365 miles

Greetings from the trail....  Every turn is another exciting view or flower or critter scurrying out of the way. Three days ago I took my afternoon ciesta at Deep Creek Hot Springs and the name does not lie.  These were absolutely incredible and exactly what the doctor ordered after 3 days of 25 miles in a row.  My feet seem to be holding up nicely but of course toting a backpack for a marathon distance is always a challenge when the hot springs are begging us to stay just a little while longer.  We have had some incredible climbs, just yesterday we climbed from 3,000 feet up to 8,000 and above the clouds, which is always a treat. 

Not everyone is having such a great time of course.  I have already heard of 2 friends I had just met weeks ago head for home.  At this point, stress injuries are the biggest factor.  A heavy pack and hot days are a prefect recipe for blisters and strained muscles.  The constant pain of blisters can quickly break down moral despite the best efforts from friends to just take time off for them to heal and come back.  The trail is a daunting task if one tries to think about the entire thing at one time and it is certainly overwhelming to have to make that decision.  I certainly wish Bug and Jersey all the best in their journey.  That's one big lesson of the trail: it's not about getting to the end that matters, it's about getting out there and experiencing the space in the middle that keeps us going.

Currently I am in the little mountain town of Wrightwood, CA and we will be following the trail northward again.  Our lovely cool mountains will soon dwindle and the hot, flat desert will be between us and the High Sierras.  But for now we are very much enjoying the cool weather and friendly locals each day has brought us.

Happy Trails

~beads