The high drama that the trail had been lacking for the past week or more returned in a flash today, as we entered into the Marble Mountain Wilderness, where rugged and rocky peaks with high alpine lakes quickly replaced the dense forests.
Etna
The anticipation of getting into the town of Etna for resupply today was heightened even more by wanting to reunite with Beardoh and Sweet Pea, and to learn how Beardoh had been faring since they left the trail two days ago. Aside from getting stung by a bee during my last break of the day when I sat on some fallen timber that had a hive beneath it, it was a pretty uneventful stroll.
Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs
The calendar turned another page today, and it's hard for me to believe that August is already here. Hearkening back to the summers of my childhood, August always felt like the beginning of the end, the start of a new school year drawing all too near. Although it means that summer has nearly run half its course, for me it still feels as though there is still so much trail left to be hiked.
Cruise Control
The elevation profile looked particularly benign today, so when we set off this morning it looked to be a fairly comfortable day. But by the time we reached a road crossing little more than four miles into the day, we sat by the side of the road contemplating what to do. Beardoh had been struggling with worsening indigestion, stomach cramps, and fatigue the entire week…
The Great Western Swing
Tearing yourself away from the creature comforts of air conditioning and a bed can be pretty tough when the forecast is for over 100 degrees outside, yet there we were strolling through the empty, quiet streets of Mt. Shasta just after 6am, heading for the I-5 onramp.
Mount Shasta
The heat wave continued, though we rarely suffered the sun's full wrath since the trail was mostly covered in shade. Beardoh even remarked how much the trail reminded him of the Appalachian Trail, a.k.a. the "Long Green Tunnel."
Head Down, Feet Forward
When the lack of phenomenally exciting terrain and pure logistics inevitably collide from time to time, certain trail days become more about doing the miles than anything else. Today was Exhibit A of this collision. But before the clock became our master for the day, we were treated to some beautiful scenery just after sunrise as the shroud of night began to lift from the landscape to our west.