I almost totally forgot that Thursday evening we went on a night hike. We didn't use flashlights, just the starlight and what little ambient light there was. At times, I really couldn't see a thing, and it would be quite a surprise to step into a marshy patch. There was a real possibility of losing our way, too. I'm sure that at one point we were off the actual path, because we were going in groups of three with space between each group, and if you lost sight of the group ahead of you, there was no way to know which way to go. It was exciting. I was also able to spot the big dipper, which I'm usually bad at. On the way back, we learned about "talking signposts." The first group would wait at a crossroads until the next group showed up, then take off, and the second group would wait for the third group and so on. That way, whenever you came to a crossroads, there was always someone to tell you which way to go. I got to talk at length with one of the parents, who had actual mountaineering experience and has climbed Shasta, McKinley, and Whitney. He also taught us techniques for saving our muscles on uphill climbs.
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Oh, and I DID see a shooting star. Thus the stolen picture.
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