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发帖数: 363 | 1 Turned around. There were four muscular guys cleaning up campsites and
packing. we introduced each other. Tag, the one in white T-shirt. Brian, one
in red T-shirt and black hair. Came over Chris, short and looked very
strong and he pointed to a guy sitting by the camping table packing,, said”
thats Matthew” in blue. While Brian and Tag were packing by their truck,
Sophie and I rested our backpacks on the bench waiting for Chris and Matthew
to pack up. Matthew’s tent was still there, so we asked “are you guys
leaving soon?” ”Yes” Chris replied. “Thats Matthew’s. he is really
fast, He can have everything packed in 5 mins. we are really good friends.”
“you guys look professional”. “we backpacked a lot.” Later we learned
that they drove all the way up from Dallas. “yes, we are dedicated. “. So
we sat there waited.
Soon, Tag and Brian had everything packed up and ready to go. They hollered
at us saying that they would like to get a head start. Considering Sophie
and I would probably be slow, and Chris said they would go at a 3 mil an
hour pace (which is no doubt a lightening speed for me with backpack on),
we volunteered to go with them get a head start as well. To my surprise, The
4 of them were not all together. they just happened to camp close by and
happened to decided to hike the same 23 mil loop on that same day. Tag and
Brian were from OKC.
They were going on this Old military 23 mil loop as well, but in 2 days. 23
miles. that was a little long for me and Sophie. but that was also exactly
something i would like to try. Challenging yet tempting. 12 miles a day
with a backpack, that would be something new for both of us. woohoo. i
talked about it with Sophie. this brave girl said, yeah, lets do it, better
than hiking by ourselves. ”Do you mind if we tag along?” “No, you are
welcome to join us.” “sorry, what’ s your name again?” “Tag”. “And
you are?” “Brian. Dont worry, we can do this all day. ” They did a
picture at trailhead and off we went.
I followed close behind, fearing that we might slow down their pace. Sophie
started off sipping her coffee. Tag led the way. Tag and Brian were doing
buddy system. One carried only water, one carried all the gears of two. They
traded packs every 2 mil or so. It seemed worked out pretty good. Tag kept
listening see if Chris and Matthew were coming up. but all day long we had
never met them on the trail.
Not far out, Sophie had a pre-blister on her foot. she pulled out a bright
color cute-looking nonprofessional nonblister treatment band-aid and happily
applied that to her foot. Did not want Tag and Brian to be regretted to
hike with us, she hurried up and ready to tough it out. Oh, i should have
forced her to put on my bandaid at that time.
we hiked and hiked in the color-turning fall national forest. we passed the
young couple on the trail. we followed the blue blaze then yellow blaze then
white blaze. Crossed some dry creek banks, climbed up some, climbed down
some. Then i started to feel my feet were burning. my hiking boots were half
-size too big and my feet were sliding around in my boots, especially going
downhill. i curled my toes to try to grip onto the boots, which almost made
me feel spasm on toes.. Sophie’s feet got even worse. Her heels, balls
of the feet all got blisters. I pulled out my extra pair of socks and let
her to put them on. and found my band-aid to switch out her cute ones. Then
we came across a road. This is a unique feature hiking in AR and OK, that
you will get to cross roads a couple of times if you are doing a “long”
hike. Two day hikers emerged from the other side of the road. We were all a
little excited and surprised to see each other. None of us had seen any one
for hours on the trail now.
Tag led, then Brian led. They were going pretty fast. I was trying my best
to catch up. and Sophie with her feet condition falling behind. I kept an
eye on her so that she would always be in my sight. “Man, these guys going
so fast”. Finally we came to a sign, pointing the way. We took some rest
and had some snacks. “Sophie, do you want to lead?”. Tag asked. “sure”.
And there she went. I should say, there she flew away, like a little bird
with yellow and black stripes wings. She started jogging on the trail with
her huge backpack on and singing her favorite song from voice of China. She
was just bouncing off. I was amazed. This girl amazed me in every way at
any moment. so i ran down the trail with her. not long, we lost Tag and
Brian behind. Sophie said she wanted to catch up the time they had lost on
her. She kept going, flying away. . ”I was inspired” Brian said at our
stop rest.
Then the fatigue sneaked in. I tried to sing to myself to distract myself
from it. i started from my favorite soft comforting love songs, then i felt
i needed strength, encouragement, so i sang hard rock heavy metal army
marching kind of songs. They did help a little bit. We hiked and hiked at
an epic speed for me. we all took off a layer of sweat-soaked clothes.
Drink, i tried to remind myself, both to lighten my load and also hydrate
myself. We had a rest about every mile or so. we sat on anything we could
sit on, a log, a rock, or a dirt mound. The moment that putting my backpack
down was such a refreshing feeling. Stretching out the legs, arms, rolling
my shoulders, feeling aching all around but Satisfied. so weird.
When i was busy catching up, walking subconsciously, Brain stopped before me
said there was a walking stick on the trail. “where is it?” “you are
looking straight at it” said Brian. I still could not find it until he
pointed it out for me. it looked exactly like a pine needle. Tag watched
it going on the trail, asked thoughtfully, ” i wonder how many we have
stepped on so far?”
Ten miles in, i was feeling OK, until Tag said we had got another 5 miles
left. Another 5 miles?! i suddenly felt exhausted. i just saw my dark
relentless tunnel got extended for another 5 miles and i could no longer see
the light at the end of it any more. Another FIVE miles?! My mind just
wanted to give in. From that point on, the hike had become a war between my
mind and my body. it was a hell of 5 miles. Finally i just let my legs move
mechanically without thinking much about them or the trail. Then i started
to curse myself, why on earth would i want to hike this long with a backpack
on, this was not fun, this was torture. But a tiny little part of me also
wanted to see this through, have this done. Finish strong.
i felt my backpack getting heavier and heavier and sinking deeper and deeper
into my shoulders. the pressure was so big that i got difficulty breathing.
i pulled the shoulder straps up a little and stopped , trying to breathe,
breathe deeply and slowly (from what i learned in scuba diving). then i
pulled the shoulder straps loose and let the weight fall backwards more onto
my hips. oh, that was the first time i almost wanted to quit on a hike.
but we gotta keep moving and camp in before dark. Everyone was getting more
and more tired, and we had more frequent stops. we just all sat there,
sucking on our water tubes and gazing aimlessly far out somewhere in the
woods or on the trail, quietly. we were all so exhausted. Every time i
swung my pack on, it needed a strong mind. and the pack felt heavier and
heavier every time i strapped it back on.
The last 2 miles were a truly “highlight” of the entire trail. straight
up with elevation gain 1300 ft (from 700 ft to 2000 ft). my legs just
wanted to give up. Tag was very nice that he decided to switch his water
pack with Sophie’s backpack. i felt a little unfair, someone to trade with
mine? well, but there was that only one small water pack. And also, i kind
of wanted to do this on my own as well. my feet were rubbing in my a little
too big boots. rubbing and burning. but it was more a mental challenge. i
can do this. i kept telling myself. finish strong, says Tag. Yup, finish
strong. i wish.
i watched each step Tag and Brain took, a steady pace, no rush, no lagging.
i tried to copy the same thing, even with the same step pace, still i fell
behind slowly. i can do this, i told myself, watching Tag’s white T-shirt
slowly disappearing into the woods above me. Up there, was the road, our
destination. Tag and Brian had stashed water by the road. Up there, the hike
for that day would be over. Up there. over 1000 ft higher. Get up there.
Oh. i panted.
half way up, i looked back to find Sophie. she was marching on. you are a
trooper, Tag yelled down at her to cheer her up. with her feet conditions,
she had been doing really amazing work. while we were hiking up with every
strength, i was thinking about the campsite. It was so steep in that area,
there would be no place for camping.
Finally, all of us got to the road. Tag and Brian were searching along the
road to look for their water. we finally found it. And Tag realized that,
there was no spot for camping, unless we hiked further on or camp by the
road, which did not sound a good choice. While Tag was running up and down
the road and up on another trail to find a camp spot, i walked another
quarter-mile down to see if there was a clearing and level spot too. There
was one, not too further down on the trail after crossing the road. But
Brian and Sophie were so exhausted and suggested hitchhike back to campsite
to camp and abort the next day’s hike.
Tag decided to hitchhike back to campsite at the park and to drive his truck
up and took us all back down. i was a little disappointed and felt a
little comic about having carried these monstrous backpacks all the way up
there and did not really let them do their work. But going back to the
campground was also tempting to me. it started raining, a little. wind
started picking up. And we got anxious to get down. A black sedan driving
by and stopped at Tag’s big thumb up. Tag offered 20 bucks to take him back
down to the campground. it was a 6 mil drive. They hesitated, talked about
it for a while, then agreed. we watched them driving away. a good 15 mins
later, the car came back, going to the opposite direction. “there comes
back the ride. they went off the wrong way” Brian said, smiling. Tag waving
at us by at the back passenger window, smiling a little embarrassed. i
felt like watching a comedy movie. so funny. “I wonder if the price went up
to 40 bucks now.” while waving back at him.
Then we waited by the road in the little rain for Tag to return. it felt
like a long time. “he will come back, right?” “Yes.” Brian smiled. When
Tag’s white truck finally emerged on the road, Brian said “here comes our
boy”. We all ran to him like he was our rescuer. and indeed he was.
Back at the campground, clean bathroom and hot shower awaited. When Sophie
finally took off her socks, 4 of her toenails were all purple. and her feet
were just worn out with blisters all over. that hike was really tough on her
with that feet condition. My ankle was bruised from tightening my boots too
tight and i easily peeled off a whole layer of skin from the bottom of my
feet. but luckily, i did not have any blisters.
The sever thunderstorm came just in time, when we all settled into our
welcoming and comforting tents. the lightenings were like right above us.
Flashes were so bright that i had to cover my eyes with my clothes all night
. The rain was pouring down on my tent. and i was constantly checking if
there was any leak. a drop of rain dropped onto my face. Shoot. i thought.
then another. oh, no. but then that was it. i moved my hands over the inner
wall, it was dry. i did not use my sleeping bag. it was warm that night.
and i covered myself in raincovers and raincoats. hmm, if my tent did leak,
i would be covered too.
Morning came with birds tweeting and rain had just stopped not long ago. i
climbed out of my tent, my whole body felt like beaten up good the pervious
day. but it was a content feeling. That i had just surpassed myself.
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