codyg1985’s Think Tank

After the first day in the wilderness, our group decided to cut the trip short.  The rain began earlier that we expected, and as a result the safety of the trail was questioned.  Moreover, especially in my case where I have never done anything like this before, we were tired and uncomfortable out on the trail in the cold and damp conditions.

At first, I lost my breath because the pace was fast as we were climbing a hill.  We stopped and ate lunch (an meal, ready-to-eat, or MRE).  The group agreed to let me take the lead to set the pace, and we continued south down the trail.  I set a slower, but still brisk pace as the trail winded along the slope next to a small lake.  In the evening, we found a nice flat area next to a steam that we used as camp for the night.

The camping experience for me was not a good one.  It was dark, and I was not as prepared as I should have been. We stopped for camp just as it was getting dark, and our fire did not last long enough to provide sufficient lighting and heat.  We all were also tired, so we tucked into bed around 7 PM.  I could not sleep at all; my legs were cramping all night, and I could not get comfortable.  Throughout the night I was considering backpacking back up to my vehicle and leaving, regardless of the weather conditions.

I left my pack outside; after all, it was a clear night, and we could see the stars.  Everyone else, as ever prepared as they were, moved their packs inside their tents.  During the early morning hours, it began to rain.  Not too torrential, but it lased long enough to get my pack wet.  At this point, I was really just considering going the opposite direction regardless of what everyone else was thinking (I know that would have been dumb, but I wanted out of there).

After everyone woke up, I told them that I wanted to leave because I did not think I could handle five more straight days out in the elements, especially for someone that has never had any prior camping or backpacking experience.  I told my tentmate about this before I consulted the rest of the group, and he agreed about hiking out and seeking dry shelter at least through Monday.  Everyone else agreed once he presented that idea to everyone else. 

By the time we got out of there, we just decided to all go home and cut the trip short.  I am grateful that we made that decision.  Maybe I suck because I was the one that first brought it up, but I wanted to have fun on this trip instead of it being one large chore.