Long Hunter VI

Long Hunter...........Trail Rating......Outcasts Total: 1118.04Miles
Volunteer Trail...6.0 Miles.........Easy
Day Loop............2.0Miles..........Easy
Volunteer Trail...6.0Miles..........Easy
Day Loop............2.0Miles..........Easy
Total………………16.0 Miles

We have started again! We did our usual pilgrimage to Long Hunter State Park as our first hike of the season. This is the start of our Sixth year of hiking together. Our partner Greg couldn't make it this year as he had scheduling conflicts.

This wasn't much of a warm up since our next hike is 100 miles at Land Between the Lakes. There was talk of the weather being this warm on that hike.....yea right! We were a little off this year as we are not used to hiking without the freezing rain and snow. Kinda like a culture shock.

We left straight from work and headed to the park. We were laughing about our pack weights and being so light with the lack of cold weather gear. There was one camper on the trail, they told us when we signed in. Troy whipped out the famous fried chicken and handed each of us a half a bird. We headed out down the trail looking through tears of happiness.

We had some great weather for walking and we got to see a lot of deer. Lots of different birds too. We saw one lady walking her dogs on the day loop and then passed our camper on the overnight trail. He was a Hero who hikes back and forth during the day and sometimes stays out here a week at a time. He didn't have any campfires and lived off the wild. I added that "Live off the wild myself." Sounds even better. He didn't know if he would be back tonight or not. OK?

We set up camp and gathered firewood. I set up my hammock and while I was checking it out something happened. I woke up an hour later thinking "WOW" I slept through the day. The guys had taken naps as well.

We got up and made some dinner. After dinner Marco and I head out to film the sunset. On the way back we thought that the camp had caught fire. Troy had a fire with flames four feet tall. We had to move the sitting log back four feet to keep from getting burned. He said he was sorry, just used to having to make a fire for survival.

That evening we sat around the fire telling lies and taking cough medicine. The stars were shining and the moon glowing over the lake. That night we heard an owl getting some dogs tore up.

We got up the next morning and hung around camp just soaking it up. Then we packed up and headed down the trail. We didn't see anyone until we got to the day loop. Then we saw lots of walkers. We even were entertained by two ladies in bikinis that were washing their boat out in the lake. We are just men.

When we got back to the trailhead there was a lady getting her pack ready to go. I told her that she was late, but we did leave her some firewood. The Ranger pulled in and got after another lady about not having her dog on a leash. It was amazing how it turned out to be his fault. Women have a way of doing that. She kinda made me proud. He stopped and talked to us after that and we thanked him for the job he does and how nice the park is. We told him that we were on his side.

Another great hike starting another great hiking season full of adventure.

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