Tue 17 Jul 2007
A Weekend on the Black Forest Trail
Posted by Administrator under Backpacking and Hiking Trips[11] Comments
This was my first hike with a group and I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it. I’ve always hiked by myself and done my own thing (what else is new, right?!). So, I wasn’t sure how other people go about the various aspects of trail life. Do they wash up at night or just accumulate the funk? It could get pretty tricky trying to find an isolated spot to strip down and wash but then again, you start smelling pretty rotten after the first day. Do they always hike together making the faster hikers impatient and pressuring the slower hikers? Or does everyone hike their own pace and meet up at the end of the day? These were some of my questions going into it.
It turned out to be a really great weekend with an awesome bunch of people…one of the best backpacking trips I’ve ever gone on. There was the perfect mix of company and isolation. If you wanted to chat while hiking there was always someone to hold the other end of a conversation. If you wanted to be on your own and think, you could do that too.
We did about 20 miles of the Black Forest Trail…covering some of the miles that I didn’t do on this BFT trip plus 5 or so miles on a couple linking trails.
Some highlights of the trip were:
Really great vistas
Tom’s kitchen pot he brought along for cooking….he was SERIOUS about his Mac & Cheese!
Craig’s fire-dousing pasta
Blueberry patch after blueberry patch. I don’t know how many handfuls of blueberries I ate but they were good!
Forgetting my tent stakes…not a smart thing to do on a non-freestanding tent.
Trying to guess what Mike was eating for supper at night.
Trying to guess Ellen’s age all weekend.
Comparing backpacking gear and seeing some cool items I didn’t know existed.
Theresa’s sound advice
And just general chatting with some really nice people
I’m really looking forward to the next two trips scheduled in August.
Pictures of the trip:
Vistas
Blueberries galore!
Tired puppies!
Pasta dousing fire
Tentville
Craig, Betty, and Duncan
Around the campfire
Rest break at a road we crossed
John gathering wood for the fire
Ken
Olive oil drenched bag waiting for bear to climb up tree
July 17th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
And for those on the trip waiting for my answer…I don’t know yet. I’ll post here when I do.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
We all enjoyed your company and that of Sir Duncan. He is very effecient at “leave no trace” principles. Hope to see you on many more trips. Perhaps we can pry you out of the Keystone State for some hiking in VA and WV.
July 17th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
>Perhaps we can pry you out of the Keystone State for some hiking in VA and WV.
Could happen!
July 17th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I can see I’ll have to start working on the ’08 schedule now. It will include a repeat effort of the Chuck Keiper Trail,(I refuse to let a hill beat me.), A 4 day trip starting at Worlds End SP, a 3 day trip to the Hamersley Wild Area in the Susquehanock SF and then some more stuff in VA and WV.
July 17th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Woohoo!
July 18th, 2007 at 7:04 am
Lets clarify…the pasta was unsuccessful in actually dousing the fire (try as I might).
Wonderful hiking with U2.
July 18th, 2007 at 7:43 am
LOL! Ok, ok, the fire wasn’t completely doused.
Looking forward to the Quehanna Trail with you.
July 18th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Only because we compelled you to extricate the remaining fire-retardant pasta from the flames.
July 18th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Actually you guys got it all wrong…it was just my attempt at a fried pasta and salmon dish using minmal personnal fuel.
I am just surprised that there were no takers!
July 25th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Just got back from CA, and saw your pictures. Just great.
Hope to see you and Ducan next month.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
I’ve got my answer for ya’s…It’s no. Thanks Theresa for the help!