Day 1, Section 8:
Compiled using maps from Brad Snider’s blog source.
We started out by parking in the Haldeman Island area. One of the guys hired someone to take us from there to Green Point Station. It was an older guy, he had a case of waters in the truck he said to help ourselves to. He dropped us off right where the trail picks up on the edge of town and we got started.
As soon as we hit the first ascent, I knew my pack was inadequate. I was carrying my MOLLE bag from the army. I had long since lost the plastic insert that protects your back from any odd shaped things in the bag, there was no frame, and the way I had tied my sleeping bag onto the ruck was flimsy so it flipped around and jerked me all over the place.
Unhindered by this small inconvenience, I felt so alive out on the trail.
Looking up through the trees, I felt as though I was surrounded by loved ones. The shimmering leaves against the sky looked like magic gems, floating all around us.
Right around here, we came to an apparent impasse; the area had been swamped by a beaver dam. There was an alternative route (dotted line near Rausch Creek, on the above section map), but we had gone far enough down the redline path that we didn’t want to turn back.
Everyone took their own approach to crossing. Personally, I took off my boots and socks, rolled up my pant legs, and waded across the mire - checking the depth with my toes as I went.
On the other side we sat and got ready to get back on the trail. I dried my feet and put my boots and socks back on. There were others less fortunate, who would spend the rest of the day walking in wet footgear.
This trail lead to our resting place for the night.
It’s hard to make out this spider web, but it was really intricate and beautiful.
We set up near this creek which, for me meant throwing my sleeping bag on the ground and putting my ruck beside it.
It was nice, relaxing by a fire with my bare feet against the earth. I had been among the first to arrive at our stopping point this evening, but of course we stop at points along the way to let everyone catch up.
Something about going through that swamp had set me on fire - I was practically running the rest of the day, I just felt so energized and excited to be there.
Day 2, Section 7:
Compiled using maps from Brad Snider’s blog source.
I woke up with two things:
- A large porcupine sniffing around not five feet from my sleeping bag. I laid and watched until it took off when I tried to get a picture.
- I also awoke with the realization that yesterday’s zeal following the swamp had wrecked my legs. I was in rough shape starting our day 2.
Recognize this guy? I think this is the same brand of caterpillar I picked up in Fire Room Part 3, 24 Jan 2022!
When I spotted these stacked rocks in the middle of the water, I stopped to take a picture and fill up my bladders for the road ahead.
Remember my post, Signs of Life 003/003, 24 March 2022, where we talked a little about the camouflage of the frog? Here is another great example! Did you miss him at first?
Photograph by Brad Snider
I was the last of my crew to arrive at the shelter. It was dark and I was half-dead, so I was unable to get a shot of the shelter. Luckily, I did find a nice blog from someone else who did the same section, and he took a picture as he passed by.
I debated going against the grain and sleeping out in the woods as I like to do, but decided it could seem rude that I would prefer sleeping on the floor of the woods over sleeping under a shelter with my compatriots…this would up being a good choice as we fell under a torrential downpour that lasted several hours of the night.
Day 3, Descent to Pizza
The shelter was right at the start of the path down. Because of time constraints, we ended up taking the dotted line path out. Day three consisted of a short trek down off the trail and a little walk through town. Someday I vow to go back and finish the last piece properly.
This is the view as we were coming down.
Remember that bridge on the map above, that crossed over to Haldeman Island? This is the view as we were walking across that bridge.
And this was just a neat little scene I spotted as we made our way into town :)
We stopped at a pizza place where I wolfed down a stromboli and 2-3 beers before heading back to the car and ultimately, back to the human world of money, work, and obligations - feeling tired and elated.
Thanks for checking out some more of my photos, as always, I hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as I enjoyed taking and sharing them! If you are interested in hiking or ruck marching specifically, don’t forget to check out the Ruckingcommunity!