by: Karen Weber
As the sun rose last Saturday over the northern terminus of the Sheltowee Trace in Rowan County, silhouettes of barren tree tops encrusted with ice stood like a battalion of men with burr haircuts waiting for roll-call in the frigid morning air. Six men and one woman, who’d braved the freezing night temps, emerged from their tents, as Steve Barbour, Executive Director of the Sheltowee Trace Association, stopped by the northern terminus to check in the first of 66 hikers who’d registered for the 26 mile weekend hike. This was the launch point for the 2nd “End to End” thru-hike of the Sheltowee Trace, planned for January through November of 2013. Participants in this year’s challenge included Kentucky residents from various parts of the state, Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana, inspired by the first class of STA Hiker Challenge participants who’d completed the 282 miles between January and October of 2012.
Three of the 52 participants showing up for the hike on a cold Saturday morning, included Bob Pritchard@ and Scott Templeton of Morehead, and Curt Thomas of Crossville, Tennessee---veteran hikers who would volunteer time and encouragement to a new generation of Sheltowee Trace hikers, assembling at the Perkins Center off Rt. 32. Shuttle buses from the Morehead United Methodist Church and the Morehead Conference Center waited with engines warming to transportation the enthusiastic group to the northern terminus as the early morning air warmed. The hikers ranged in age from 68 to 12 years old. Some came with a wealth of outdoor recreation experience, while others admitted to being newbies in the life of outdoor adventures.
Fortified by multiple layers of clothing, sturdy footwear, and an eagerness akin to race horses preparing to break-gate, three casually arranged groups stepped out onto the Sheltowee Trace by mid-morning , staggered to keep hikers a safe distance apart, and give individuals time to set their own pace as they headed south. Due to an extreme cold weather forecast, a support vehicle was available to transport and deliver “5 lb. per person” drops of gear and water re-supplies throughout the two day challenge. After a 12 mile day on Saturday, some of the newcomers had their backpacks “shaken down” and reassessed to minimize pack-weight for easier trekking on Sunday. Out of the 52 who began the hike and crossed over into Holly Fork to camp overnight in tents or hammocks, 42 packed their bags out on Sunday morning for a 14 mile hike into Morehead where the trail crosses Rt. 32 across from the Perkins Center.
Among those braving the newly blazed trail, Lee Colton (left), a former Peace Corp worker in South America with stories to tell about summiting volcano rims, and section hiking the Appalachian Trail, among others across the United States, told of bumping into a friend in the store who challenged him to hike the Sheltowee Trace with the 2013 Hiker Challenge team.
Patti Winford of Independence, KY was one of many women who answered the challenge this year. As a section hiker of the Sheltowee in 2012 during some of the hottest days of summer, she decided to venture out in cooler weather, putting physical-conditioning gained from rock climbing and ice-mountain climbing to work. Home-school mom, Arlene Davidson, from Sizerock, KY, brought her twin boys along with new packs and winter gear, after participating in a beginner’s hike last fall around the Cave Run section of the Sheltowee Trace.
A family of five stuck together for the first twelve miles on Saturday, before overloaded packs prompted three to leave the next 14 miles to mother, Nena Butler and her 14 year old daughter, Lacey. This mother-daughter team finished the 26 mile weekend on Sunday in the middle of the pack, after an exceptional example of persistence made their first hike a memorable success.
A family of five stuck together for the first twelve miles on Saturday, before overloaded packs prompted three to leave the next 14 miles to mother, Nena Butler and her 14 year old daughter, Lacey. This mother-daughter team finished the 26 mile weekend on Sunday in the middle of the pack, after an exceptional example of persistence made their first hike a memorable success.
Maintaining a 2.8 mile per hour pace throughout the weekend, Jesse Church of Manchester, KY finished the January Hiker Challenge section of the Sheltowee Trace on Sunday, arriving at the Perkins Center parking lot well before the remaining 41 hikers who were pushing through to the finish. When asked about his motivation, he confessed to a love of the outdoors and “seeing things half the world doesn’t even know about.” Purposefully immersing himself in the culture and heritage of places he hikes, Jesse added, “It’s an honor to walk where history happened. We have a responsibility to keep this (The Sheltowee Trace) up and going, so our children can see what’s been preserved for us to enjoy.”
Concerning the weather variable, Steve Barbour, Executive Director of the Sheltowee Association offered: “It was 10 to 15 degrees above projected temperatures for the weekend, so it helped make this a good first experience of the year for all of those participating.” Despite sore muscles, a few blisters, and hiker fatigue being taken home as souvenirs, smiles could be seen on the faces of those whose last climb up the Perkins Center hill took them around a corner in view of their rides home. When asked if they’d do it again, most said they’d be back for the next leg of the 2013 STA Hiker Challenge in February….after they’d had a chance to recover.
(Photos of the January Challenge are posted to the STA Google + Community Page. Join our online community.)
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