For our hike in this Texas State Park we set off down the Lower Sunset Trail. When we reached the take off for the Schaefer Shuffle, we thought it would be a good choice. It was a few tenths shorter at 2.6 miles. The elevation was nearly 700 ft but that seemed doable.
What we did not realize us that some of that elevation gain and drop was steep. Very steep.
Mrs Ram did well clamering up the steep rocks.
Going down we were both glad we had poles. the problem for us was that it was taking much longer than we had planned. As it drifted into afternoon, the sun became unrelenting.
Mr Ram worried when he saw bones on the trail. Mrs Ram assured him they were animal bones.
Mrs Ram tried channelling her buffalo to set her pace. But she still went too fast and had to stop to catch her breath.
I tried channeling my friend Steve. He would find the pace he knew he could do till the end of what ever he was doing and stick with it. Mrs Ram complained that Mr Ram’s pace was too slow but both of us plodded along without getting too winded. And eventually we finished.
Now we know to look at the grades on the Alltrails maps. If long sections go above 30%,we need to pick a different trail. And if the trail name includes “shuffle”, we will shuffle to a different trail