Dear Trail Friends,
What a strange day. It began to rain last night about 3am. Because the forecast had been for brief showers I thought if I just procrastinated (start hiking at 6 instead of 5) they'd been done with. They weren't. Rain kept falling until late morning. I got very wet.
Meanwhile I was hiking through incredible beauty. Photos 1 through 4 don't begin to do justice to the feeling of being there.
The morning walk was cool as well as wet and after all my protests about the heat I couldn't help thinking " be careful what you wish for. "
I walked a little over 10 mikes before taking a rest stop because I was concerned to reach the next water source. Comments in the app referred to a tank just a little southwest of the trail. I spent quite awhile searching. I found a very murky cow pond. And I found some small pools of water in the nearby wash - no doubt from last nights rain - from which I scooped water from to filter and use.
I had lunch, then started walking leaving my rain gear on. About 2 miles later I stepped into sunshine and took my gear off. 1.3 miles after that I discovered I was backtracking. My directional dyslexia had me going backwards again. 2.6 unnecessary miles and an hour and 15 minutes walking time lost. I even took this same photo both the first time walking that part of the trail, and when returning.
It never got sunny enough to dry my sleeping bag. A few hours after removing my rain gear I had to put it back on for a short intense rain. Then all got quiet but the sky color looked ominous.
When I found a tentsite I put away my rain gear, unloaded my pack, was about to pitch my tent when another short intense rain drenched absolutely everything. I tried to stay calm. Put everything (wet though it was) in the not yet pitched tent. Pitched it. Blew up my air mattress, got in, pulled out my little ultralight towels and began to dry things as best I could. I always wondered what it would be like to set up camp in pounding rain. Now I know.
There were all sorts of interesting thoughts I imagined sharing with you while I walked but they got pre-empted by the rain.
May you sleep warm and dry tonight. And may I also!
Good night. Thanks for walking with me through all this beauty and the hard stuff.
Just amazing that you take on such challenges. Rain, finding water, knowing the right direction to take, then writing a blog after hiking 20 miles. Hard to believe but glorious to experience.
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