Running Down a Dream
Miles: 26.81
Total Miles: 2358.39
I woke up at 5:30am to elk calling on the nearby meadow. The morning was cold but very pretty. I packed up and hiked out at 6:30am. I was treated to a nice sunrise.
Mt. Rainier was peaking out from behind these mountains. There seemed to be less smoke this morning.
At this point, the trail left the ridges and began to descend into the forest.
I found this animal tail lying near the trail:
I thought about attaching it to the back of my hat and hiking the trail in style... I think I've been out here too long.
I prefer to hike the open ridges rather than the closed forests, unless the forests are filled with big trees like redwoods in Big Sur.
my mood instantly changed with the new terrain. I felt anxious again. I was making good miles though, and did my first 10 by 10 (ten miles by ten am.) in Washington.
The forest was pretty, although it was loaded with Yellowjackets.
By 11:00 am, I'd come to Urich Shelter, a shelter maintained by a snow mobile club and open to public use: I approached it like I would a crime scene; with guarded enthusiasm.
It was eerily quiet.
I read and signed the log books. Looks like some hikers were here last night. I haven't seen any thru hiker in days.
I was so tired today. My legs are breaking down. My ankles feel like the bones are rubbing together. I hiked through an old burn zone.
I wondered how this scene came about.
And then it was explained to me.
The afternoon was tough for me. I had to carry 4 liters of water for the whole afternoon, because there was no water for a long while.
Mostly though, I was thinking about this hike. I feel like I have this delusional obsession with reaching Canada. The trail is closed, and I'm so tired, but so close. Can't I just be happy with hiking this far? I'm starting to get lonely out here. Hiking solo gets tough after 4.5 months. The next 5 days will have rain, and it's very cold out here. With my tent door broken, this makes me nervous. Up north where the fires are, high winds and lightning are forecast, with maybe a few showers. I feel like the trail has turned into a giant shit show, and I think about ending my hike constantly. I miss home.
I'm also tired of hiking through fires. I'm still dizzy and I wonder if the smoke has anything to do with it. Basically, I'm torn between waiting out the fires, and ending my hike. I'm actually over hiking this trail, but I feel like I need closure.
I just wish the trail was open so I could just hike north instead of trying to find a way around. I'm so confused. Being alone doesn't help, I wish there was another hiker I could team up with. I don't know where anybody is.
I set up my tent on an abandoned road. I'm so not looking forward to the rain tomorrow, but at least I'll get to Snoqualmie Pass by Saturday. I have big decisions to make when I get there.
I was sitting in the grass staring off into the sky when I heard a voice call my name. It was No Trace! I haven't seen No Trace and Unbreakable since the early desert! They had flip-flopped early on and were hiking south, and the odds of this chance meeting were very slim. They are a very experienced hiking couple. I respect them very much. No Trace talked to me for awhile. He told me it was great to see me all the way in mid-Washington, and that he knew when he met me that I would make it this far. He said he saw it in my eyes.
He told me about how to hitch to the town of Chelan and take a ferry to Stehekin to get around the fire. He said he always knew I'd make it to Canada.
Mt. Rainier was peaking out from behind these mountains. There seemed to be less smoke this morning.At this point, the trail left the ridges and began to descend into the forest. I found this animal tail lying near the trail: I thought about attaching it to the back of my hat and hiking the trail in style... I think I've been out here too long. I prefer to hike the open ridges rather than the closed forests, unless the forests are filled with big trees like redwoods in Big Sur. my mood instantly changed with the new terrain. I felt anxious again. I was making good miles though, and did my first 10 by 10 (ten miles by ten am.) in Washington. The forest was pretty, although it was loaded with Yellowjackets. By 11:00 am, I'd come to Urich Shelter, a shelter maintained by a snow mobile club and open to public use: I approached it like I would a crime scene; with guarded enthusiasm. It was eerily quiet.
I read and signed the log books. Looks like some hikers were here last night. I haven't seen any thru hiker in days.
Suddenly, I heard someone roll over in the loft above me... I wasn't alone. It was odd that someone was sleeping in this shelter on a sunny mid-day in the middle of nowhere. I noticed a day pack on the floor. It had an axe attached to it. Time to go. I walked back to the trail with a creepy feeling of that place.
I was so tired today. My legs are breaking down. My ankles feel like the bones are rubbing together. I hiked through an old burn zone. I wondered how this scene came about.And then it was explained to me. The afternoon was tough for me. I had to carry 4 liters of water for the whole afternoon, because there was no water for a long while. 
Mostly though, I was thinking about this hike. I feel like I have this delusional obsession with reaching Canada. The trail is closed, and I'm so tired, but so close. Can't I just be happy with hiking this far? I'm starting to get lonely out here. Hiking solo gets tough after 4.5 months. The next 5 days will have rain, and it's very cold out here. With my tent door broken, this makes me nervous. Up north where the fires are, high winds and lightning are forecast, with maybe a few showers. I feel like the trail has turned into a giant shit show, and I think about ending my hike constantly. I miss home. I'm also tired of hiking through fires. I'm still dizzy and I wonder if the smoke has anything to do with it. Basically, I'm torn between waiting out the fires, and ending my hike. I'm actually over hiking this trail, but I feel like I need closure. I just wish the trail was open so I could just hike north instead of trying to find a way around. I'm so confused. Being alone doesn't help, I wish there was another hiker I could team up with. I don't know where anybody is. I set up my tent on an abandoned road. I'm so not looking forward to the rain tomorrow, but at least I'll get to Snoqualmie Pass by Saturday. I have big decisions to make when I get there. I was sitting in the grass staring off into the sky when I heard a voice call my name. It was No Trace! I haven't seen No Trace and Unbreakable since the early desert! They had flip-flopped early on and were hiking south, and the odds of this chance meeting were very slim. They are a very experienced hiking couple. I respect them very much. No Trace talked to me for awhile. He told me it was great to see me all the way in mid-Washington, and that he knew when he met me that I would make it this far. He said he saw it in my eyes. He told me about how to hitch to the town of Chelan and take a ferry to Stehekin to get around the fire. He said he always knew I'd make it to Canada.
This meeting felt like fate and filled me with a sense of morale. Maybe I have it in me to find the border after all, even if it is by myself. I got here by myself, after all. I don't know what the future holds, but whatever it is, I'll be content.
Wow, you've got to believe in something, for those two hikers to show just when you needed them. Gives me the shivers.
ReplyDeleteThese two showing up at that time did seem like some fateful intervention. Strange things can happen out here when I least expect it.
ReplyDeleteI think you have/had a Guardian Angel show you the way aka No Trace...nice...keep goin my friend!!!!...quinn
ReplyDelete