CEO Hike - Day 4

On the morning of day 4, my feet were sore and the tendons in my arches were on fire! The first few days of keeping up with Team Engine had backfired on me. Not wanting to risk further damage, I offered to help load the boat with all the night bags and give my feet an extra hour of ice & rest. 

There was another trail entrance just a few miles up the bank, so they dropped me off there while I waited for the group. Instead of 16 miles as scheduled, I'd be going 12.5. Super disappointed, but I had to listen to my instincts if I was going to finish the trail. Afterall, there was another 28 miles to Table Rock State Park.

After two days of hiking solo, I was looking forward to having company and coversations. This was a great group of nonprofit peers, and hiking with them provided an excellent opportunity to get to know them better while passing the time (and forgetting our pain).

The pace was still challenging but quite fun! We laughed, told stories, and motivated each through every steep incline. It was this shared experience that created a professional support system we all needed. By the way, a double-blaze marking on a tree, like you see below, means the trail is changing directions. 

Most of our hike on Day 4 was covered with tree canopy as we slowly made our way out of the lake bed and up the mountains. Just steps after steps after steps, up and down, up and down. I'm thankful for all the work done to help make this trail safer.

We arrived at our final campsite and were excited for what we thought would be a huge party that evening! Several nonprofit leaders who didn't want to hike had planned to join us and hear about our experience so far. Unfortunately, their hike down from the parking lot was more difficult than they expected. Plus, a thunderstorm rolled in and cut the party short. Only a few of us dared to camp. The hard rain, thunder, and lightening didn't cease until around 1am. My tent stayed dry, though!