I Can Do Hard Things...But Sometimes I Cry While Doing Them

A few months ago I came up with an excellent idea.  I thought it would be fun to section hike the entire 233 miles of the Sheltowee Trace Trail as a family over the next few years.  It goes vertically through most of Kentucky and into Tennessee, and is much closer and many fewer miles than, say the AT.  Brian was game and the kids slowly warmed up to the idea.

Well, the time came for our first section backpacking trip.  We shaved 1 day off due to storms, but set out to hike the first 24 miles in 2 days, instead of our planned 36 miles in 3 days.  My dad was kind enough to drive up with us and help drop off our car in Morehead and then drive us to the start of the trail.  

 Literally 50 yards down the start of a trail was a stream that proved quite hard to cross.  We ended up making a run for it and jumping across.  

 We saw so many turtles on the Sheltowee Trace trail!  How ironic.  The trail symbol is a turtle and is named after the name that the Indians gave Daniel Boone because of how he looked hiking with a big pack on his back.

  Around mile 10 we came upon this family reunion pavilion and it was a beautiful oasis.  We were able to fill up our water without pumping and take a much needed break.  There was even a nice playground and the owner so super friendly and welcoming.  We were super tired, but knew that the only good campsite listed as at mile 16 - so we kept on going.

 Around dinner time we crossed this cool suspension bridge.

We knew this would be the last time for our entire hike that we would cross water, so we decided to take a dinner break right on the creek and cook up our meals and then refill our water for the night and tomorrow.  It was actually a pretty little spot for a dinner picnic.  We were super hungry after about 13 miles of hiking.  We would have loved to stay, but again - no good camping spot so we hiked onto try to get to mile 16.

 The first picture is how Haley really felt, but once she realized I was taking a picture the smile came out.  Haha.  It was tough going for parts of this section, but super pretty and full of ferns.

 We finally made it up the mountain to where the trail followed the road over a highway bridge.  My feet were screaming and so we stopped to put bandaids on and the kids literally just lied down on the side of the road.  I'm sure we were quite the site.  This was after 14 miles of hiking and we were beat. 

We didn't want to, but we kept on hiking to that elusive camp site at mile 16.  I kid you not, I started to think that we either passed it or that the trail guide lied.  My feet were feeling pretty raw and my legs were dead.  Brian and Grant walked ahead and I finally heard the Noehren call (a ba-kaw, I know we are weird) and knew they had found it.  I slowly made it there and found a beautiful camp site and the boys had already set up the tent. 

No sooner than I had taken my pack off, we looked over the ridge and saw huge, dark, ominous clouds heading our way.  We had less than 5 minutes to hurry and grab all our stuff and throw it and ourselves into our tent before a huge and loud thunderstorm came right over us.  Our phones had reception and were going crazy with weather and tornado and extreme storm warnings and the worst part was heading right for us.  Both Brian and I looked at the radar, looked at each other and knew this could be very bad.  Being in a tent under trees on top of a mountain in not the preferred place to be during storms like this.  I have to admit we were worried and quite nervous.  

We knew the only thing we could do to change our situation was to pray - so we said a heart felt prayer as a family, asking for protection from the storm and almost immediately we felt at peace about our situation.  I texted my mom to let her know we had made it to out site and were waiting out the storm until morning and then we all layed down, turned off our phones to save battery, and were so tired we went to bed.   Although it rained very hard, and out tent had a leak, the lightning seemed to be farther away and the wind wasn't nearly as bad as is typical during severe storms.  We truly feel like we were watched over during this tornado warning and we are so grateful.

The next morning, we quickly broke up camp and headed out for the final 8 miles to our car.  We were a few miles in when my phone rings and it's my mom in a panic!  She was sure that since I never texted her back, we were all dead on the mountain at mile 16.  She had even found the forest service number and was close to calling it.  She said the storm was so bad at their house the power went out for a bit.  I felt so bad for not texting her in the morning, but was glad I had reception when she called, and glad to have loving parents who would send people to save us from ourselves on our crazy family trips!  Sorry mom!

It was a very nice morning and it just happened to be our 17th wedding anniversary.  We had the kids take some picture of us to celebrate the moment.  Its been a great 17 years!

 

 

  About this time on the trail I was in a lot of pain.  My toes had developed some pretty nasty blisters.  I actually was doing quite fine for most of the hike, but that 16 miles in a day must have pushed me over that edge.  They are the same shoes and socks I always hike in and I've never gotten a single blister before.   As the morning wore on, those final miles got harder and harder.

 I was definitely slower than usual.  The kids and Brian would go ahead and then wait for me.  However, each step going down that mountain into Morehead, Kentucky hurt my feet so badly I reached a definite low.  The family was up ahead and I didn't really tell them how badly I was doing.  I needed someone to help motivate me and talk to me to keep my mind off my feet for the last mile we had to our car.  I kept hoping they would be waiting for me around each corner, but when I heard them at the bottom of the mountain playing by the lake and I knew I'd have to hike down solo, I just started bawling.  

These are the kids down at the lake waiting on me.

I'm not a big crier.  Compared to Brian, I might be considered a big crier...but I am much more inclined to bursts of anger than I am tears, if I'm being completely honest.  I allowed myself a few minutes to have a good cry, and then I continued on hiking down the rest of the mountain softly crying the whole way.  Once I got to flat ground I stopped crying a little, and caught up to the family.  I asked them to please not leave me anymore and told them how much I was hurting.  Brian offered to carry my pack but I refused.  I only had less than a mile left and I was going to finish what I started.  It wasn't my legs or the weight of the bag that was the problem.  It was my feet.  I had blisters all over my toes.  To stop to put on more bandaids would have just prolonged the agony at this point, and unfortunately I had forgotten to pack advil this trip.

The sidewalk through town has turtles painted where the trail goes.  

So, on we went through Morehead State campus and through downtown Morehead towards our parked car.  We took it slow and it helped to have the family with me.  But once I realized our car was a few blocks farther than I thought, I burst into tears again.  The thought of going even another block just was too much to take.  Again, Brian offered to carry my bag, and again I refused.  I knew if I was seriously injured he could just run ahead and pick me up, but I was so close and stubborn enough to push through.  So, I continued on.  As if a family of backpackers walking downtown didn't stand out enough, crying while hiking downtown took it up a notch.  But at last, we made it to the car!  Sweet relief!!

We took off our packs, and shoes and sat on the curb.  I grabbed some flip flops to put on to head to lunch at McDonalds and the flip flop lightly touching my toes shot me such intense pain it caused me to sob sadly on the curb.  I was a mess.  Just feeling those throbbing toes on the car ride to McDonalds made me cry again.  The pain was so intense!  I seriously must have cried on and off for the last hour.  But at last - the glorious restrooms, AC and food/drinks of McDonalds brought me back to happiness again!  My toes still hurt, but the intense pain had subsided.  Yay!!

This might be the worst picture of me ever.  It was all I could manage at the end of our hike.  Haha!

So, yes - I can do hard things - but sometimes I cry while doing them.  Don't we all at times?  I cried enough tears to last me a good while.  And hopefully, the kids will remember that time mom cried while hiking and know that sometimes life stinks - but you just keep walking - and it eventually gets better.  In this case, we will keep on walking another 199 miles, hopefully in new socks and with extra bandaids!  Crazy Sheltowee!   It was definitely a trip to remember!