2023-07-24 41 -88

Location

Approximately 5 feet off the north shore of Whalon Lake

Participants

Expedition

At about 4 pm, in a fit of boredom, I decided to check the hashpoint. It's usually too far away, or in an inaccessible location, so I wasn't expecting much. To my utter amazement, it was walking distance from me! Quickly I scrambled for shoes and a hash-scott to make my journey. My usual hash-scott, Geo, was unavailable, so I grabbed Teriyaki the torchic to accompany me. After reminding me that I am not a fire type and susceptible to the summer sun, we set off.

A short walk led us to the top of the hill leading to Hidden Lakes Trout Farm, which is connected to the Whalon Lake Forest Preserve. Following the hill down, we saw graffiti declaring that Elvis Lives. We cut across the parking lot for the trout farm and crossed the first bridge linking us from the Hidden Lakes Preserve to the Whalon Lake Preserve.

Past the bridge was a path worn through the grass as a shortcut. Teriyaki insisted we take it, like good pokemon duo. It linked up with the trail around the lake, near the east side and the second bridge we needed to cross. We followed the trail to the north shore, where we left the path for a good, old-fashioned hash dance. The hashpoint looked close enough to reach from the shore, but we were still 5 feet away! The water was shallow enough to wade, but I didn't want to ruin my shoes, and I feared going barefoot due to the risk of abandoned fishing tackle.

Hope was not yet lost! I remembered from previous excursions that there were boat rentals, and Teriyaki knows no fear. We returned south along the western side of the lake to the kayak rental. I've never kayaked in my life, but I am full of nothing if not hubris. $20 and a crash course in kayaking later, Teriyaki and I headed back to the north shore.

The water was thankfully calm and it only took 15 minutes to paddle across the lake. Carefully, with great fear for my un-waterproofed phone, we resumed our hashdance. The water grew perilously shallow, and I had to paddle carefully so as not to beach myself by accident.

Success! We reached the hashpoint with mere inches of clearance beneath our hull. Using the paddle to prevent us from drifting, I secured our evidence of a successful hash. And only 5 feet from where we had been on the shore!

In good spirits, Teriyaki and I finished out the hour of our rental and successfully attained the shore without getting wet. In joyous texts of our adventure to family, it was brought to our attention that my careful maneuvering meant we were still eligible for a water achievement. My first ever!