Washed by the Water

I was originally going to title this post "Top 5 Reasons why Today was the Worst Day Ever," but there were a couple of problems with that.  First, it would be really hard to narrow the list down to 5, much less pick the top one (it rained ALL day, my right heel launched a full scale rebellion against this hike, I accidentally left for the last 7 mile leg of the hike without my water bottle... you get the point)  Secondly, since my mom reads this blog I need to keep it rosy so that she doesn't drive up here, yank me off the trail and run dad through the ringer for not doing it himself.

No, that's not a scenic babbling brook, that's the trail!

So, in honor of my fellow SVDP'er Karen Williams who often tells me to "Stop being such a BABY," I'll list the 5 best things that happened today.

5. In the middle of the deluge, the song "Washed by the Water" by Need to Breathe came on.  That became my theme song for the day.  Give it a listen sometime.

4. I ended my 21 mile hike today at mile 99.5 of the trail.  I checked with Steve Calme, and he told me that that rounds to 100 (he went to St. X so he would know).  100 miles baby!!!

3. My wife still doesn't think I'm crazy for trying to do this.  (If she does, she hasn't told me and us men are no good at nonverbal cues so I would have no idea.)

2. Impeccable support from dad today.  I came to a road crossing about two thirds of the way through the hike.  I walked up to the car and he handed me a cheeseburger, which I ate in about 90 seconds!!!

1.  Around mile 14, the trail passed a small cave. Chuck Norris was in the cave drying his shoes and socks over a fire.  I asked him how far he was going for the day, and he said he had planned to walk 21 miles but just couldn't take the rain anymore.  I gave him a tissue (he was crying) and headed down the trail. What a Baby!

Large beaver pond skirted by the SHT.

At any rate, while today was without question my hardest day yet, I set out to do 21.3 miles, and in spite of unending rain and flooded trails I got it done.  I'm definitely at a low point after three straight days of rain, but the forecast is looking better tomorrow, so hopefully my mood (and the smell of our car) will improve!

Matt

The Best Day Yet

Today was the best day on the trail for a lot of reasons.  Sleeping in a bed with the blinds closed, I was able to sleep in a bit later (7:00 am, woo hoo!), and the breakfast at the hotel was awesome.  I only had a 16 mile hike planned for the day (never thought I'd say "only" and "16 miles" in the same sentence), so I enjoyed a cup of coffee and a newspaper before we headed out.  When we left the hotel it was raining, but at this point I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it will be raining most of the time... Trying to be excited when it's sunny rather than mad when it's raining.

My dad dropped me off for the first 5 mile section of the hike, which consisted of lots of ups and downs over the ridge line.  I could tell that my marathon training had paid off on these climbs.  Now, they barely got my heart rate going or caused heavy breathing, whereas on some of my backpacking trips last year when I encountered similar hills, the only thought running through my head was "how are they going to get my dead body off the top of this hill when I have a heart attack at the top???"

At a road crossing around mile 5, I met up with my dad, who would be joining me for the next 3.5 miles on the hike.  As I sat in the car eating a granola bar while he got his boots on, it stopped raining!  As we climbed back up to the ridge line in "almost sunny" conditions, it was really nice to have some company.  I realized how fortunate I am to have my dad along on this trip.  As long as I can remember, my dad has been involved in and supportive of all my endeavors.  I'm truly lucky to have him as my dad.  (Case in point, as I was typing these last few sentences he just walked over and filled up my mug of wine)

After a few miles, we arrived at Bean and Bear Lakes, a pair of glacial lakes up in the hills.  As the guidebook promised, this was without a doubt the most scenic part of the trail I had yet encountered, and the fact that the weather had come around certainly helped things.  After taking a break above the lakes, dad took a side trail back to the car, and I continued on the SHT toward my next goal, Mt. Trudee.

Bean and Bear Lakes

As I descended from the ridge down into the Palisade Creek Valley, I could see Mt. Trudee looming in the distance.  The SHT follows the Sawtooth "Mountain" range along the north shore of Lake Superior, but I only considered what I had seen so far to be glorified hills.  Mt. Trudee, on the other hand, did look like a full blown mountain, and it certainly felt like it on the way up.  I thought I had seen the best view of the day overlooking Bean and Bear, but as I arrived at the summit of Mt. Trudee, I realized I was wrong.  With the song "Day After Day" by Boxelder playing on my headphones, I took in the view of a valley dotted with beaver ponds, the inland mountains, two glacial lakes, the shore of Lake Superior, and a 30 mile view of the Sawtooth Mountains that I would be traversing for the next few days.  Sitting at the top of this mountain and listening to this song, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and joy to be where I was (get the song on iTunes and you'll see why it was perfect)

I went to the mountain...

As I slowly got up and returned to the trail, a cool breeze picked up, and I had a bad feeling that more rain was on the way.  Sure enough, within a few minutes the sky opened up.  But hey, at least I was right!  I started down Mt. Trudee for the final 4 mile stretch of the day.  I entered Tettegouche State park, where I would soon cross the Baptism River, just as the weather transitioned from rain to full on thunder and lightning storm.  I reached the river at the booming High Falls, which is the tallest water fall in Minnesota.  A few dozen feet upstream from the falls is a swinging metal bridge that I would have to walk across to get to the other side of the river.  An hour ago at the top of Mt. Trudee, I had felt like I was the master of the universe.  But as I hustled my way across a rickety metal bridge, above a roaring river and waterfall, in the middle of a lightning storm, I was quickly reminded that I was at God's mercy!

After another mile slog back to the car, dad and I headed north, stopped for dinner, and set up a new base camp at Temperance River State Park, which will be our home for the next few days.  In spite of inclement weather and sore legs, today truly was an awesome day.  Being able to share it with my dad, and to share it with each of you, makes it truly amazing!

Matt

Runnin' on Top

Last night when I went to bed, my feet and knees felt just about the same as they did after I finished the Flying Pig.  Needless to say, this made me pretty nervous because I wasn't in any shape for strenuous activity for several days after the marathon.  When I woke up, however, I was relieved to find that I felt much better.  Don't get me wrong, I was still stiff and sore, but overall I felt like I could handle the hike that was ahead of me.  As Aprina says in the song Runnin on Top, "new me, brand new day!"

We broke camp in a light rain and I was back at the trailhead by 6:30 (it gets light out around 5:00 and the birds start singing, so sleeping in is something of a challenge).  After a few stiff miles I got into a groove.  The trail was very scenic off the bat, climbing to ridges with scenic views of the lake and the inland mountains.  I met up with my dad on the trail 5 miles later in Split Rock State Park, where the trail follows one of the most breathtaking rivers I've ever seen. 

After leaving my dad and Split Rock, I started on the final 11 mile leg of my hike for the day.  The skies, which had been overcast all morning, opened up and it would rain off and on for the remainder of the day.  In spite of the rain and cold, the trail remained scenic with some of the best views yet.  The further North I get, the better the trail seems to get.

A cold and rainy view of the lake

Around mile 18, my feet started to bother me just like they did the day before, although not quite as much and not quite as early, which I took as a good sign.  While my original itinerary called for a 25 mile hike today, I decided to end it at 20, and I've reduced my planned miles for the next few days to make sure I stay healthy.  This most likely means I'll be hiking the trail in about 12 days, instead of my original goal of 10.  But based on my first three days, I've come to two conclusions about this trip:

1.  I CAN hike this trail, and have a good time while doing it.

2. Finishing this trail, whether it take 10 days or 15, will take every ounce of my physical and mental determination.

I'm blessed to have a lot of support, both in this endeavor and my life over all.  From my wife, who could have argued with me about doing this but instead encouraged me to go for it, to my family and friends who are pulling for me, to my dad who is supporting me along the way, I know I'm not in this alone.  However, at mile 15, when your brain is sounding all kinds of alarms (aka pain) telling you that you need to stop right now, and there's no way you can go another 5 miles today (much less another 175 this week)  you truly are the only one who can make the decision to push through it.  From the scenery to the challenge, this trip has exceeded my expectations all around!

At any rate, one extra bit of motivation I had to get through the hike today was the promise of a hot shower, a good meal, and a night in a bed!  Dad and I are taking a break from camping and staying in a hotel in Silver Bay tonight.  We put on the feed bag, and I'm looking forward to sleeping in a bit before getting back out to the trail and back into a tent.

Thanks so much to all who've been encouraging me along the way!

Matt

Putting on the feedbag!

High-Low Game

Today was a day of highs and lows.  We awoke to clear skies, which was a welcome break from the rain of the past couple days.  With the forecast calling for sunny and 60's, I was looking forward to taking advantage of the weather to bang out some serious miles and have fun while doing it.

The high quickly wore off when I hit the trail.  My "waterproof" shoes were still wet from the day before, and the first couple of miles of trail were basically a glorified swamp.  Where were the boardwalks from the day before?  Why weren't my shoes keeping me dry?  And where were all these "amazing" views of Lake Superior and waterfalls that the SHT guidebook talked about???

After 5 miles, I put on my headphones to try and improve my mood.  The trail, however, would soon take care of that for me.  I ascended a ridge to find what would be the first of many awe inspiring views of Lake Superior and the surrounding countryside.

Scenic view of Lake Superior from Wolf Rock

I put on a dry pair of socks, and was greeted with some better-maintained trails.  The trail alternated between cool valleys and warm ridges with scenic views, before descending to the Gooseberry River for the final 5 miles of the day.  A mile from our campsite, just before a series of waterfalls, I met up with my dad.  We've been staying in Gooseberry Falls the past three days, but this was the first time I would see its famous series of waterfalls.  They were truly incredible, and I can say my 20 mile hike today definitely ended on a high.

The end of a long day at Gooseberry Falls

Back at camp, however, I began to sink back down to the low of the morning.  My feet and knees feel like they did after the Flying Pig Marathon, but instead of two weeks of rest, I'm looking at 8 more days of hiking.  According to my itinerary, I'm supposed to hike 25 miles tomorrow, yet today at mile 20 I felt as if I could truly go no further.  I'm beginning to question my 10 day itinerary, and whether or not I can really hack a 235 mile trip.

But ultimately, isn't that why I came?  Most of the things I do in my life, I take on with a pretty strong degree of confidence, knowing that if I plan well and give it my best I'll be able to achieve my goal.  But with this trip, right now I can honestly say I don't know if I'll succeed or fail.  In a way this is terrifying, yet at the same time there is something truly invigorating about pushing past the boundaries of what I'm confident I can achieve.

Matt

Dam it All

Last night our wonderful campfire was cut short by thunderstorms rolling in around 9:30.  We made it into our tents, and were both kept up a lot of the night by the thunder and rain.  Fortunately, within about 10 minutes of waking up, the rain tapered off.  Dad drove me back to the southernmost SHT trailhead at Fox Farm road, and my journey finally began!

Not even 100 yards into the trail, I gained a real sense of appreciation for the volunteers who maintain the SHT.  The trail crossed through a wetland area with ferns, wildflowers, and about 6 inch deep water!  What would have been a nightmare to walk through was instead an easy jaunt over a small boardwalk constructed by the Superior Hiking Trail association.  The trail the entire day was very well maintained, with nice bridges or boardwalks over the wet areas\creek crossings and very few downed trees to negotiate.  So far, the SHT has proven to be one of the most well maintained backcountry trails I've encountered.

One of the highlights of the day was passing several beaver ponds.  It's truly amazing that such a small animal is able to down trees and divert waterways.  Everyone says dolphins & orangutans are so smart, but I know of no other animal that can manipulate its natural environment the way a beaver can.

One of many beaver ponds I would encounter during the day

The southern portion of the SHT doesn't have the scenic ridge top views that the central and northern sections do, but the walk was still marked by tranquil woods, picturesque creeks and even a small waterfall.  When I was about 15 miles into my hike, the wind started to kick up and the rain soon followed.  Fortunately, my rain gear kept me pretty dry during what would be an hour long shower (just wish I could say the same for my "waterproof" hiking shoes).

Waterfall on McCarthy Creek

The rain gradually cut back to a slight drizzle, and I soon met my dad at a road crossing just shy of the 22 mile mark.  We're back at Gooseberry State park, waiting out another rainstorm in the park visitor center.  The weather forecast for tomorrow is showing sunny and 68.  I'm looking forward to taking in some good views, staying dry and putting some more miles under my feet!

Matt

Flyover States

Have you ever drove through Indiana?

As we headed out from Cincinnati, Jason Aldean asked if we had ever been through Indiana.  I was starting to agree with the two guys in first class that it was nothing but a bunch of cornfields that all looked the same, until we rolled into Indy for dinner with my mom, sister and my nephew Colin.  The Hoosier state's been good to my family, so it was nice to start the trip off here.

Is this the man who will one day "plow that earth, plant that seed?"

After spending the night in America's Best Value Inn, a classy joint indeed, it was back on the road. An early morning drive through Chicago quickly took us back to the cornfields of Illinois.  Illinois quickly gave way to the rolling hills of Wisconsin.  We passed through the Wisconsin Dells, which as far as I could tell appeared to be the Gatlinburg of the north.  Funny how we flock to nature’s wonders, whether it's the Smoky Mountains or the Dells, from hundreds of miles away, and when we get there all we want to do is shop at outlets, ride go-carts and eat eat eat!

The border between Wisconsin and Minnesota is the St. Louis River.  Crossing this river, we got our first views of Lake Superior, our companion for the next 235 miles.  We arrived at Gooseberry Falls State park to set up camp, and took a short hike around the park.  Lake Superior truly is breathtaking.  The landscape of mountains, cliffs and lakes is reminiscent of Maine or Big Sur, without the salty smell of the ocean.  For now, its light a fire, cook dinner and try to get some sleep before a 19.6 mile day tomorrow on the SHT!

Matt

Dad on the lakeshore at Gooseberry Falls

The Last Shall be First

Last night before my trip.  Last time to check the packing list.  Last time to add songs to my playlist.  Last night to relax on the porch.  Last night to sleep in my bed.  Last night to kiss Heidi goodnight.  Tomorrow, the last day in my job in fund raising at St. Vincent de Paul.

But the last shall be first.

The first time I'll spend this much quality time with my dad in a long time.  The first time I'll experience this part of the country.  The first time I'll push myself, mentally and physically, this far.  And when I get back, the first time I'll get to hold my wife after two weeks apart.  The first time I'll get to go to my new job within St. Vincent de Paul.

"Live each day like it's your last" is a popular saying, but I can't help but wonder if we shouldn't instead live each day like it's our first.  What if we forgot about when we last failed, and instead saw our first chance to succeed?  What if we forgot about when we were last hurt, and instead treated each relationship like it was fresh and new?  What if we forgot about everything we learned the last time, and lived life like it was our first day in a new school and we had everything to learn?

Thanks again to everyone for your support and encouragement as I take on this new first in my life.

Matt