the one that readily comes to mind is as follows. one can probably only fully appreciate it if they have ever gone hiking, done a psychedelic, or become frighteningly lost...
it was spring of last year. i wished to go hiking, and do entheogenic mushrooms, but as i was currently without vehicle, i had no means to travel to my hiking spot.
around 2pm my buddy sean got ahold of me, and said he would go for an afternoon hike. around that time of year it got completely dark around 6:30/7, so we could get in a decent hike if we hurried. i threw a few grams into my kraft dinner and ate as i awaited pick-up.
we arrived just before three. it was a glorious day, and we had shorts and t-shirts on, with only water for supplies. we smoked copious amounts of hash, so that he was high as a kite, and i was virtually floating along through the stunning landscape.
we reached the lake we normally hike to around 5. i wanted to go back, to make sure we had time before dark. sean wanted to continue for awhile. as i figured he was in a more logical state of mind i agreed.
we hiked awhile longer, until 5:30. as we turned to return it started to get dark. we grew mildly concerned, but figured we just had to hurry. after all, going downhill is much faster....
so, we get to a flat section about halfway back. the sun has now set and we realize that foolishly we took the sunset time in town into account, not in the middle of the woods in the mountains. it is still light enough to easily see though, and we begin to run to make up time.
we somehow get lost, even though we've hiked that trail dozens of times. we try to retrace our steps, but end up more lost. we are still mostly calm, but pretty worried. it gets near freezing that time of year at night, and we are poorly equipped.
we wander around, getting more and more lost. soon we both start panicking as the darkness closes in (i am tripping the fuck out now ). we end up in a section with ten foot, jagged boulders all around us. we have to help each other climb over them in some sections. we both fall numerous times, and each time there is a terrible pause as we wait to see if a bone has broken, or skull cracked.
i slip and fall, gashing my wrist. however, i don't even notice it until ten minutes later, when i dimly make out blood streaming down my arm, soaking my shirt.
it is now about 6:15, and we have no clue where we are going. we can make out a stream in the distance, and decide to find it, and follow it, as it might lead in our desired direction.
we are both pumped with fear and adrenelin now. i look at sean, and his eyes look like a crazed animal's. i know if we are forced to spend the night it is highly likely i will be attacked (with all the blood attracting bears, cougars, etc). it is already getting cold.
we move frantically towards the water, i slip down a rock and smash my shin on a jagged rock. it hurts so bad i fear i have broken my leg, but manage to keep moving. sean falls as well, hitting his hip against an outcropping.
we finally make it to the water. it is almost pitch black. there is moss literally 2-3 feet thick. even in my fearful state i pause for a dozen seconds or so, struck by the mysterious beauty of water, moss, trees, and branches drooping downwards, with thin veins of light shimmering in the glossy black water.
we decide to cross on a whim. sean is trying to walk across a log, but i plunge right in (it isn't deeper than mid-thigh) and wade across the twenty feet or so. this would have been the dumbest thing i could have done if we had to spend the night, as i would have been soaking wet, and oozing blood.
it is now almost completely black. we can make out each other, but not much else. we pause for a moment. i think we should try to make a makeshift shelter of some sort, or try to find a tree to climb in the last precios moments of light. sean wants to press on.
i close my eyes, desparate, cold, covered in blood, with and aching, bleeding wrist, and throbbing, severly bruised leg, peaking on mushrooms and adrenelin. i am an agnostic atheist at the time, and haven't prayed in ages.
however, i say i quick little 'prayer':
"if there is something higher than myself that actually cares...i could sure use some help....)
literally the second i think 'help' sean yells out happily "I FOUND THE TRAIL". we were standing about twenty or thirty feet from it
we can just barely make out the trail by the halfmoon, but recognize it as the last five minutes to the parking lot. we get back and drive home, laughing at our good fortune and stupidity.
when i get home i soak in the tub, and eat the best tasting meal i've ever had. i wake up the next morning with the most painful bruise i've ever had on my shin, and barely able to move my hand.
well, if anyone read this i hope it was interesting. it was fun for to write it anyways, just to remember it in full detail.
and the moral of the story is: don't go hiking just before dark peaking on mushrooms and hash...unless you want one hell of an adventure.
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