It is my decision after all.....

The rest of the way to the Mackinaw Bridge is mapped out utilizing the National Park system and this park is closed. What now? I checked my phone and much to my surprise I had one bar. I might be able to get through to Diane.

Much to my relief she answered on my first try and we had decent reception. I had to explain to her the seriousness of my situation. The parks are closed, it is getting down into the mid 20's tonight, I am to tired to walk another 5 miles without even knowing if there is a motel anywhere near and I am wet and cold.

I am sure she could tell that I was nearing the end of my rope. I asked her to look up the National Parks and find out if the other parks I would need are open and if the camping restrictions were only at this park.

She called back about fifteen minutes later with the news that the other parks in my area did not open for another five days. With all of my planning, all the people I had talked to and after talking to a Forest Ranger just yesterday I had never found out that the parks did not open until later. I am feeling foolish.

I could hole up in a motel for 5 days after another 24 hrs exposed to the elements or I could go home.

Humiliated, cold and tired I began trying to ask Diane if she would pick me up. It would be close to a four hour drive. I was beating around the bush because I am not comfortable asking her to do this the day before Mother's day. She had plans with the children and what I was asking her to do would mess them up.

She let me off the hook as soon as she figured out I thought it was time to come home. I do love that girl so!

She said she would be on her way in about an hour. It was 5:00 p.m. now and that would make it around 10:00 p.m. and after dark before she would arrive. With everything so wet I can only hope to start a fire.

The park is deserted

The hike is long, wet, cold and uncomfortable but I am nearing the end of what appears to be a twelve hour day. I came out of the woods on Pierce Rd. which over by Benton Lake National Campground turns in to eight mile.

The road commission is either widening, paving the road or both. It is soft sand with a lot of sign of construction. I rested by sitting on the electric junction boxes along the road in front of the properties of the local folks or in front of someone's summer home.

Occasionally, a car would go by or I would see someone in the yard in front of their cottage or home. Very few people are visible today.

At one point I saw a sign which posted left towards the National Park or right 5 miles to Brohman. I continued towards the park.

After what seemed like a long while but actually was only an hour or two I reached the park entrance. It appeared to be deserted. The State Parks and County Parks had been open for weeks. I am very confused by the desolation of the park.

I went to the campground sign up post to pay for the evening's campsite but they were not allowing camping either. The tables were upended and there were signs at every campsite forbidding camping. Panic almost set in at this time.

Upon expoloring the majority of the park I found open restrooms that were actually vault toilets with no running water. I did not find a fresh water source. The only shelter would be unheated restrooms.

Leaving the School House

The stubborn,willful me or the too embarrassed to call my wife me, won out. I am going to leave the "School House" and head to Benton Lake National Forest campground.

Breakfast consisted of Terriyaki Rice and coffee. I also scrounged up a fruit cup from the cabin refrigerator. I wrote a thank-you note and left a $20.00 bill. When you are on the trail any help is much appreciated.

It was misty and cold so I packed carefully and put on my rain gear again. Everything was pretty well dry so I was reasonably comfortable. On the down side I could still feel the ill effects of the bone deep cold from yesterday's trek.

Part of me did not want to tackle the trail today. I am tired, it is cold and it is wet again. Once I made up my mind I new I would eventually have to start the day so around 11:00 a.m. I left the warmth of the cabin and headed out.

The NCTA had helped with a connector trail called the White Birch trail. The trailhead was only just down the road and it looked interesting as it would pass through a designated nature area on its way to hooking up with the NCT.

On the trail again. The damp cold started to bother me almost as soon as I started. Residual effect from yesterday. I kept moving and even though the rest stops allowed the cold to seep into the core of my body I knew they were mandatory if I was going to make it the 12 plus miles to the campground.

The nature center area, even though I knew it would be in full bloom in a couple of weeks, was rather barren and uninteresting. The plants were in their early stages. Typically I am very interested in this type of nature area as local vegetation was marked and identified. Too cold and wet to appreciate what little was there now.

I did meet a nice couple who were just starting to hike as a form of exercise and entertainment. They might of picked the wrong day to start this new interest. I talked to them for a few minutes and headed back down the trail toward the NCT.

Assuming I would make it to the campground, my plan was to buy some firewood at the campground store so that I could get a hot fire going. Once the fire was hot I knew that the dead fall and branches I would find would keep it going, wet or not.

I was running out of supplies so my new plan was to spend the night at Benton lake and than head back to M-37 and find a store and perhaps a motel for tomorrow night. I knew where a store should be and they would know where the closest motel would be. If there were no motels within 7 miles I would then have to hike all the way to Nichols Lake National Campground. It would be another 12-14 miles tomorrow depending on the proximity of a motel.

Wet and very cold I continued to push to reach Benton Lake. This is no fun. Tonight, even with a fire, I won't be able to fully dry out my gear and the extreme cold would be an unwelcome friend to tomorrow's start.