10 Mile Hike With A Twist

A few of the scouts are working n the Hiking Merit Badge.  Last weekend was a 10-miler at East Fork Lake.  We were to meet early and hike.  One problem...Michael and I were on one side of the lake and Carl and his dad was on the other side on Elklick Road.  I kept driving around in circles.  So we decided to hike 10 miles and then write a summary.  There is a third 10-miler that has to be done so we will switch it up. 

Read Steve Newman's book years ago.  Steve is from Bethel, Ohio.  Could not have asked for a better hiking day, the weather was perfect, leaves changing color, and an actual hint of fall in the air.

We chose The Bridle Trail.

Thee spiderwebs looked like little pod hotels.

lots of this...thankfully not too fresh.  We did not see one horse on the trail.

We had to pay attention to the path.

We crossed over four creeks.

A few morning stretches.

I found a turtle rock.  One problem  he's too heavy to carry.  

Crossed through several soy bean fields.

Once we limbed through a tree.

Anyone know what this plant is?

Mark thinks it might be a prickly pear.

A little over 3 miles in we found some nice stumps for a snack.

I was surprised that we found this.

We got to hike a short while on the Buckeye Trail.

hedge apples

Five Mile Mark...we took a water break and headed back.  We were doing great, had a great pace and had our trail legs.  We figured we could finish by 1 at the latest.

so back we go.  Michael lost his boot in a big mud pit.  I had to dig it out.

Found some Creasy Greens in one of the corn fields.

This made me a little nervous. Next hike I'm sporting a bright orange vest.

And then this happened!  Seven miles into the hike and while crossing the big creek I slipped and fell and I knew something was wrong.  But in the moment I was just worried about getting my phone out of my pocket.  I rolled myself out of the creek that's when I really knew something was wrong.  There was pain and my arm would not do what my brain was telling it to do.  We sat a minute and then Michael and his First Aid Merit Badge training kicked in.  He wanted to call 911.  I talked him out of that.  I figured that we could handle it.  He took off his jacket and made a sling.  Then he put my backpack n with my right arm tucked in and tightened to my side.  Then we called Mark.  I felt confident that we could walk the 3 miles out to the car.  Slowly we made those three miles in about two hours.  Then I drove home and Mark took me to the ER at Christ Hospital.

We were taken right back.

I am covered from head to toe in creek water, mud and horse poop.  My clothes are all soaking wet and I am shivering because the AC is blowing directly on me.  I'm a mess. so they take an x-ray.  oh my gosh...PAINFUL!  I asked for pain meds.

And I got a dry scrub top to wear home.  It was a real circus getting my wet stuff off.  Went home with pain meds that make me itch like a dog with fleas and am told to see an orthopedic surgeon ASAP.

continued.......