Friday, Nov 6 – I met Betsy (Momz) at a Holiday Inn Express in Fairlawn (Akron) at 4::40PM. After loading her gear in my car and filling the car’s tank with gas, we were on the road by 4:55. The late afternoon was sunny with a temperature around 40°. As we drove eastward and talked, we noticed that the outside temperature showing on the car’s display was showing a steady decline.  It went from 40 to 38, to 36, to 34, to32 and at 7:10PM when we parked at the trail head it was reading 28°. We gathered our gear and headed to camp, just a short 500 feet down the trail. After setting up tents and starting a small fire, we headed back to the car to collect a few more items. While at the car, Nancy (Hikin Fool) arrived at 8:05PM. We stood talking for a few minutes while Nancy gathered her warm jacket, headlamp, and gloves. Looking up at the cloudless night sky, we were treated to the Milky Way and more stars that the three of us could count in a lifetime. Then our conversation was stopped cold by the howls of a few coyotes. We listened to their night song for a few minutes. Nancy came back to camp with us to enjoy the warmth of the fire and savor a cup of hot chocolate. Later she would return to her vehicle and sleep there. About 10 minutes later, Dan (Geezer) arrived. The four of us sat around the fire getting to know each other better and we were able to enjoy several more moments of coyote night singing. Meanwhile, I kept checking my digital thermometer and by the time we called it an evening at 10:45, the temperature was 21.7°. Brrr-r-r-r, it’s going to be a chilly night.

Saturday, Nov 7 – We crawled out of our bags at 6:50 and to our pleasant surprise the temperature was 35°. We again lit a fire and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while awaiting the arrival of the fifth member of our hiking troupe. We broke camp and headed back to the cars at 8:50 just as Tom (Bacpacr) drove up. Introductions were made, packs were donned, and we were on trail by 9:15. We headed south on Red Run trail for about 1-1/2 mile and then turned west onto Meeker. By this time the morning’s cloudiness had dissipated and a beautiful sunny cloudless sky was ours for the rest of the day. At the end of Meeker, we turned north onto the East Cross Connector trail and followed it to the viewing shelter at the Beaver Run Impoundment and made this our lunch stop. The entire walk has been across gently undulating terrain with small stream crossings, passing through meadows filled with blueberry bushes, kicking up leaves shed by the many varieties of deciduous trees, and inhaling the fragrance of the pine scent released during our passage through several tracts of conifer forest. After lunch, the next two miles took us gradually but steadily up 250 feet to the intersection with the Quehanna Trail. Here we turned eastward and proceeded down Porcupine Draft for 2 miles to Red Run Road and losing about 950 feet in the process. This is not a terribly difficult downhill. More treacherous because of the loose leaves than anything else. We made four stream crossings on the way down, all without getting our feet wet. At Red Run road, we turned right and walked the road for about 500 feet, arriving at our camp on our left at 3:30PM. We immediately proceeded to gather downed wood for our evening’s fire, taking advantage of the remaining daylight before setting up tents. After preparing supper, we lit our campfire and settled in for the fire’s warmth and an evening of conversation, which was very enjoyable even though yours truly nodded off a time or two. By the time we retired, the temperature was a comfortable 38°.

Sunday, Nov 8 – We were out of out tents at 6:17. The morning’s temperature was 35°. After a quicker than usual breakfast, we broke camp and, under cloudy sky, we began our hike up Sanders Draft. Soon the cloud cover gave way to a repeat of yesterday’s cloudless sunny blue sky. Another great day to be on the trail. The hike up Sanders Draft (750+ feet vertical gain) makes for a beautiful last day hike out. The sections of cascades, Rhododendron, and inviting pools of water provide ample opportunities to just stop and gaze and take photos. Upon reaching the top of Sanders Draft, we passed a camp site on our right (room for 3 or 4 tents with a small running stream 100+ feet behind camp) and then within 200 yards came to the intersection with the Sanders trail, where we turned to our right and followed this wide grassy roadbed over gentle terrain for about 1-1/4 mile. We then turned right onto the Red Run trail for the final one mile to the trail head, arriving at 11:10A. We packed our gear into the cars, cleaned up and changed clothes, and drove to the Benezette Hotel for lunch – inexpensive and uncommonly good. After lunch, we said our good byes and headed to our respective homes. Another great hike into the record books. Great trail, great weather, but best of all – GREAT PEOPLE. Kudos to Betsy and Nancy for completing their first 11+ mile day with packs on.