Today I did my first night hiking to test whether my fear truly had dissipated. Having lost my fear, I have not lost sense. I knew that running into a bear in the night would be asking for a mauling, so to warn them of my approach I sang Ray Charles’ songs the entire hike. Me singing Ray Charles’ would scare anything off the trail.

When I arrived at the shelter at 10p.m. I realized that I walked six miles in the dark with no fear. But, the night’s test had truly just begun. The shelter was overflowing with pre-pubescent boy scouts. That would be the true test.