine on the table. Ben and I looked at it then ideas began to form. We have been thinking of doing this for over six months and finally got the chance. The group of perhaps foolish hikers included me, my best friend Ben, West who we work with, and Curt Ben's dad. After much planning and purchasing of supplies we without a doubt could not have done without, we set off on our adventure. But first let me set the stage of what I am carrying.
A Large Frame Backpack containing:
Sleeping Bag
Tarp
Single burner propane camp stove
Camp sized propane tank
Extra clothes, shoes, socks
First aid kit
Machete
Camp skillet
Bowl
Cup
Knife, fork, and spoon set
2 Liter hydration pack
Snacks: Trail mix, crackers, etc.
A large can of Chili
A small lunchbox sized cooler containing:
1 dozen eggs
6 bratwurst
2 1lb packages of lunchmeat
6 small breakfast sized steaks
4 ice packs
And various other odds and ends I can't think of right now.

The trail we chose to hike is called the Adventure Hiking trail located in beautiful Harrison State Forest. It is a 24 mile loop around most of the park. Our tale begins at 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning when my alarm goes off. After getting ready I drive to pick up the others and off we go. After a stop at McDonalds we arrive at the park and set off hiking at 6:30 a.m. In this park there are both hiking and horseback riding trail which often will mingle together for a while before separating back apart again. We began on one such trail and apparently missed the turn that separated into the hiking only trail(our map only had the hiking trails on it not the horseback trails). After hiking for roughly an hour and a half we come out in the middle of a horse camp. A friendly DNR officer stops to help us out and gives us a map that has just the horseback trails on it. Now we can navigate fairly well as long as we switch back and forth between maps fast enough. We figure out how to get back onto the hiking trail and take off. During on break we took West decided that he wanted to make a walking stick and began to sculpt one with his machete. We teased him about this and his thirst for destruction having no idea how grateful we would be for that stick later. Off we go again and after about another hour and a half West throws down his walking stick on the path(remember this it's important). We continue to hike and about 10:30-11:00 we come to a nice spot to stop and have lunch. After lunch we take off again on the proper trail and after another hour of hiking we make the mistake that doomed our trip. We took a wrong turn somewhere because the trails are not well marked and it turns into a horse trail which is no problem because in our research we realize that this happens at points. We didn't realize we had a problem until an hour and a half later we as we're walking West stops and says "Oh crap." I stop and turn around expecting him to be pointing a snake that I had just stepped over or something like that but instead he is pointing down at a stick... That's right the walking stick in which we had so ridiculed him for earlier. We now realize that we have to turn our butts around and hike back the way we came to find the proper trail... another hour and half back, with our 60-70lb packs on our backs. Now seems like a good time to mention that these are not easy trails. The often led through creekbeds thick brush with downed trees, and up and down elevations of up to 700 ft. Had we not made the wrong turn, by the time we got back to where we were supposed to go we would have been to our campground. But because of that error we had another 3 hours to go. After many more hills, creekbeds, narrow trails, and 3 hours later(at least... we needed many breaks) we arrive nest to the Blue River and set up camp. It is now 5:30. We've been hiking for 11 hours. As our muscles and shoulders begin to ache we decided to cut the trip short and in the morning Ben and West were going to leave their packs and hike back to car following a road that was nearby. We were camped next to an old Bridge which crossed the river and met up with a road. So in the morning while they were getting the car Curt and I packed up camp. They arrived and we left. While this wasn't the best trip in the world it wasn't horrible either. There were some spectacular views of the Ohio River from 500 ft. bluffs, neat rock formations along the trails, and lots of wildlife. Twice I walked within 30 ft. of feeding deer. My companions never got grumpy and even when we were dead tired we could still find the humor in everything. So while this wasn't the best trip in the world it was certainly a memorable one and I am still glad that I went. So if while you are reading this and laughing hysterically at our misery don't worry about because I have broad, albeit sore, shoulders and am able to see the humor in it myself. If you were to ask me if I would do it again. My answer would still be yes although perhaps with a few changes:)