Sheltowee Trace Trail Thru Hike Day 7

Sheltowee Trace Trail
April 23rd, 2023
Day 7, 18.2 Miles (+2~ into town miles)
A chilly morning welcomed us as we packed up camp and began our trot out of Turkey Camp. A few gobbles, giblets, and yodels was the tune of the conversation as we picked our way along twisting two track.
A mixture of two track, single track, gravel, and downed trees was the flavor of the physical mileage. More “racecourse” than trail, the tread was mostly created by dirt bikers and many micro ups and downs had us slowly rolling forward.
Easy enough track to follow, but more than a few flooded out, branches downed, and eroded portions of trail that created more loops. Overall the tread on the Sheltowee has been excellent, and it just added a little more adventure to the day.
Soon we were at the junction to the town of McKee, where we stepped 2 miles into town proper, gorged ourselves on Mexican food until our eyes were glassy, did a small resupply at Dollar General, and then found a patch of grass to recover not from the miles of the day, but the food coma we had entered.
It was here Horsepower also began his entrance into a club that few hikers have the skill, fortitude, and dedication to enter.
The 24x24x24 challenge.
24 beers, 24 miles, 24 hours. If you have been following us for a while, we are not a big proponent of such debauchery on a trail, more specifically popular trails where repercussions can create negativity.
Horsepower is a responsible adult, even though the above statement may be interpreted to contradict this one.
A few reasons why it seemed fine. We would be walking into the woods and not being inappropriate in town, and thus no negative ripple effects would be caused. He has an insane tolerance that is superhuman, and not an exaggeration that 6 beers to him is like 1 to a regular person, not from alcoholism, but just from some weird genetic code that makes him Superman. Also, contact with locals, other hikers, trail angels, would be non existent and it would just be a man and his solitary challenge against himself. As well as he is an extremely healthy individual off trail and on, working out everyday, keeping the body and mind right, and working hard… besides his Dr. Pepper addiction.
We point this out because having fun on trail is fine, if it is done responsibly and if it contextually is appropriate. Overall, it just comes down to be a good person, and Horsepower has that trait in spades.
After a few hours in town, we got a ride back to connect our footsteps, and began a quick 1~ mile road walk to connect us back into the forest.
The next 9~ miles were a rollercoaster of two track, dirt bike trail, puddles, rocks, and many zigs and zags.
Finding S-Tree campground it was forecasted to get below freezing tonight, and we all huddled underneath a gazebo to cowboy camp in the warmth of company and the chill of the weather.