In the morning, I am 100% not feeling it – the exhaustion I thought would hit me yesterday was apparently on some sort of delayed timer, and I feel I’m doing some impossible thing by trying to resist gravity. But there are miles to make, so what’s a thruhiker to do? Continue reading →

I manage to be awake by 7, if under protest – there’s bed to be enjoyed, for goodness’s sake. Pineapple calls a bit of a reprieve, first for coffee, then for breakfast, then for… sitting around? Okay, I guess – it gives me more time to catch up on stuff – but then it comes out that she was waiting around on me. Girl, you’re running this show, I was only planning on doing 18-odd miles today. Ambition leads. Of course, she says let’s go and I still have to go grab water and, apparently, use the toilet one last time, but then it’s in the car and off with Gary to the trailhead. Continue reading →

I wake late, although “late” for me these days means around 8:30. I also wake well-rested, even though I know that there’s a long day ahead of us, doing all sorts of town maintenance-type things. I enjoy the luxury of bed for a while, then it’s off and up and into the day. Continue reading →

The field is cold when I awake, but it’s not going to stay that way for long – there’s supposed to be a heatwave coming through the Ashland area, and I’ve had about enough of sweating through my clothes these days. So we’re up late and out quick, Ashland thoughts ringing in our brains. Continue reading →

My alarm goes off. Pineapple’s alarm goes off. And still, not a creature is stirring in camp. It’s like a thruhiker’s game of chicken: who’s going to get up and face the day first? Turns out, it’s Bucha, not even entirely vertical and already running from the heat of the day, and she shames the two of us such we reluctantly call it a draw. Continue reading →

All night, the lights outside the store stay on and cars continue to pass by and the “domesticated” cats go a-hunting; there’s little annoyance and less anxiety about all of it, though – something about civilization lulls me into a false sense of security, and I sleep well enough despite the distractions. I’m up early anyway, for a last bit of charging, three liters of water gathering, and to toss my talenti jar “stove” once and for all – Spesh has sent my Pocket Rocket to Ashland, and I’m going to make do with the snacks I have until I reach Ashland. One of the joys of packing too much food for this section. At 6am, Pineapple and I are walking out of Seiad on the last bit of road – towards the climb that’s likely to take up most of our day. Continue reading →

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP MAKES. It’s pretty easy to get up when my alarm goes off, and I feel much better rested than I did yesterday. The sunrise, once I make it out of my tent, seems to be apologizing for yesterday, too. So that’s something. Continue reading →

CRASH CRASHITY-CRASH CRASH CRASH. It’s 1am, and it sounds like deer are failing miserably at being quiet, adorable forest creatures. Pineapple and I yell, clap, make noise to be like “hey jerks, we’re trying to sleep here.” But they don’t seem to get the message. Over and over again they return, stumbling around like drunkards in the nearby brush. Continue reading →

I have strange dreams for the third night in a row – that’s what I get for bragging about not dreaming. Oh well. I don’t feel not-rested when I finally wake up, which is good enough, I guess. I rustle about not-loudly, because it seems like no one else is moving, but when I make a noise that should be particularly loud it seems… muted. And then I notice that my earplugs are still in. Oops.  Continue reading →