Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 – Another Frustrating Ride to Retrieve Markers

Hi Honey,
Well, today was quite the adventure! After breakfast, I drove out to Jonathan Dickinson Park to collect the markers out there, an hour round trip as you know. When I got there, I decided to just follow the markers to the Hobe Ditch where I left off yesterday, then turn around and pick up the markers on the way back. Lo and behold, after going less than a mile, there suddenly weren’t any markers any more! I hadn’t brought my GPS, so I started guessing which way to go, though I was pretty sure I had it right, there were no markers anywhere! I kept going, figuring as long as I could find my way to the Hobe Ditch, I could find my way back from there, even if I came in on a different trail. What a nightmare! On a few short sections, all my markers would be there (though almost never on the intersections where I really needed them), then there would be long stretches of nothing. So frustrating! I managed to finally reach the Ditch, then turned around a started collecting what few markers were out there, adding yet another 15 miles to Flash’s long week (this trip made it just about 100 miles in a week!), he was even more sluggish today, understandably. After nearly 4 hours on the trail, we ended up back at the trailer having collected a whopping 33 markers. 33!! What a waste of time, energy and fuel, just for that! Anita couldn’t explain what happened, she suspects one or more of the hiker volunteers picked them up, but for heaven’s sake, if you’re going to do the trail, TELL SOMEBODY, especially the person responsible for the job! And more to the point, FINISH, the dang job, don’t leave a handful of markers, get them ALL! Grrrrrr! Not a happy camper by the time I got home after 4:00! Poured myself a glass of wine and put some big chicken quarters in the oven and tried to settle down. Jeff was late again (as usual on a Friday, I’m learning), so I went ahead and fed everybody and got everyone settled, though it was after dark, then settled down for the evening. I vented on Anita for a bit, so I guess I feel a little better, though I think it has more to do with the wine… Anyway, as soon as the laundry is done, I’m off to the shower and bed. Sorry for the rant! Love you! Good night!