Backpacking!

 A couple weekends ago I went backpacking with my brother, dad, uncle, and cousin. Even though I was the only girl:(, I had a lot of fun:)! We hiked at a place called Black Forest Trail, which is a total of 42 miles, we only hiked a total of 12 miles though. 12 miles in 3 days, which I know isn't that much. Though technically it was 2 days because the first day we just went like a half mile to a mile to get to our campsite for the night. I carried an 18 lb. backpack, which really isn't that much. Seth carried 22 lbs., and Dad carried 34 lbs. At least that's what we all started with.

 

Campsite the first night:

 Another funny story: This one's about our campfire. Our campfire was a hot campfire. When we were putting it out the first night and it was almost out, then my dad and uncle stuck a few stones on top, covering up what was left of the fire.

 We were in our tents, in our sleeping bags, when it happened. It sounded like someone was shooting at us! Boom, boom! Then dad said, it must be the stones! We went out and found several stones had exploded from the moisture expanding in them. One rock even split right in half down the middle, flat.

 

First whole day:

The first whole day...me, my dad, and my brother.

Everything was beautiful with the leaves just starting to change color!

Our backpacks....Seth and I have the same backpack. Funny story about that: One time after we stopped for lunch, Seth and Austin (my cousin) went to the woods to explore for a couple minutes. While they were gone I put on 'my backpack' but really Seth's backpack. I wanted to see if Seth would notice. They got back, and everyone else put on there backpacks. Seth said, "[my backpack] feels unevenly weighted, or whatever." I tried hard not to smile. Then we just kept on going since Seth didn't say anything else. It worked for a while, up the mountain, and onto level ground, until he wanted a drink from a water bottle, stored in my backpack, that he didn't know he was wearing. Dad took it out and Seth said, "Hey... I knew something was wrong!"

 

Snack time

~Leaves~

 

 At lunch time we stopped for lunch (well yeah, it was lunch time) under a virgin hemlock. While we were eating it started to pour down rain! The weird thing was, it was pouring everywhere but under the tree! The branches were so thick and dense that it took about ten minutes to start raining under the tree. It rained for the rest of the day basically, and we had to set up our tent under the tarp that my uncle brought along. They managed to get a fire started in the rain, which was amazing, and everything ended up working okay.

 

Final Day:

 Me with a twisty tree, on our last stretch of the trail.

Our last view from the trail!!!!

 

Wow, it was amazing to be out in creation and once again see all the awesome things God has created! It was an awesome weekend!