Know your limits...

So... the warmer weather and a mid-week day off had Team MudCup off in search of the Rules of Zombieland. Now, this is a long series, 33 boxes. It's also a series that is labelled as 'extreme' - so we thought we knew what we were heading into. But the real issue - it was still on Teacup's list ; ) So attempting it had to be done! So armed with black ink, logbooks, backpacks, water, hiking stick, Bean boots, and clues we headed off south to Cape Neddick in search of zombieland rules.

There were a couple of straggling boxes that we hunted for first. We easily found one of them to tidy up one series, but when we went off in search of the last two boxes in the Zombie Parade - we came up empty. The sun was already heading high into the sky - and along the hay field it was getting warm. So we headed off into the woods with clues and ink in hand.

We found the 31st box earlier when seeking for a different box, so we traversed along further to start the series. Through the muddy tote road we headed, sluck, sluck... boots getting stuck in the thick mud as we headed off uphill. The first couple we found with ease. Then we turned right and headed off towards the river. Here we missed one box prior to trying to cross the rapids.

So down to the water we headed. The water was running pretty rapid, and where one should have been able to cross, the water was probably 3 inches above the rocks. Not to be defeated, we opted to bushwhack upriver to see if we could find an alternative location to cross. (We had to cross - we could see where the next box was located and could hear its zombie call.)

We bushwhacked, stepping through thorns and junipers, across a different path that traversed blueberry bushes to a location with downed trees. Okay - this looked sort of doable. More so for Teacup than me... but maybe doable. So Teacup hoisted herself onto the tree and started to scoot across the tree on her butt. Scoot, scoot. Dang - there goes her hiking stick! Don't move or you'll land in the drink! Stop making me laugh or I'll land in there anyways! Okay - I've got it! Scoot, scoot. One foot on the other side. Hoisting herself up - she made it. She even made it look easy. Okay - so here we go.

I sat on the log and then swung my other leg over so I was side-saddle. MISTAKE! I was suddenly perched precariously on the edge with no place but water in my future. Barely hanging onto a stub of the tree - I pulled my fanny pack off and tossed it to Teacup. I then wiggle, wiggle, wiggled a little further back onto the tree and swung my leg back over the tree and regained my balance. Okay - now I didn't really care if I got wet. But I was terrified of falling. Those slimy rocks looked dangerously intimidating just 2 feet below me!

So I started to shimmy, shimmy, shake, shake across the log. Now one wouldn't think 5" would be a big deal - but it can be a BIG deal when you're fighting clearance, balance and water. No to mention a mad adrenaline rush. So fighting a tree and my extra leg length - I finally managed to lift my leg up and over the downed log and was able to scoot the rest of the way to the edge and hoisted myself up to the other side of the river! Wow. I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, so Teacup and I found a boulder and had a celebratory drink of water and waited for my pulse to settle down a bit before heading back to where we needed to be for that next box.

Back to bushwhacking. Up a hill, around the water's edge, through downed trees and thorns to get back to that darn stump. But there was the box! Woohoo! We continued along a bit longer and found more boxes. We knew we'd have to cross back over - but we were hoping it would be in a little better spot. Nope. Again we went a hunting for a more suitable place to cross. So further away from where we needed to be we headed until we found another friendly tree to cross.

This tree was wider and set lower in the water. Here the water was not as rapid, but one mis-step and one of us would be wet. So up on the log Teacup hopped. Side-stepping across the tree like on a balance beam. Now mind you - more than once we thought about turning back, but reality was, once we crossed the river - there was no turning back. We just kept trudging forward. It was getting warmer and warmer and our water was getting lower and lower. Teacup made it across with little trouble.

Now it was my turn. Now this didn't look nearly as intimidating as the first crossing, but my adrenaline immediately spiked. Taking a deep breath, up I went on the tree and positioned myself for balance. I started to side-step across. Step, step. Damn, was that stick there before? It must have been. But its such a big stick to step around. Okay - so it was only about 4 inches long, it seemed HUGE in my mind! Up-step and over that intimidating stick. Step, step. Yup - I made it to the other side. Now to just climb up and over to safety. Woohoo!

Back to bushwhacking to where we needed to be. The sun was now in our face and it was getting hot. Just plain HOT. And the bushwhacking was getting old. But we finally made it back to where we needed to be and found the next box. Up hill and there was some shade. A shot rest and a mis-reading of a clue had me getting beyond frustrated. Frankly - I was so ready to be done, but we had a few more boxes to go (ugh... 15 more.) and the only way was forward. Teacup was willing to just hike out - but honestly - if we were hiking out - we might as well stop for the boxes along the way.

The heat was really taking its toll on us, and then we started to do battle with ticks! Teacup came up from getting one box and had 10 on her. We were on the dryer side of the water. More sun, more often and the ticks were thriving. So a quick tick check and a spray down of deep woods off, and we continued on. Meandering along, we made it back to a tote road. Working our way through the clues, my brain came out of a fog long enough to realize that I was hearing water, again. Are you kidding me?

Something tells me - maybe I should be smarter and probably proof-read the clues before blindly following along - maybe we'd end up with a few less mis-adventures : ) Nah, that wouldn't be any fun. So, knowing the inevitable - we continued to our next crossing. Hitting the crossing I looked down into a small gorge and thought, what fresh hell have I gotten myself into? And if that wasn't the worst part... on the other side was a perfectly good bridge. Sitting safe and content on DRY GROUND! Are you freakin' serious?

Ugh. So let's stop and think how we're going to cross this one. Wait... Teacup is already on the other side! So she's waiting for me to take my first step. No honestly, can we trust our friends the beavers? Do they REALLY build strong dams? I'm about to find out. One step... okay. That was stable enough. Reaching forward I grab a branch sticking through for something to hold onto thinking its going to move and I'll be on my back wet and injured, but hey, all in the name of zombies. Nope - the branch stayed right in place. One more step. Yup - still good. Two more and I was across the dam. Next time I see a buck-tooth little guy I'll have to give him a five-high on fabulous dam construction.

But dam construction aside - my heart was still just a thumping. So I sat a spell on that damn bridge while Teacup went off and got the next box. Out of water at this point, I was close to conceding. But we still had a hill to climb. And I was relatively sure that my brain had stop functioning properly on the second river crossing. So slowly I trudged along, with Teacup mustering slightly more energy and brain power to try and find the next box. No luck. But at the top of the hill there was a great sitting stone in the shade. I sat, keeping the logbooks and backpacks company, trying to regain some composure, energy, brain power and enthusiasm while Teacup keep turning over rocks.

After about 15 minutes, I was feeling better and Teacup had given up hope at finding the box, we moved onto the next one. No luck there either. But we were now in a location that we knew was closer to home. So we continued along slowly picking up the last five boxes with relative ease. Logging into the logbook in the middle of the field in the sun was almost like claiming victory. We meandered back to the car, shed ourselves of boots and socks... rolled down the windows and headed off in search of salvation in a cup.

Our reward? Sweet Tea and Apple pies : ) Wanting to gather our respectability back again - we meandered around a cemetery, being stalked by a black truck and picked up a quick stretch and then headed north. Obviously, even though it was March and mid-week, making the choice to drive up Route One on a day that was happily sporting the 80's was not a smart decision. I blame the poor choice on the fact that the zombies had sucked my brain matter out of my ears!

we finally made it to our final destination of the day, The Prop Shop before pointing northward and homeward bound. Another relatively good day of boxing. The series was a test of our hiking, navigating and self-esteem, but we made it out alive. And another good reason for never boxing alone. One bad choice - had either of us been doing that series alone could have been tragic.

One a happier note - it is officially off the list... only a few more zombies to tackle northward. But that will be another day. For now - we're off to maintain boxes in known territory ; )