After looking up at the skies this morning I saw it was pretty overcast and made quick use of the fact that it had not rained yet. Hastily I packed up my dry stuff and made way for the store. Here I found Matt who was charging his phone before heading out. I picked up my packages, which included my brand new rain-pants (a gift from mom, many thanks!!) and my food-box. Then I sorted out my resupply, and remaining back-logged entries all the while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. It took me longer than I anticipated to get ready, and finally around around 1130 I was ready.
Not good.
It would be 52 miles to the hiker-cabin, which I desperately wanted to get to by tomorrow evening; the weather forecast predicted a 20 percent chance of rain today, which would increase to 50 percent by tomorrow. If I would get rained on tomorrow, at least I would be comfortable during the evening and have the option to dry out my stuff at the cabin. In order to get it done, that would mean at least a 26 mile day today.
And half the day was already gone.
I quickly hiked out (it was actually nice and sunny now), and soon found myself back at the trail-head. The southern section of the trail was taped shut with pink ribbon, marking the fire-closure I had detoured yesterday.
Time to kick the hiking-machine into high gear. I immediately started moving fast, trying to make up for lost time. I hardly took breaks, and sped through the forest, every now and then leapfrogging with Red, Chrome and Bard who had gotten out of Packwood this morning, and thus also started late. The trail wound through forest all afternoon and zigzagged between small lakes and murky ponds. I ran across a bunch of bow-hunters, telling me again these woods are packed with elk. 
Fortunately the terrain was quite leveled out compared to yesterdays massive climbs and descents, so I was making steady progress. Around 1800 I’d made my way upon the final hill where the trail would stay somewhat flat for the last 8 miles. I changed from my shorts and hiking shirt into my thermals, and rain-paints, dug out my headlamp and started with the final push.
The others would halt to make camp a little before I did, making theirs a 22 mile-day, leaving 30 tomorrow. I stuck to my plan, by cutting the 52 miles exactly in half. It cooled down pretty fast now, and I heard the high-pitched noise of the elk bugling in the woods. That’s when in the distance I saw large antlers, slowly moving away from the trail. I hiked around a tree, to experience my first elk-sighting, as it scurried away away downhill. A couple of yards further up trail, two elk females, rushed off into the night as well. The rest of the night I could hear their sounds echo through the woods. There must have been lots of them out there. It was humbling. The sounds of these large animals surrounding me, while I was hiking through the thick and very cold forest.
It felt like this is a place where man is merely a guest. Passing through. This is their land, I thought as the wilderness and darkness wrapped itself around me. 
Finally around 2100 I’d made it to camp, and gladly pitched my tent. My hiking gear and fast pace had kept me sufficiently warm, yet I was still happy to be within the comfortable confinements of my tent. Tomorrow an early rise, to get the other 26 miles out of the way to the cabin. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain too hard!
He pauses shaving and he tells himself that he is the bomb,
She has her curler set, the credit cards are paying the funds
He’s not that old, I’ve been told, a strong sexual goal
They go out every day, she goes every way oh yeah..
They don’t even care at all
She’s open waiting for more..
And I know he’s only looking to score
And it is way too unhealthy, oftenly they’ve typically,
Been starved for attention before
Mutt – Blink 182
