Last week I went up to Arkansas for a few days of hiking to prepare for the summer in Alaska. Mistake #1. Numbers 2-10 were as follows: Going alone, forgetting a sleeping bag, forgetting food, forgetting something for blisters, not looking at the map until lost, not wearing any bug repellent, hiking in thorns, swimming with spiders, sleeping with raccoons, and oh yes, going alone.

But I didn’t notice any of that as the first 4-5 miles were sensational. In fact, the next couple miles were even better, until I realized that the trail ended 20 miles early. I still have no idea where I was at that moment. So, I retraced my steps back to where the trail split, and then had a 30 minute conversation with myself about what to do. Bad map? No, it was great! I, on the other hand, was a poor map reader. 3 times I proved my illiteracy, causing much backtracking. Eventually, I became so confused that I finally decided to keep walking down the trail that was going west. As I walked toward the setting sun, I found a place to lay the all my mishaps to rest.

During the night, I realized that 50 degrees really is cold, and mosquitos really can bite you through a blanket. Throughout the night I kept hearing strange sounds, and the ones I had never heard before sent a streak of fear through me. The biggest scare was the rustling that kept coming closer to my ‘shelter’. Eventually I heard movements about 5 feet directly behind my head. Scared mindless, I tried to find the flashlight, hoping not to see something larger than me. As I powered the light, an armidillo appeared, and I released of a huge sigh of relief.

The next morning I traveled down the same dirt road with no real hope of finding the trail. But less than 10 minutes into the day, the road crossed a stream, and I suddenly realized where I was on the map. After so much confusion the day before, it was hard to be confident of anything, but within an hour my hunches proved correct upon seeing this sign:

Sadly, I missed the 3 most scenic parts of the whole hike, but thankfully I did not have to call it quits 6 miles from the car. As the day went along I noticed that my feet were sending me signals, namely, to stop walking. Crossing so many streams the day before left my feet quite soft and in perfect condition for blisters. Conveniently, the last 6 or so miles were the flattest part of the trail (remember dirt roads aren’t trails). Upon seeing a picnic area (and later waterfalls), I decided to stop for the day. My first order of business was to jump in the river. Ohhh, how a water bath will change the whole psycology of the trip. It’s strange how a spider the size of your hand will change that same psycology. Any spider that big, poisonous or not, makes me rather uncomfortable, and so I took to the high ground near the waterfall.

All that rushing water made me sleepy, but it was only like 6:30, and it wouldn’t be dark enough to sleep until at least 9. Do you have any idea how slow time goes when it’s just you for a couple days? What else was there to think about, talk about, write about, or read about?? Well, the time did pass as I passed out, but only temporarily. Around midnight I woke up for the third time. Maybe it was the cold air, maybe the hard ground, or maybe it was the strange noises coming 5 feet away. I’m guessing the latter, but who knows. Either way, the animal sounds got most of my attention as I reached for my headlamp. As I said, “Let there be light”, a raccoon appeared. A snarling contest ensued, which I thought I had won until I noticed the raccoon had already stolen my shoe before I awoke!! Thankfully the taste of Chaco isn’t very appetizing, as my annoying friend deposited the sandal 10 feet away from my bed. But ohhhhh the one-legged jig I danced to go those 10 feet must have been hilarious. The raccoon certainly loved it because it came back for an encore an hour later. This time it woke me by trying to steal my backpack/pillow, but I had a song for him to sing. Unfortunately, that bashful raccoon came down with stage fright when I put my spotlight on him, leaving me with nothing to do but sleep. Well, that was until he started the whole game again and again.

When the morning put an end to our game, I still had two pinkie toes wanting nothing to with the 6 miles back to the car:

I thought about what to do as I ate my instant oatmeal raw (perhaps one of the finest breakfasts…serioulsy, Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal without the water is delicious). But then it hit me, why not use the oatmeal wrapper!! Not only semi-nutrious and delicious, but a friction reducer! What a miracle cure it was, too. Surprisingly, the wrapper stayed on both feet until I had to cross 2 streams less than a mile before the car. And when I saw the car… well, it was wonderful. I crawled into the driver’s seat, pulled out my change of clothes, and traded in all the simplicities of the outdoors to indulge in running water, flushing toilets, and climate/bug control bathroom located at the RV camping area. All in all, it wasn’t the best trip, but I learned something valuable. NEVER EVER HIKE ALONE!

Related posts:

1. #35 – A Midnight Snack
2. Gila Wilderness
3. Hiking the North Shore

Thanks to an ‘accidental’ Friday afternoon nap, I couldn’t fall asleep that first night of ‘homelessness’. So I ventured out to explore America’s 17th poorest city, per capita, expecting to see a neighborhood filled with graffiti, single mothers, drugs, and underperforming schools. Yet, house after house glowed underneath the moonlight, and it felt as I walking among Waco’s wealthiest. The only sight of decay was the sidewalks, littered with glass and cracks, but I didn’t mind. The glass shimmered and the cracks reminded me of uneven hiking trails. So peaceful. Somewhere around 3 miles later, I called it quits, returning to my lovely ‘shack’ for 2.

The next morning, our group walked through the same area I wandered through just hours earlier, and the sunlight the reveal what the darkness hid. The vibrant colors had faded, siding had come loose, grass needed cutting, and that’s just on the outside. The dreamworld I had created vanished in the light of the overwhelming poverty. Later, we met several children, and I played a week’s worth of basketball and football in an afternoon. Leaving the kids was rough because didn’t know when each kid would receive the same affection. So young and with such promise. Each one has possesses a unique brilliance. If only they understood they could to escape. I wonder if anyone tells them it’s possible, not just babbling mere words, but really meaning it.

On Sunday, we went to a church that meets under I-35, appropriately called Church Under the Bridge. 1/8th of the worship band is a recovering drug addict with mental problems, who plays a guitar without strings while dancing around. The congregation is the same mixture of needy. Some need homes, some need food, and most need a friend. Some carry their needs in paper bags; others carry it in a Mercedes-Benz, but all needing love. I talked with 4 men, all homeless, and by talking, I mean they let me listen to their stories. What could I possibly say? During the conversation, I learned that all of them had been robbed and beaten, one within the last week, and a buddy just a few chairs over had several hundred dollars stolen by a group of teenagers only two days before. One had been stabbed several times in the chest, another openly confessed his dependency to alcohol, and another told about being run out of a small town in Maine, simply for ordering a hamburger and being black.

It rips at your heart. Why? WHY? It’s common to say that poverty is a choice, and some do choose it. But what does blame cure? Shouldn’t we ask how to help? For it’s in helping the poor that some strange happens. As I weakly try to help a brother, he helps me. My cold-heartedness melts into rivers of compassion. Yes, the ghettos of America are still a dark place, but there is hope for shadows only prove the Light.

Related posts:

1. Caught Red Handed
2. The Most Delicious War Ever
3. #35 – A Midnight Snack

NOTE: Never light a hand on fire dowsed in 91% rubbing alcohol. It burns too hot to handle. Even with the catastrophe (or maybe because of it), James, Will, Joe, and I enjoyed a great pre-Easter meal. It was so good that we haven’t touched the dishes.

Related posts:

1. Spurgeon “Growth in Grace”
2. Blindside – “Silence”
3. Shadows prove the Light

So many details, but I know of y’all hate reading so here are the highlights:

Friday:
Drove to REI in Austin
Bought a tarp to experiment as an alternate to using a tent
Car broke down on Hwy 1 (Mopack) right next to NTB (truly a blessing from God)
I stay with my broken Explorer while Brittnay, Houston, and Caleb load into other cars
Eventually arrive to Pedernales Falls, surprised to see the Ranger Station open
Hike 2 miles into camp under moonlight (so wonderful)

Saturday:
Woke up early, Explored, Pancakes, Explored the Falls, Drove to Austin, met Mom and Dad, checked bikes for Sunday’s triathlon, ate at the Olive Garden, slept like a rock

Sunday:
Woke up, too nervous to even eat, drove to triathlon, waited, waited, waited, waited, HORN, inhaled water, biked, and ran, saw a 100 million Aggies cheering for me (such a delightful surprise), saw my dad be a hero and finish 12 minutes faster than he ever imagined (this after only 2 WEEKS of training), drove home, ate with Scott, and got ready for Linear Programming test on Tuesday.

For those who like to read, I intend to write out the full adventures later.

Related posts:

1. Pedernales Falls
2. A weekend in DC with the Deckers
3. #35 – A Midnight Snack

Saturday morning, I taught how the Roman legions fought, relating it to Colossians 2:6-7 where it talks about walking with Christ and being rooted in Him. Even the AK-47 was a prop! Later these men began a silent war against the other junior ladies, but the most vicious war had yet to be declared.

That battle came during the early afternoon in the park behind the house. The weapon of choice was again fruit. This time the golf clubs came out, and all I can say is that fruit looks pretty good off a 3 Wood. Later the war changed to golf balls and baseball bats. Do not be on the receiving end of this game! I think we split a golf ball against a tree because it was moving at such a high velocity. The only reason I’m unsure is because it’s practically impossible to see a golf ball once an aluminum bat has made contact with it. Of course our weekend would not be complete if we did not end with a good war movie… Ok, Star Wars III isn’t exactly a great war movie, but it worked at pacifying our group into a deep sleep.

Ya know what my final thought is after the weekend? What a great group of guys! I wish I could spend more time with them.

Related posts:

1. #8
2. #11
3. #6 – Pack Light, Journey Long