LOST!!!!!! and undone.......Well I suppose it would be better said, we were all lost and I became undone! Jon and I planned a hike through Dark Canyon with another couple who were our friends. I am not sure after yesterday that they will still be our friends. Did I mention that I was lost AND undone?

The Canyon was very beautiful but the trail was a little muddy. The plan was to just hike in 4 miles and hike back out 4 miles. But during our picnic the "men" got out the trail map. Now I do not know if the fact that we would have to return straddling and jumping around mud had anything to do with their decision or if it was a male bonding thing. Whatever the case they decided to take a different trail back. So off we go...

From the very beginning finding the trail was difficult and was climbing up to a ridge line. (the name of said trail was Lightning Ridge Trail, should have been our first clue.) About 40 minutes in we all finally admitted that we were lost! This was the beginning of my "undoneness".  Jon has always stressed the potential danger of getting off trail in the mountains and especially in the wilderness areas. I was once lost as a young girl with my friend, Susan Williams in woods back of her house. It was not fun then and I didn't like the feeling returning in adulthood. So my first reaction was anger; I was mad that we had not returned the way we had planned. I was mad at the decision maker. I was mad! 

Our alternative became what is known as bushwacking. So after consulting the map we started through ferns knee deep and scrubby oaks in the direction the map consulters decided we should go. I kept tripping over logs that were under the brush and falling almost on my face. Jon was stung by yellow jackets every time we stopped. I moved from mad to extremely frustrated! I didn't hold in my feelings. I read somewhere that it was not good to hold in feelings due to the fact that it could lead to a stressful life. Did I mention that I am the pastor's wife and that we were hiking with parishioners? Did I mention that they may no longer want to be MY friends?

Our bushwacking was climbing because after all the trail was suppose to be following the ridge of a mountain. We ran out of water and had to refill at a stream (I have a filtering system for water). I think it was while refilling the water bottle that my camera got lost all on its own. I am sad to say that it didn't make it out. At this time it was around 3:30 and it is now Fall, meaning that the sun drops below the mountains early and it gets cold earlier than in summer. I moved from extremely frustrated to scared! I thought about my friend who was on a rescue team out of the Vail area. Could she find us in all the thick bush we were in? Then I remembered that no one knew that we had taken another trail. Bad rule to break! I also knew a front was coming in with cooler weather and rain. So spending the night on the mountain was not probably going to lead to a good outcome. I did mention fear didn't I?

Well finally once we reached the top of a ridge line and literally beat the bushes to find a trail, my "female" friend found a small trail and I saw a pink ribbon tied to a bush by the trail. I was told it was a hunter's mark for his trail. So off we went. We saw horse skat, YEAH, and footprints even better! The trail was going in the right direction, west and down! And the rest is history because I am now writing this!

I usually end these posts with something "spiritual." My friends or use to be friends had all sorts of beautiful spiritual offerings of the experience. All I can leave with you is PRAISE GOD FOR TAKING CARE OF US AND HELPING US OUT OF THERE! Also I might have figured out the stages of being lost: first anger, second extreme frustration and finally fear. Maybe I could write a book on the stages of lostness. What do you think?