Date: July 12, 2017
Miles: 1604.8 – 1632
The trail has become my office. I put in 12 hour days and take my breaks by lakes and streams instead of the water cooler. The terrain and the weather make my schedule. My compensation is sore muscles, endorphin rushes, views for miles and happy company. I have the best job ever.
I was briefly off course in a snow patch today following some older footprints, but recovered quickly and reminded myself that other people’s tracks can’t always be trusted.
The terrain today changed suddenly with an abrupt change in the color of the rocks. It’s fascinating to see how quickly scenery can change and to experience the uniqueness of each wilderness that I get to walk through.
Just before I stopped for lunch, I met several older ladies who were on their annual backpacking trip together. I had a great conversation with them and left hoping that I can be like them when I grow up.
A few miles after lunch, Roi saw his first bear and chased it down the trail hoping to get a better glimpse. The bear easily outran him but we stopped to see if maybe it would slow down. No luck. Bears don’t seem to want to have anything to do with us. I don’t blame them.
That evening we camped by Buckhorn Spring, and as has become common, the deer came out around twilight to run through camp and stare into my tent. No matter how many times I yelled at them to go away, they would never get too far, so I finally accepted that I would have to go to sleep with them milling around and just hope that none of them would drag my pack away or barrel through my tent in a fit of deer excitement.
