Although we have hiked WPRR before...#hike16 was just a great reminder to make sure we are prepared, know our hike, hike our own hike, communicate with your hiking buddy, and have an emergency plan...
Milli and I got separated for a good 20 minutes!
Her feet were hurting (need better boots for her --- hand me downs not working) and she was lagging behind, tired from a sleepover the night before and a long week at school...need I say she was probably pouting too! I was feeling strong and it was a gorgeous hiking day...somewhere we need to meet in the middle --- our AT experience will prove hugely developmental for us both!
We followed the white blaze and at a certain point there is a hairpin turn left, if you are not paying attention you could follow another unmarked horse trail right...and so the story starts there...
I was thinking to myself as I was puffing along, well I haven't heard any whining for a bit, thats refreshing...I will turn around when I get to the top of the next hill...
As I got to the top I turned around to cheer Milli on, and to my utter dismay she was NOWHERE! I started screaming her name, running down the hill, then the next hill, back to where I saw her last, screaming her name, blowing my emergency whistle, thinking the worst, praying for the best...I checked lean tos, took two different trails and finally ran back towards our car...all the while the reservation was still, quiet, void of all other people, animals and sounds...my heart was about to burst...
Never once did I check my phone, never once did I think to go to the hairpin turn trail split.
As I reached the beginning of the trail, i saw a family of 7, frantically i asked if they had seen a blonde girl with a pack, the older woman, clearly unaware of her surroundings said no...just as I was about to burst into tears and call the police, the older man said yes I saw her in the upper parking lot, there! He pointed to Milli standing with two women who picked her up a mile off the trail on a service road.
Just like a scene from a romantic movie, she and I saw each other from yards away and ran towards each other, embracing, crying, thanking the women who picked her up and taking the opportunity to learn from our mistakes.
We took a moment and both decided we should reboot and try our hike again!
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
6.5 miles (maybe a mile was racing to find Milli)
2.5 hours
Beautiful spring day
No poles
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| Bear warning... |
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| Hmmm...are we whining? |
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| Hike reboot --- how are we still smiling? |
Happy Hiking Mama
Nature
Respect nature, never take preparedness for granted!
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