3/31

6:30

Once again  I am awakened by my bunkmates. I find this completely fine on hi his occasion because I am ready to go. Without wasting any time at all I pack up in haste. Breakfast is a hiker box cliff bar, smothered with peanut butter, and half a water bottle to wash it down. Not looking back, I jump on the trail at 7:15.

This is a day other hikers and I have been talking about and longing for. A day when no base layer is worn and no jacket either. The name of the day is perfect. 70 and sunny with clear skies makes for the perfect weather to pull away from my louder camp mates. By 1:30 I am 14 miles away from their late night shenanigans. I break at a shelter for lunch. Even if some of them catch me here, they dare not go to the net shelter. The net shelter is another 8 miles away. My break lasts an hour and a half. I eat, lay out my socks to dry, open my shoes to air, nap in the sun, read. A more perfect afternoon could not be asked for with scenery in every direction. Another sign of spring I encountered today on my break and then afterwards, butterflies. As if the rain welcomed them to the area, a few flitted along the trail as I walked. 

 

3 

The loud campers have begun to show. The first few I recognize as more serious hikers but loud nonetheless. I know my break is over and I gear up to go. The remaining 8 miles is strenuous to say the least at the top of a very steep climb is the most beautiful view I have had yet on the trip. There is also a very important mark here. The top of this particular mountain marks my completion of 100 miles. 7 days and I have traversed 100 miles. I give myself a minute to stop and admire the the scene and allow some sentimentality to take hold. It is short lived simply because I started my second leg of these day and I must hurry on to grab space at the shelter and cook. Another hour and I am at the shelter. In ok parison to all I have stay at thus far, this may as well be a mansion. Much newer than most is has 2 stories and has yet to be graffitied by passing hikers it sits on a western face just low enough to not catch any wind but just high enough to catch the sunset over mountains to the west. The unset is a rich blue that turns darker by the minute while the sun leaves a warm glow hi-lighting the outline of the mountains. The folders become darker as the day fades away. I tend a small fire to keep warm as I watch. Just like that my day is over and it is time for bed. Today marks another record set for farthest travelled in one day. The new record is 22 miles. I doubt the loud campers will catch me again. This whole adventure is just a challenge of getting into a rhythm and keeping to it. I believe I have it completely figured out for now. I hope I am not wrong..