Weekly Blog #10 - Lessons of Superior Hiking Trail - Part 2
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posted: Saturday, July 4th, 2026
Part 2 of the MANY lessons Sponge learned from the SHT!
Happy 4th of July, hiking enthusiasts! While Sponge could have tried a blog about how patriotic hiking can be, he'll instead stick to his original plan of sharing more lessons learned from the Superior Hiking Trail. But alas, you may see some RED, WHITE AND BLUE show up anyway :)
In Part 1, we learned of three crucial mistakes Sponge made on Day 1. Going forward, we'll have some lessons that "may" have haunted Sponge like a ghost on multiple days of his hike. Sometimes you have to make a mistake multiple times - just to be sure that lesson sets in!
Lesson #4: Ensure all gear is securely latched to your pack.
It was a tough afternoon when Sponge took a rest at a camp with Griffin (Sponge's shadow, for those who didn't read the daily diaries on Facebook). Both had just hiked a hella-hard segment that had a ton of down trees, sometimes involving going over or under rough-barked trunks. Sponge had already skinned one knee pretty badly trying to get over one - even with his pants he was bruised and bloody. Eventually conversation shifted to the weather and whether it would rain. Griffin mentioned the rain fly for his own tent and then Sponge casually glanced at his own pack - acknowledging his own.
Except it wasn't there.
Double-take. Yes, the blue stuff-sack containing his wet rain fly was 100% gone.
Griffin tried to remain positive. "You have anything else that would work?"
"No," Sponge said simply. He had secured the stuff sack with the tension of his Y-tie at the top of his Durston pack. But that was designed for bear cannisters. Smaller items can obviously come loose. There was only one feasible option - go back through the hellacious obstacle course of downed trees that had already torn him up.
"It probably got snagged on one of those trees when you crawled under it," Griffin suggested. It made sense. It also made sense to leave his heavy back and just bring his phone and a water bottle. Griffin would keep his gear company for a while as he continued to take a break. After that, it's unlikely anyone would jump out of the bushes, say: "Goldmine!" and drag off Sponge's 30-lb pack.
Half a mile later - after getting past EVERY down tree that one would expect as a 'snag offender', Sponge saw the sky-blue bag laying in the middle of the trail. He grabbed it and returned to the obstacle course for the third time. This mistake only cost him energy and 33 minutes of trail time. But the lesson was obvious - it's not wise to strap loose items to the top of your pack and hope they hold. Sponge added a carabiner clip to the stuff sack and moved it to the main pocket. Even if it somehow got dislodged, the clip would keep it attached to his pack.
Lesson #5: Ensure all gear is WITH YOU before going any sizable distance on the trail
This was a lesson the SHT constantly tried to drive home, yet Sponge stubbornly kept not listening. Similar to walking every inch of a hotel room before checking out, it's important to make sure you have EVERYTHING before you get miles from where you left it.
Several times, Sponge left his poles - but he didn't get more than a hundred feet before realizing this. The biggest offense happened in Schroeder, after Sponge had his rainy zero day. In less than 24-hours, he left his can of Deet at the bakery (the cashier told him when he returned for lunch) and then his custom-made shoulder padding as he left town the next morning.
The shoulder padding was a much bigger dilemma, as Sponge had traveled a full mile before realizing the two pads were NOT under his straps, protecting his shoulders from the wear and tear of his heavy pack. For a shaky 60-seconds, he considered pushing on. Afterall, the padding was made from 4 mop pads from Dollar Tree (each pair hand sewn back-to-back). $6 total + tax.
But as Sponge let out a deep sigh, he knew the truth. They save his shoulders - including the one he blistered and tore open last summer on the Appalachian Trail. An hour and two extra miles he was reunited with the padding.
Lesson learned, right? Not quite. Fast forward several grueling days of wet, challenging hiking. Sponge was getting a headache - a rarity for him. Thinking his headband may be a trigger, he took it off and wrapped it around one of his hip belts to dry. Half a mile later...you guessed it...gone.
Again Sponge backtracks, not wanting to lose the band that soaks up sweat - plus his headache was gone as soon as he ate a beef stick. He bumps into a group of hikers, who he casually asks about the missing black band without sounding mildly insane. One immediately nods and points: "It's about 300 yards behind us."
Sponge was relieved, and a tad surprised. How anyone would know the yardage - accurate to three full football fields was perplexing. He also briefly wondered why the dudes didn't just pick it up. But alas, on he went, finding it, yes, 900 feet later.
He immediately put the band in a zippered pocket, ending the dilemma every step going forward.
Lesson #6: Don't skimp on safety
Sponge has flirted with the idea of picking up a Garmin InReach Mini 2 since having issues on the Appalachian Trail. Back then he had relied on satellite messaging from Verizon to carry him through obstacles. This time, it became crystal-clear satellite messaging has its limitations.
Namely, you can't use it to check weather - especially when a major storm system with potential tornadoes and 70 mph winds disrupts your journey. Lucky for Sponge, he had access to a fellow hiker with better cell reception - AND a family member he called on a high elevation point to ask to do some internet-assisted weather tracking.
But this is the LAST time. Instead of hoping his cell will have the tech to stay ahead of the game, Sponge will invest the $250 and monthly subscription price to have a InReach Mini 2 for his next trail adventure. It's an investment in safety, and Sponge is now sold.
Next Saturday, the FINAL lessons learned from the SHT!