Backpacking With Sheila

This past weekend the husband/lover/best friend and I spent time with daughter Lindsay and SIL Todd, looking after her as she recovered from cancer surgery.  I'm glad to report that finally today she is starting to feel much better and is contemplating returning to work tomorrow.  She will receive the pathology results Thursday from the mass that was removed from her neck.

Daughter Sarah and SIL Lance also joined us and helped us nurse Lindsay and keep Lindsay's little girl Ellie entertained and under control.  Well, mostly.  She is one cute handful of spunk.  Most days she wants nothing to do with eating.  Eating anything.  So then, this was a good day:

Son Caleb and his faithful puppy Sheila went backpacking with two other guys to the Rock Run Logging Trail in Pennsylvania.  They were going to be gone for roughly two days and two nights.

So naturally this Momma had lots to worry about on several different fronts over the Memorial Day weekend.

Relative to the backpacking adventure, I wasn't really worried about Caleb:

He is very athletically fit.
He is very outdoor savvy.
He carries a firearm in situations where there are wild, unpredictable animals.
He has backpacked before and has quality equipment.
And, he thinks nothing bad will ever happen to him.  (Ah, to be young again.)

However, I was darn near worried sick about Sheila.  Why?

In spite of myself, I've become very attached to her.
She is energetic and curious.
There are snakes in the woods.  Bad snakes.
There are ticks in the woods.
It was predicted to be two unseasonably cold nights.
This is her first backpacking adventure, and she was carrying her own supplies - bedroll and food.

She will run until she drops of exhaustion, because she loves Caleb so much.

I needn't have worried.  They came home happy, safe, and sound.  According to the pictures I was shown of the Rock Run Logging Trail on which they hiked, Pennsylvania certainly has plenty of  hidden areas of beauty.

There were beautiful vistas:

Scenic and interesting waterfalls:

Relaxing "in camp:"

A wildlife visitation:

Porcupine in a nearby tree

The three guys set a campy dinner table:

And apparently, Sheila had the time of her life.

Caleb reported that she loved every moment of the adventure, and was pleased to carry her own gear, too.  He estimates that for every mile they hiked, Sheila ran five.  I am sure that is true, for she slept the next two days.  

As for Caleb, he is already planning their next outing.