I spent some significant time today looking at all the remaining sections of the trail in the almost 1,800 miles left to hike. I analyzed section by section, extracting data about high and low elevations as well as average elevation. It became clear to me that the northern Cascades of Washington state and the Sierras will be a huge weather challenge in the fall regardless of how I chop up the sections and flip flop back and forth across the Northwest to try and get them all done.
Still, I realize the need to start back slowly. It is really another long distance hike that is about to begin, and I'm starting over again. It'll take weeks to get my trail legs back and to condition my body for the weather extremes and long days of aerobic activity. And I'm sure the blisters that I'm prone to have will return to my life.
Happy called again last night to say that the heat was stifling and the gang decided to stay in town one more day. Consequently they plan to get to Belden, the next stop, on Friday. Ashley started digging through the internet for me and found a viable way to get fairly close to Belden. So after discussion with her and talking through the options, I decided to go for getting to Belden on Friday to rejoin Phantom and to hike with the gang even though they are at the back of the pack. I'm very excited about hiking with a group instead of hiking alone several hundred miles back. I bought the one way plane ticket and will be flying out Friday at noon from Portland to Reno. From there I will catch a bus that runs one time a day, Monday and Friday only, to Quincy, CA. From there it will be a 30 mile hitchhike to Belden.
Eric's foot was doing better today but he worked a full day from home again. With evening plans tomorrow night in place we had to finish tonight watching the 3rd season final three shows of 24. By the time those three suspenseful episodes were done it was time for bed!
