These are my five favorite pictures from my 2020 hiking adventures!
#5 – First Trail Magic
To most people, this is a random picture of a can of Dr. Pepper. To me, it is my first ever “trail magic”!
In April I hiked the North Fork section of the Ozark Trail. As I finished breakfast and packed up my things at a trail-head, two men pulled up in an ancient pickup truck.
They were driving the back roads turkey hunting and asked if I had seen any! It amazed them that I was camping in the woods when it was so cold out. A brutal 33 degrees LOL.
When asked if I needed any food, I told them, “I am all set”. They offered water or a soda and blessed me with this can of Dr. Pepper.
As I packed my bag, I smiled thinking how I had just been given my first real trail magic!
#4 – Silly Video
It is impossible to talk about 2020 without mentioning COVID-19!
Restricted tourism in Arkansas most of the summer denied me access to my favorite trails.
This video is for everyone with the same repressed desire to be on the trail.
It became the most watched video on my YouTube channel. Eventually making it over 1,000 views.
Follow the link below to the video if you want to help me achieve Low Level YouTube Fame!
COVID-19 Self Quarantine Trail
#3 – Big Piney Cowboy Camp
The photo above is from an overnight on the Big Piney Trail. This is one of my favorite trails and I had passed this spot several times.
I camped on the bluff overlooking the Little Piney River.
While I enjoy hiking alone, I do not like camping alone. For this hike, I purposed to work on relaxing and learning to enjoy “camp time”.
I enjoyed reading a book and watching the sunset in the valley below.
#2 – Mile Marker 91
In January of 2020 we planned a hike from the 84 to 104-mile marker on the Ozark Highlands Trail. We had to cut our hike short at the 91-mile marker.
Most of the spring I felt unfinished business to tend to. I had the 91-mile marker circled on my map and looked at the photo often.
In September, I made a solo hike to connect my steps to the 104-mile marker.
My efforts brought me 300 chigger bites and a case of ehrlichiosis from a tick bite. Such are the risks of hiking in Arkansas in the summer.
#1 – Hurricane Creek Crossing
This is the creek crossing on the Ozark Highlands Trail I wrote about in my fear mongering blog – link
When we started our hike, stories of this creek being chest deep and moving very fast filled my mind.
Nightmares of being swept downstream faded as we crossed the creek with dry feet…
When I look at this picture I think, “I hiked here.” Here I stood with an incredible group of men, in a beautiful place that few people would ever see.
The words I use to describe this picture are, “very blessed!”
Thank you for stopping by my site today!