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| Beautiful Trail |
This is a continuation of the backpacking trip started on March 29,2012. The first blog-"Land Between the Lakes-North half of N/S Trail" was posted April 17,2012. The second blog-"Between the Land Between the Lakes Hike N/S Trail" was posted April 20, 2012.
In stead of a dew covered tent, seeing the weak morning sunlight,and listening to the music of birds, we awake to a cold dark room hearing the air conditioner and car doors slamming. Day four begins at the Super 8! Not quite the same! [ At least Pete smells better and he takes another shower ] We load our gear, put it in the truck,and head over to the Cracker Barrel for breakfast. After filling our hungry tummies,the decision is made to buy water and place the gallon jugs at strategic points along the trail. We stop at a small grocery store and buy four more gallons of water to go with the four that Pete has brought with him. I'm driving so Pete navigates us to the different trail junctions which will be the drop off points for water. We go to the Golden Pond Visitors Center and head south to the start of this section of our hike. The Trace is the main road dividing the LBL Nat.Rec.Area, it is crossed by smaller dirt and gravel roads which head east and west and intersect the N/S Trail. Without to much trouble we are able to leave one or two gallons hidden at each crossing. The last drop off is the first water pick up point on our way north hiking back to the Visitors Center. The map shows an eight mile hike; we ponder, kick leaves, scratch heads. What if we leave our backpacks here hidden in the woods and hike this first eight miles with just the water we can carry on our belts? More pondering, kick more leaves, re scratch heads, scratch other places! OK, but if we leave packs here we have to hike eight miles! NO if, ans, or buts [ well-two tired butts ] Let's do it !! We hide the heavy backpacks in the woods and drive to the South Welcome Center.
It's 11:30am, a clear beautiful day, time to get moving! I'm just a little anxious hiking without any survival gear and limited water. The first half to three quarters of a mile is a slow steady climb up hill, not a good way to begin this late start. When the trail levels off we stop and take a short break, just a gorgeous morning, am glad to be hiking and in the woods again. No weight on our backs! We make good time and discover that the trail is following a ridge top, very small elevation change. This is a good thing! Two miles of hiking we come to a trail sign that tells us the trail starts here! We've hiked two miles that haven't counted as part of the eight miles to the first road crossing. Now there you go! We have only eight miles to go to water. Only one thing to do-keep hiking! A good nights sleep, no backpack, a filling supper and breakfast, and the joy of being out doors, we make good time!
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| Broom straw |
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| Nice Trail |
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We do the eight plus two miles at a fast clip and find the water and backpacks right where we left them. Did that ten miles with no problem, put the backpacks on and hiked even further down the trail. Stopped at 6:30pm and made camp in a nice meadow. This south part of the trail doesn't go near the lake, so we'll camp right here and enjoy another moon filled sleep.
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| Fourth night |
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We are up and moving early this morning, 7:30am loaded and saying goodbye to this meadow. Day five. Hot! Pete is already beginning to smell bad, unless that's me I smell! We have plenty of water, it was a good thing Pete did- making sure we put water on the trail. Up and down we go as this day progresses, still making good time and not a bad hike.
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| Yours Truly |
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| Why is he always sitting? |
This part of the trail is also used by horse riders and has in many sections a very rough trail bed. The horse hooves leave small craters in the soft earth then the ground will hardened and we hikers trip and stumble our way along. During an early afternoon break, our packs off, leaning against a tree, drinking water, and just relaxing, there He was!!
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| Barukh |
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Ron, the horseman, said this was the 2008 National Reserve Champion for the 100 mile AHA National Championship. He has his belt buckle to prove it!
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| Pretty cool! |
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After Ron rode on we hiked until 5:00pm and called it a day. The end of the hike is near and there is no need to push on. Pete and I are both hot and tired from this days hike. We have covered a lot of miles these last two days. Here is another pretty meadow, we set up camp, fix the freeze dried meal, and relax during the setting of the sun. The moon keeps getting fuller and shines his brilliant light on us as we sleep.
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| Campsite number five. |
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| Moon tracking across the sky! |
Day six fines us breaking camp at six in the morning. We are close to accomplishing our goal. We eat a quick breakfast and leave this solitude for a reality check with the real world. Between 7:30am and 9:15am when we arrive at the Golden Pond Visitor Center we meet one critter with a bad attitude. He flicks that forked tongue seeing if we register on his- I know what this is chart! I don't think we do, he is confused! Stepping around him we go our way and he says, "You better run! I can be bad!"
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| Look at that eye! Black snake |
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Those two or three miles we hike on this last day are a piece of cake! Pete's truck is waiting in the parking lot, we need a picture before we remove our packs and place them in the bed. A nice older couple walk toward the Visitor Center and stop to take our picture. He and Pete have a mutual friend through church, so we are friends by association. Pete and I do the fist bump and the hike is over!
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| Two fat men!-- Sixty mile hike!! |
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We drove through the Elk and Bison Prairie as we were leaving the LBL and I was able to see the bison and some turkeys, plus more elk. We were so close to the bison that I reached out and touched one of them on her backside.She looked over her shoulder and winked at me!
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| Turkey |
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| Elk |
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| Bison |
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| Bison |
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| Winkin' Bison |
Well there you have it- Good hike, good backpacking trip, good friend!
In the woods or on the water,
Turtle
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