When you embark upon a long-distance trek along a path like the Superior Hiking Trail, something is likely to go wrong every day. Usually, it’s little things. But sometimes you can face rather significant obstacles. Still, the joy of the experience erases the pain.

During my trek along this trail, some of the challenges I faced included navigating through a lot of mud and water. I also had a super cold, wet first day that could have resulted in hypothermia. And only a few days in, I stubbed my big toe on a state park sidewalk. That resulted in a big bruise and a sore foot for several days. Not surprisingly, I also developed blisters on some toes. And many days I had to hike through some terribly buggy stretches.

I also went the wrong way a few times – inevitable – and was temporarily lost. One day, I couldn’t find the photographer who was supposed to meet me along the way (and bring extra water!). Near the end of my odyssey, I ran into what I believe was a rabid groundhog. For 20 minutes, I tried everything to get the thing to move off the trail and let me pass. Nothing worked until I remembered I had some mace in my backpack. Thankfully, just one spray and it ran away, allowing me to bolt down the path.

Joy on the Superior Hiking Trail

But, as I said earlier, the overall joy of the experience erases the pain. For me, the joy came in the trail’s endless beauty. And the great feeling of accomplishment from camping on my own and doing just fine. In addition, I was awed to get close-up views of grouse and their babies, plus a beaver swimming around a lake. And meeting so many different people, whether hikers or trail angels, was another positive, as was eating lunch in a field of wildflowers. Well, I could go on and on.

So I’ll end with this. Perhaps the biggest highlight was just getting that nature high – that feeling of total relaxation and peace you can get when out in nature. It’s an incredible feeling, and one I hope you all have a chance to experience one day, if you haven’t already.

Disclosure: This entry contains affiliate links. This means that, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

©2018 Melanie McManus – All Rights Reserved

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons