Birthday celebration over, time to head back out and try again to do a small portion of the NCT. If all goes well, maybe I'll make it to the western terminus in North Dakota. I didn't puke carrying my pack for the triple crown challenge, maybe i've got my problems licked!? I'm ready. I love my family, but I'm ready to get out in the woods and have some time to myself.
In the morning, we celebrate my sister's birthday with breakfast aboard a brigantine. It reminds me of sailing the brigantine from Killarney, Ontario to Detroit Michigan/Windsor, Ontario for Land/Sea at Kalamazoo College, although we don't have any wind, so we motor around the Grand Traverse bay. When our time is up and we head back to our cars, I am shuffled to my nephew's car with my backpack. They are planning to return to Colorado via the upper peninsula of Michigan, and will drop me off on the other side of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge.
My nephew drives across the bridge, while my sister gasps and groans. Heights scare her, and this bridge is no exception. I'm amazed she let her middle son drive across. We get to the other side unscathed and pull into the rest stop just the other side. We get out, visit the restroom, stretch, and then I throw on my pack and say my goodbyes. I'm nervous, but excited and hopeful. They walk me to the trail and wave goodbye.
I enter the woods with excitement and hope. The trail winds around a bit before I meet a set of stairs. At first I look around to make sure that is indeed the way I am to go; nobody likes climbing stairs with a backpack on only to learn the trail turned at the bottom of the stairs. So, up I went, laughing internally at the fun challenge, while huffing and puffing externally from the challenge. The view from the top is of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge, over which we had just driven. I smiled at the view before ducking into a small section of wooded trail leading to a road walk into St Ignace, MI, where I traversed along the lakeshore before heading inland.
The walk through St Ignace is interesting with beautiful views of Mackinaw Island and visits with people along the boardwalk. I thought about buying some ice cream, but really just wanted to keep going. My plan was only to get through town and then setup camp for the night. I didn't plan to go very far, since I had just been dropped off at like 1pm.
Once through town, I found myself walking along what appeared to be a rails to trails road or a winter snowmobile route. There were a few houses scattered along the route; just enough to make setting up camp more challenging. Finally, I reached the Castlerock trailhead, where I could leave the road and look for a camping spot. I stopped briefly at the trailhead trying to decide whether to cook dinner there or just continue on and cook near my camp. I didn't really want to unpack my pack twice, so I continued along the trail after chatting with a few day use folks on bikes.
Maybe a mile or so up the trail, I was scanning side to side for a place to hang my hammock, when all of a sudden a thought entered my head and would not leave...I'm alone...I'm all alone...I'm tired of being alone...I can't do this anymore...I don't want to be alone...I don't want to do this...and the tears began to fall uncontrollably down my face as I turned around and headed back towards St Ignace.
As I got back on the road to town, I called my mom and worried her with my thoughts and tears. She listened and was as supportive as she could be from her home 2 hours away. I told her I had reached out to my aunts, who were camping just the other side of the bridge, and asked them to meet me in St Ignace to rescue me. My mom encouraged me along the way and got me back to St Ignace safe and sound. The walk was gorgeous with the setting sun, but I still felt foolish.
When I finally made it back to St Ignace, I took refuge at the Father Marquette garden and visitor center while I waited, humiliated for my aunts to rescue me.
Upon pick up, they took me to their amazing campground setup in Mackinaw City, offered me food and drink, and a place in my aunt's trailer for the night. Once it was dark, my aunts and their extended families made their way to the lakeshore for the nightly fireworks display over the Mackinac Bridge. I joined them in the festivities and then excused myself to head to bed, as I was exhausted from all the emotions of the day.
The next day, my aunt and uncle were leaving the campground to head back to Cadillac, and they live only a couple miles from my mom's house. So, back to her place with my tail between my legs I went; thankful for the love and support of my family.
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