DSCN2908.jpg The group of hikers embarks on your basic, uneventful hike.	DSCN2910.jpg To perk things up, Robin tells ghost stories. Here she is telling of the escaped psycho hiker that used to sneek up behind hikers and strangle them.
DSCN2911.jpg A good ghost story needs a stone castle with dungeons.	DSCN2912.jpg Along the haunted trail, we discover a rock, in the shape of a heart that was ripped out of the victim, balanced perfectly on another flat rock.
DSCN2916.jpg The first thing you learn from horror movies? Never go into the basement. Or, in the case of hiking, into a dark valley.	DSCN2917.jpg Mike turns, "What was that I heard back there?"
DSCN2920.jpg Kathy points out the foxglove plant - it can be used to make digitalis - a poison used in many horror stories.	DSCN2921.jpg Bob has just told a really scary ghost story. The natural reaction, after you stop screaming, is to laugh it off to break the tension.
DSCN2922.jpg Bob and Joanne, both native Californians, stick together for protection as we venture deeper into the haunted forest.	DSCN2924.jpg Peggy leads us under the redwood tree which fell over and killed a group of hikers -- twice.
DSCN2925.jpg Robin leads us past the trail which mysteriously broke away a couple of years ago, dashing a group of hikers on the rocks in the stream bed far below us.	DSCN2926.jpg Riffi shows us the small cave beneath a Douglas Fir tree. Seven years ago, the ranger came upon a pair of hikers that were strangled by the roots of this tree.
DSCN2928.jpg Riffi pulls Mike out of the way as the redwood tree tries to fall on another set of hikers.	DSCN2929.jpg Trail snakes have begun jumping out, trying to trip up hikers. Here, Riffi helps Robin and Joanne across the bend where we saw a large trail snake slither by.
DSCN2931.jpg Still, the trail snake doubled back and nearly trips Robin.	DSCN2932.jpg The group hunts for the snake in Fall Creek.
DSCN2934.jpg Two trail snakes are spotted. Joanne, Kathy, and Peggy try to spear them.	DSCN2935.jpg The remains of the torture chamber that was the basement of the psycho hiker's house in the forest.
DSCN2939.jpg Bob leaves us here. We toast him, wish him luck, and wonder if we'll see him alive again.	DSCN2941.jpg It sounds like someone is chasing us in the brush behind us. Julia tosses Mike off the log so she can get ahead of everyone.
DSCN2941A.jpg Fortunately, Mike lands safely in the streambed below.	DSCN2942.jpg Julia is safe now. Only a few more miles until we leave the haunted forest.
DSCN2943.jpg Mike, however, must still climb up from the stream at the bottom of the chasm.	DSCN2945.jpg The group waits for Mike to catch up. At least they wait for a while.
DSCN2946.jpg Eventually, the rest give up waiting for Mike. Julia, feeling guilty, waits alone for Mike to make it up out of the chasm.	DSCN2947.jpg Nearly back to the parking lot. We're glad we made it out again safely, but what of Bob?
DSCN2948.jpg At Roaring Camp, a black turtle crosses our path. Do we need any more omens?	DSCN2949.jpg Black turtle - black train - what's going on here?
DSCN2954.jpg The food is pretty good. For $40, though, Robin says she wants another salad.	DSCN2955.jpg A country band entertains while we eat.
DSCN2957.jpg We head on out for the mountain top - the lazy way.	DSCN2958.jpg The conductor keeps looking down to see if the cars are going to uncouple.
DSCN2964.jpg Only half way up the mountain, we're minutes away from total darkness.	DSCN2972.jpg Fortunately, the train no longer has to go over this trestle.
DSCN2977.jpg Back in time for dessert and line dancing lessons.	DSCN2978.jpg Of course, ghosts have to join in the celebration as well.
DSCN2979.jpg After the line dancing, some hot cider, and it's time to go home.