Shawnee State Forest

This week my husband, Kevin, was away; my son , Jay, is away on school trip; leaving me and Utah free to try out my solo skills on Southern Ohio's most challenging backpacking trail in Shawnee State Forest.  I hiked the Southern Loop.  It was a great trial for my new backpack.  Everything I needed or will CDT chunk hike fit well and comfortably. I had a great first day hot and sunny with beautiful flowers. Utah flushed out a couple of wild turkeys (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Gall-dindi.jpg/220px-Gall-dindi.jpg).  I got to camp 6 at about 4 PM, Right at the trail sign there was a single lady slipper, a rare flower of the orchid family, a little while later Eastern Whip-poor-will (,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Whip-poor-will) began to serenade me to sleep. They sang me to sleep and proceeded to sing through the night finally ceasing at dawn.  When the hermit Thrush took over.  The camp is at the confluence of two streams with clear pure water running through the middle of camp.  This camp is reputed to be the most isolated and beautiful campsite in Ohio.  

The next morning I was out of camp by 7.  A fantastic and beautiful hike up to a 1000' ridge with great views of these Appalachian hills.  I was cruising along and got to my planned camp, camp 4 at noon.  I certainly didn't want to camp that early so I pushed on.  The day got greyer and greyer and I hiked and hiked over ridges, down into canyons until I started seeing signs of logging operations and trail closures I just kept following the orange blazes that hadn't failed me yet untill i stumbled out into the logging operation that had taken down blazed trees.  arrrgh. I stopped in a hillside of chaff and stumps trying to find some form of footpath to continue on.  Then Crash, Bang, Boom thunder , lightning and a deluge.  Lost trail, bare hillside ugg.  I decided to backtrack and find a roadwalk out.  Only to find myself on a ridge with two metal poles and a metal knee brace and no seconds between flash and bang. I was seriously freaked!  I was on a ridgetop dirt road, along come two pickups filled with loggers.  I explained my position and they generously offered me a ride out to my car.  Cest La Vie, rescued by anti heroes? go figure.

Nothing messes up trail following like cut down trees. 

Count down to the CDT: 9 days till we leave

Wild Iris

Pink Lady Slipper

Utah gets a drink in one of the beautiful 

Appalachian Hills

Ultralight Presentation at the Appalachian Ohio Sierra Club

I Just got home from doing a program on Ultralight Thru Hiking The participants wanted me to post these slides to my blog.  We are also planning an overnight backpacking trip for May 11.  In the mean time I am drying food and starting to pack for our CDT chunk.


DIY Links

Make Your Own Gear » Ultralight HOT Summer Quilt Material ...

www.backpackinglight.com › Forum Index › Make Your Own Gear‎

Apr 4, 2011 - 20 posts - 13 authors

www.rayjardine.com  kits, wisdom and materials

www.thru-hiker.com  kits, materials, wisdom

www.questoutfitters.com
Supplier of outdoor fabrics, notions and hardware, also patterns and kits for making the G4 ultralight pack.

Buy Thru Hiking Stuff

www.tarptent.com 
Henry Shires’ tarptent.

www.sixmoondesigns.com 
Ron “Fallingwater” Moak’s Ultralight gear.

www.titaniumgoat.com 
Ultralight titanium products

www.prolitegear.com
Retailer focusing on lightweight hiking and backpacking gea

www.hikelight.com 
“Only the Lightest”, source for lightweight gear.

ORGANIZATIONS

www.pcta.org
Pacific Crest Trail Association

www.aldhawest.org
American Long Distance Hiking Association (West)

www.appalachiantrail.org
Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

www.cdtrail.org
Continental Divide Trail Alliance

www.coloradotrail.org 
Colorado Trail Foundation

Three generations of Vicky's backpacks: my old 6 LB Lowe,my  fantastic new Gossamer Gear Mariposa,  my PCT Gossamer Gear pack.

On Saturday my new pack came in the mail, what an inspired Backpack. It's as if the designers at Gossamer Gear were listening to my every wish.  My last pack had a few things I wished could change, a tougher fabric, better tie down system and belt pockets that didn't twist the belt all  up every time I put on my pack.  

The new pack has a super clever tie down system that even has a zippered pocket.  Such Luxury! The hipbelt has integrated pockets and seems much tougher than my last Gossamer Gear pack.    I do miss being able to put my socks in my straps.

Kevin and I went on a 10 mile day hike in beautiful spring weather.  I loaded my new grey checked Mariposa up with my Marmot bag, thermarest, kitchen, an old North Face tarp shelter, tyvek ground cloth and lunch with a 1/2 gallon of water.  15 lbs with my base weight plus.  We were hiking on the Zaleski  Backpacking trail in Ohio's Zaleski State Forest.  It was lovely hiking through the  blooming red buds and dogwoods.  It was also great leaving the kids at home.

 

Spring is Here!

This Saturday we went for hike on the Rockhouse trail.  In between the area that looks down on the Athens Mall and the Blue Ash Cave the wildflowers were abundant.  There were many Dutchmans britches, both yellow and purple violets, and a riot of blue bells.

You can Join me on this trail Thursday at 5:00 PM at the OU credit Union Trailhead.

 Lets go find some flowers!

Dutchmans Britches on the Rockhouse Trail
Saturday April 14

Kevin Jay and Aunt Laurie in Boulder Cove

Blue Ash Cave

If you can get a chance to hike the trail this week it might be our flower peak!

Swing

Sick of snow pix? try these

My best friend Chris Fahl and I took our two sons to Georgia to the Okeefenokee Swamp and the Cumberland National Sea shore for Spring Break.

               We had a very rainy drive down to the Florida Georgia Border.  By the time we got to the ranger station the sky was clearing and we had beautiful weather the whole rest of the trip.

 We rented a two person kayak and a canoe.  Rowan and I started in the kayak, while Chris and Jay took the canoe.  We paddled to a chickee called Minnies Lake as Rowan and I turned into the campsite there was a 14 foot long alligator sunning on a log 3 feet from our campsite.

 This place was so full of alligators the Chris dubbed it 30 A.P.H.  alligators per hour

 our two tents fit easily on the deck.

 Jay and Rowan took the two boats out and had a naval battle with water plants.

 The second day Chris and I kayaked and the boys canoed. Chris is a fabulous companion for a trip like this.  We paddled to Mixons hammock.  A hammock down south is a patch of woods.  We camped on land that night and the kids had fun building a shelter from branches and spanish moss

 On the third day we paddled out the same dock we started from. Next stop was Cumberland Island Island National Seashore about 35 miles from the swamp.  We took a hiker ferry to the island.  a Carnegie family donation made this piece of heaven into a national Seashore.  There are still private property on the island but it has lots of designated wilderness, wild horses, armadillos and an enormous empty beach.  We camped at a semi developed campsite. 

 The live Oaks are ginormous!