Wilson Experience

Up early as storms are coming in by noon and i want to get to Ft Jefferson shelter on the border trail asap. Out of camp by 6am. I walk a gravel service road for 2 1/2 miles along the 28 three bladed beasts. The trail finally, thankfully dips into the woods for a bit. 1/2 mile in and i do a routine reach back to see if Mini Murph is ok and, shiite, he is not there. A momentary panic overcomes me,  “breath, breath.”  I put my rain cover on my backpack, stash it in the woods, as the rain is coming, and take my rain jacket and begin searching my back trail.   The 1/2 mile back to the service road turns up nothing and by now I have shed a few tears. 2200 miles with my little buddy and now I am on this stupid ass Canada jaunt and I have lost Murph. I am Tom Hanks with Wilson drifting off to the horizon. “No, I will stay here as long as it takes to find Murph”.  The storm is coming so I decide to backtrack the service road. I run. Five miles later, no Murph. Back into the woods at a snails pace. By the time I get back to my backpack with no Murph i am tearing up again. “MURPH” i yell. I am not leaving him to rot in the woods. I head back to begin my search again and there, not twenty feet away lies my little buddy.  So i cry again and we do an awesome NorthWoods celebratory dance. Damn stressful and i am now 2 1/2 hours behind with a storm coming. Beating myself up for piss poor s & r technique but i have murph.  Rain starts an hour later and by 2 pm i am shaking, cold and hungry. Get to Fort Jefferson Shelter by 4 and get into sleeping bag and hot food. Asleep by 5 pm