Pablo Abarca was the first hiker to attempt a through-hike of the Hoosier Heritage Trail. He started in the late afternoon Friday, March 20th, 2026 heading southbound from Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve. In addition to his normal backpacking gear, he carried with him a walking stick he made especially for the hike (pictured above).
By Monday, Pablo had covered almost 100 miles and his feet were giving out. Due to the exceptionally high mileage and wet trail conditions, he had a lot of blistering on his feet and ankles. He was forced to take the tough decision to abandon his hike.
Despite that, Pablo’s hike was a smashing success. As he waited for his girlfriend to pick him up in Sparksville, Indiana, Pablo build a shrine.
Within the heart-shaped backpacking shrine he built, Pablo placed a ring.
And when his girlfriend arrived, Pablo presented her with the walking stick, carved with the question, “Will You Marry Me?”
She said “Yes!”
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