An insane hike and long story

On Sunday I went on a "10 mile" hike that was in my hiking book. It followed Cave Creek for "4 miles", then went up 1000 ft and looped around on a different trail that "returned" to the trailhead. It did not go as planned. The hike along the creek was beautiful-a bedrock river with trees still changing color (in mid November!). It felt like it was longer than 4 miles and when I got to the trail junction, the sign said that I had come 5.5 miles. I should have been suspicious of my hiking book then.

Pretty.
I continued on the next trail until I came to a junction where my trail was marked and the other trail did not have a number. In my book there was a numbered trail that would also take me back to the trailhead and was shorter than the book's suggested route. I wasn't sure that this was the right trail though and so continued on the longer route even though it was getting late. I kept walking and walking and walking along this trail/old abandoned road. I finally descended into a small valley where the road completely DISAPPEARED! I spent at least half an hour wandering this valley (no trees, just desert shrub so a trail would be easy to see) looking for this trail/road. Nothing. At this point the sun was beginning to go down behind a ridge and I started to freak out a little. I usually bring a headlamp and warm clothes with me when I go hiking just in case. This was one of the few times that I had forgotten both items and was only wearing shorts and a tee-shirt.

The valley where my trail disappeared.

I knew the general direction of the trailhead and that it was maybe 2-3 miles away. I started bushwhacking cross-country so I could make it to the top of a ridge and figure out where to go. I got to the top and only saw another small valley, which I descended and then climbed the next ridge. I could see some buildings in the far distance and guessed that these were the ones near the trailhead. At this point the sun had set, the light was dimming and I was beginning to fall over rocks and get my legs torn up by all the nasty vegetation:

My legs when I got home.
I could see a trail in the fading light and figured it must be the one that I chose not to take earlier. It looked like it went in the direction of the buildings. I followed the trail forever in the dark. When I couldn't see anymore I used my camera screen to light the ground enough so that I wouldn't leave the trail. I finally met a trail junction that said I was going the right way! The book said this should be my original trail along Cave Creek but I couldn't see anything and it appeared to just disappear into the river. I could see a few houses and hear a generator (who ever thought that I would be happy to hear a generator?!) and decided to ask for directions (just in case and I was sick of wandering through veg. in the dark).

Part of the hill that I came down with the houses where I asked for directions (I took this picture in the beginning of the hike).

This very nice old couple came to the door and gave me a cloth to clean my legs and drove me the remaining (it only took 2 minutes) distance to the trailhead. I was very happy that I did not have to spend 13 hours in the dark in 40-50 degree weather. I felt very stupid for not bringing my headlamp and warm clothes, not taking the shorter trail and believing the directions in that book (not bringing a topo. map). I hope that I won't have to post any more horrible things that I do to my legs.