Today's plan was to walk another trail in the Allegheny National Forest referred to as Hemlock Run Trail. It is part of the North Country Trail system. In the midst of a very jam-packed day, I was really committed to this hike, and when I should have probably scratched it for something a little less ambitious, I stubbornly hung on to the plan since it was my last day to walk.
My hiking partner, Erin, preferred to walk in the afternoon, so after having already been to Curves and out to lunch with my mom and sister, we met at 1:00 to head out to the Allegheny Forest. It took quite a while to get to where we needed to go, and we immediately started to get nervous because we had to be at a Baby Shower Dinner at the Olive Garden at 6 p.m. In the hiking book that I had been looking at, it said the hike would take four hours, so we knew we were pushing it. We had already driven a long way, however, and my Dad had even accompanied us so we could leave my car waiting at the end of the hike. We decided that the 4 hours listed in the book presumed hikers that were taking their time, and if we were hoofin' it, we could make it. So onward we went.
I didn't take any pictures because we were just going so fast. Anyway, the pictures would have looked a lot like the other hike I took with Heather; it's the same region and the same scenery.
Our hike was going along very nicely, and we were pleased with our pace. We kept engaged in great conversations. After a time, the hike came to a dirt road, and here's where everything went haywire.
According to the book I was looking at, the hike was to cross the road and then we were to look for a sign on the right for the trail to resume on the other side of the road. We never saw a sign. We walked and walked and after quite a long time realized that something was wrong; we had somehow missed the sign. As I'm looking at maps now on the Internet (such as the one below), the trail should have resumed really soon after crossing the road, but we didn't have those maps with us.
We looked at the map in the book and guessed where we were in relation to that map. We thought if we could shift east, we could find the trail again. We kept striving to shift east. All this time, we were on dirt roads. Some of the dirt roads were very well-traveled and some were not. All of the roads were dotted with oil wells such as the one in this picture.
All this time, I am really struggling to walk normally. My blister from walking sockless yesterday was really bothering me, despite the fact that I had worn band-aids and double socks today. I wanted so much to be done walking, and Erin was getting very tired, too. Of course, we were also getting nervous about getting back in time for the dinner. Naturally, we were also without cell service.
After an untold amount of time and God only knows how many miles, we were passed by 4 guys on 4-wheelers. I assumed that that were out for recreation. We waved and nodded and kept trudging on. We hadn't yet given up on finding the trail. We kept walking. And walking.
A while later, one of the guys on the wheelers came back. By this time, we had already decided that if we saw someone, we would ask where we could resume the trail. Miraculously, neither of us were freaking out yet, we just knew we needed to start doing something different. We waved the guy down, and he stopped. We found out that he and the other guys all worked for the oil company that maintains all of those little wells. As of 3:30, he was off the clock, and he decided he needed to come check on us because when he had seen us earlier, he had a strong suspicion we were lost hikers.
We showed him our book, and he seemed perplexed. There were not nearly as many little roads indicated on the map we had (and were basing our efforts on finding the trail on) as there were in actuality. Some of the little roads were not even 6 months old, he said. The worst news? Whereever we were was MILES off from where we should have been.
This map (especially if you click on it) shows where we were dropped off, where the car was waiting, where we screwed up at, and where we ended up L-O-S-T.
We were totally sunk and deflated. There was no way we could double back, complete that trail and still make it to the dinner. With my foot in its condition, there was no way I would have wanted to try anyway. Thank God, the oil worker offered to take us back to the shed where they kept their wheelers parked. He said he would then take us in his truck to where my car was parked.
Now, I know what they say about taking rides from strangers, but this guy was such a God-send, truly. He was very nice in allowing us a ride on his wheeler, one damsel in distress sitting on each side of the rack on the back of the wheeler. Riding on the wheeler was glorious. When we got to the shed, I asked him if I could take his picture, and he agreed. He also told us his name, but I'll only refer to him here as Mr. Guardian Angel. He even told us the name of the company that he worked for, so that all set us at ease.
After he parked his wheeler, removed his coverall and locked up the shed, he drove us in his truck to where my car was. We made light conversation where he told us where he was from and we mentioned where we were from and than we now lived in Texas. We were flattered that he referred to us as "girls".
Erin and I got to my car, never so happy to see a vehicle in our lives. We drove as quickly as we legally could back into Warren where we made a blitz shopping trip into Walmart to buy a baby present for our coming nephew. I then dropped off Erin at my in-laws' house and then hi-tailed it up to my mom's house to change my clothes.
We arrived at the Olive Garden on time.
I will have learned so much more about hiking by the next time I do this.
Thus ends my 80 mile walking journey in northwestern Pennsylvania. Thanks for coming with me!
Total steps today: 14,688
A few items to add, beside the binoculars for spying birds and bunnies:
ReplyDelete1. Compass
2. Topo Map
I would like you to send me info on the guy who saved you.
Love Dad