Remember how I said this would be a good thing for me? Well, who wouldn’t want to get away “off the grid” for a few days? It totally was a wonderful experience and a chance to spend quality time with my son and his best friend. They have trail names, Rambo and Bucko. I will be happy to just call them, my fellas. They sure did take good care of me.

No matter how prepared we think we are for such a calling as a wilderness experience, we really can’t be. I thought I was ready physically for this trip and found out within the first ten minutes that I really was NOT.

Hiking with a pack, no matter how heavy or light, requires some finesse, and if you are like me, you are not really a solid, steady trail-blazer. It took a hot minute to manage maneuvering through the trees, down a trail that was sometimes overgrown with wild flowers and weeds. Yes – even those viny things that love to criss-cross the world.

We hit the trail about 5 PM CDT. I became a weak-legged, heavy breathing, soggy mass of sweaty woman in a very short time.

It was about an hour to the camp site but mainly because I slowed things down. It usually takes about 30-45 minutes. I immediately began sweating and was wringing wet 10 minutes down the trail. The first hurdle was learning how to jump across a ditch with a pack on. I suffered a moment of terror. I couldn’t jump across that even without a pack without having a major anxiety attack!

The fellas jumped effortlessly (and their packs were way heavier!) and even little Darby Doolittle took that bit in stride!

I managed with a hand over by the fellas and we were off, into the BIG woods like hobbits going off on some new and wonderful adventure.

Check back next time for the rest of day one. Believe me this is only the tippy-tip of the story.