Success!
For today I’d set my alarm for 0445 and was ready to hike out with Gourmet, Arms and Double-D at 0600. It had not been a cold night, and I’d slept well, so getting up early felt a lot more natural than expected. I really enjoyed the early morning hiking too. It’s so quiet out, and the morning miles tend to fly past very quickly. Cheerfully chit-chatting with Arms and Double-D, before we knew it, we’d covered 11 miles.
Early hiking requires and early lunch, and around 1140 we’d made it to the top of a large climb with a beautiful meadow where we could dry out our stuff. Despite it being a rain-less night, the damp morning air will still soak your tent and thus the lower part of my sleeping bag (which is always touching on the walls of my tent). We all got comfy in the sun and were joined by Dirt and Cookie whose tent we’d passed in the early morning shortly after leaving our own camp. Double-D had recognized their set-up, and upon passing them yelled: “Dirt, Cookie, wake up!!”. When they joined us for lunch, they told us they’d been really happy he did, because they were about to go full snooze, but now had motivation to get out.
After an hour break, which was filled with laughter and good conversation, we hit the trail again. Even though there were several significant climbs today, I experienced the hiking as pleasant. It was really pretty outside, with jagged mountain ridges in the far distance and the trail winding through lush and colorful vegetation. It ranged from everything between green and red, and the palette of all these different shades gave our surroundings a vibrant look. We couldn’t get over how great the weather was too. It was wonderful to cruise beneath clear skies, bathing in sun-rays.
Making up the front of the group, I stopped briefly at a creek to fill up water and was joined by Dirt and Cookie, who told me that the others were chilling out at a nearby lake. I knew where all of us intended to camp tonight, so I figured I would meet them there. The final miles of the day I listened to a podcast and music and just steadily kept going. I arrived at the campsite and lake a little after 1830, and set up camp. Nice to be able to do so with it still being light out. Dirt and Cookie hiked in a little after sundown, but Arms, Gourmet and Double-D never showed. Enjoying the hiking in the early morning, I will opt to maintain the early rise approach, but without the extra motivation of the others around me doing the same, I expect it will be harder. We’ll find out soon enough.
Good day of hiking today, with 25 miles covered in beautiful weather.
Not too bad at all.
The city freeze for
I just realized I don’t like you
Me and my girl
Are going out for some air
And I will do my best
Just to get under her dress
And catch you out if I can
On the other side of my sofa
Won’t you come on over
At the side of my sofa
Oh won’t you come on over
Sofa Song – The Kooks
