Yea, though I walk...

“...through the valley of the Shades of Death, I shall fear no weevil... but racoons are another story!!!

I'll get to that part in a minute.

This is the TR for my solo Shades trip on Sunday. No one really knows me here so this will be a little longer report so you get the whole understanding of the insanity. I'm a single Dad of three teriffic little girls, but finding time to backpack is difficult to say the least. My whole reason for doing it is to unwind, unplug, to become an "American Offline" so to speak, and get some exercise too. So my sister has decided to have the girls spend the night on Sunday, and I should meet her at our parents house to drop them off at 2:30. Thats cool, I should be able to get some miles in before having to make camp. After being delayed no less than an hour at my folks' house (gotta go damn it!!!) The mad dash to the trail begins.
When you are with meangreen the adventure starts WAY before the trail head. LOL! 90mph down SR 236, then north on 59. I didn't mean to spook your mule little amish boy in the buckboard. And if any of you were in that group of Harleys I met sideways in the curve just south of waveland, please don't burn my house down.
Finally an hour later I am at the gate house. I expected the $5 access fee, then did the paper work for my back country permit. What?! Another $10? Do I at least get a kiss?! Uh, negative. The ranger did tell me there were a couple other BP'ers in the park tonight though. Cool, finally some company.
So anyway I hiked North from the parking lot up the east side of trail 7 to the trail 8 junction, and then turned south through Shawnee canyon. This was very nice, and somewhat difficult, as this is a scree, and boulder strewn creek bed. Hopping from wet moss covered rock to rock, uphill was tricky at times and quite slick. At the top of the "canyon" i ran into two young boys throwing rocks at water striders. (inner smile)I remember doing that at that age... They looked at me like they were in trouble, and then like I was about to eat them. LOL! I just smiled and asked if they were trying to hit the water bugs.
They said "ya, but they are really fast."
"Yup".
Just past them I picked up the back pack trail. The rest of the hike in was pretty uneventfull. This trail is the definition of an Indiana forest. Dense undergrowth, a few large old trees scattered among many different types of younger ones.
Upon arriving at the backpacker camp sites, I found a site that still had nearly a full bundle of fire wood (ya gotta buy it here - no scavenging due to over crowded parks, and imported insects) and oddly enough there were still embers in the fire pit. I didn't even have to light a fire. Woo Hoo! I just threw some trash that I found on the ground in there, and some small kindling. Violla!
Well, sort of. I got the fire going, and in about 10 minutes it was back to embers. chit. Ok, huff and puff, got her going again, 10 minutes later - embers, then I hear it. Sizzle sizzle. The damn fire wood is green. Grrrrr. So about that time I hear a vehicle, and then a horn. That would be the range selling fire wood, and checking for unregistered (read "unreamed")campers. I go say howdy, and ask about the other BP'ers, as it is now about7:30 and I am still the only one there.
"Nah, had a couple leave earlier t-day. You're the only one we got t-night."
"What ya get for a bundle" I ask?
"Four bucks" he says cheerily.
WTF I'm already in for $15, may as well be $19. Especially since that other stuff is wet. "Better gimme one." Then it's back to my smoking coals with my new bundle of wood. Yep, it turned out to be green too. The wood would have been great if I was trying to grill a steak, and potato, but wasn't worth a damn for light - the only thing I actually wanted it for. Oh well.
With the fire at a low sizzle, but seeming to be stable, out came dinner. Including a nalgene size screwdriver mixed up w. fresh OJ and ready to go. ;-)
Once fed, and feeling fat n sassy the light started fading. About 10:30 or so I heard it for the first time.
"Rustle."
"Rustle, rustle."
Closer, now. Damn the fire. I can't see a thing. It won't put out enough light to see by, but just enough to ruin my night vision. So I go looking for my flash light. I didn't care about it till now. I knew it wasn't Jason out there, or the ghost of an axe murdering wife, but didn't want to be raided by coons either. (Two years ago I ended up going hungry on day two of a canoe trip in this same area. So I was expecting to see one.) After finding my light, my fears were confirmed. There he was, natures thief in the night. The first one beat it as soon as the light wavered off him. But he didn't go far, and was back with in 5 minutes. I chased him off a couple more times before I heard the other one behind me. Then another to my right. Damn they have sent an entire platoon! After chasing them around for about another 15 minutes, they start to fight each other for the right to fight me for my food! Well the racket brings more in. Finally I counted at least 6 coons at the same time coming into my campsite from different directions. And I can hear more in the woods! Thats it. I am tired of chasing them up trees and I'm about half popped from the vodka. So I pack up every thing but the campfire and stick it in the tent, and go to bed. Ya, do that with a bivvy. The rest of the night was fine, and I crawled out at about 9:30 (a regular alpine start huh?), so I could rush home and clean up as I was supposed to meet the fam, and go to "Symphony on the Prarie". The hike out was a straight shot down the BP trail, through the car campers area, then to my car. The drive home was about the same as before, but without any frightened bystanders. After I get home I find out that the symphony trip is canceled, and I could just pick up the girls when ever... damn. I could have taken it easy, and hiked around before leaving, instead of a full tilt charge back to the car like I was trying to take a freaking beach head. Such is my reality. So I showered, ate lunch then went to get the kids. Day done. Too few miles hiked. Relaxation factor, nearly ZIP.
Oh well. Maybe next time it will be better. I keep telling my self that at least. ;-)
Maybe I can petition the park to allow racoon hunting this season...”

“what the park don't know, won't hurt 'em.....

To kind to actually kill the kritters?...then thump them with plastic plugs.....you can bait a target area with Ding Dongs, then lie in wait with 'da blow gun......


"...shhhhhh! weeur huntin' Wabbits!"”

“LOL, I feel your pain bro - tough to find time for nights out on the trail when ya got a housefull of kids and no backup at home.

"full tilt charge like I was tryin to take a friggin beach head"

man, have I been there - telling myself to ignore the lungs and wipe the sweat out of my eyes, I can't be late to pick up the kids!”

“lmao! @ ST
You know One only went about 3' up the tree and just hung there peeking around it at me, so I took my fire poker and whacked his front paw (bad boy!) he dropped and ran. I don't think he came back, but there were plenty to take his place.

ya Roam, that is what most of my hikes turn into. but I sure am looking forward to the Porkies this August. I'm not even wearing a watch for 4 days! WOOHOO!!!!!”

“Reminds me of Cumberland island! Good tr!”

“sounds like that area could really use a bear errr raccoon canister rental program”

“ya, I would have tried to hang a bag if the thought had crossed my mind before dark. I had plenty of rope. Oh well. They never got anything. This is the problem that you have with established campsites, especially in areas near car camping etc.”

“dang, i didn't know they charged for the backcountry site...what a rip...what are they charging for, a pre littered campsite...they should pay you for cleaning up the joint

that is a nice trail you started out on, did that one last fall”

“ya most of those trails running down the ravines toward Sugar creek are pretty.I particularly like the area at the mouth of that ravine. Last summer my oldest and I sat and shared some chili there on a dayhike. That was nice. I would love to see it in the fall. Everything out that way looks good in the fall though.

You and the misses getting any sleep yet Thrifty? The first night they sleep all night, is always a momentus occasion.”

“It sounds like you coulda used James Brown's whoopin' stick on them racoons.”

“LOL! I told a couple of em I was "about to F up their day", as I was chasin em off. LOL! One of them even did get a good crack across his paw. It would have hurt me if it was my hand on the tree getting whacked.
I like SuperTroll's idea. you know a short blow gun weighs almost nothing, and it wouldn't be hunting if you were using plastic balls. Hmmmm... If I ever get to go back there...”

“Shades is known for having problems with the raccoons. I was car camping there with the wife years ago along one of the sites tucked up against the woods. We were sitting down eating snacks just about at dark and you could see about 50 pair's of eyes coming out of the woods at us looking for something to eat.”

“Then you know is was being litteral when I said there were 6 in my campsite at the same time, and more in the woods. I told my Mom about it and she just laughed and said I should have taken Jack with me. Jack is my boy hood dog who has been dead for a long time, but he used to love to kill and eat Raccoons, and o'possums. He was a wolf/husky/german shepherd mix. Incredible dog.”