A Hard Crossing

7:28 AM

Yesterday I pitched my tent so quickly that I ended up fairly close to another tent. Sorry about that. But yeah, I sleep with earplugs, so I don’t notice much of what’s going on around me.

It was raining, and when it rains, you don’t just get up. At 6:30 a.m. I really had to get up, otherwise the day would already be gone. Quickly grab the bear bag so I can eat, and in no time the tent is swarming with mosquitoes again.

So I start by putting on all my clothes, no matter how warm it is.

9:43 AM

Protecting my ears because the mosquitoes sting straight through the netting.

A trail full of fallen trees.

Endless roads you have to cross.

11:22 AM

I’m tired!

Look—the little butterfly I got from Aimee is now flying along the PCT after two Caminos. And the ribbon I received from Anna is still hanging on my pack. I think it says in Spanish that it brings good luck if you lose it?

2:31 PM

I think today is just not my day again. I’m trudging along miserably.

Just venting for a moment: @€$£#¥+£€&@!

Does it help? No. 🫢

3:42 PM

A glacier! But also the beginning of the stream/river. The water is flowing so fast that it looks dark from all the erosion it carries along.

You walk back and forth to figure out the best approach: where does the current break and where does it come back together? What bends does the water make, and where are the rocks highest?

On my first attempt I just went into the water, but that didn’t go quite as planned. The current was too strong and the distance to the other side too great. You have to look down to see how deep the pole goes, while continuing to move diagonally upstream. But the pole was even pulled away by the current, making it impossible to keep my balance. I became disoriented.

On my second attempt I crossed over fallen trees. This was more dangerous, because if you fall, you fall hard. Fortunately, I managed to keep my balance well, although one of the trees bent quite a bit. In the end, I made it to the other side.

4:43 PM

5:29 PM

I’m still not having my day, so I take the first campsite I come across. Soon a couple sets up next to me. I end up in a NOBO bubble; even the hotel I wanted to stay at tomorrow is fully booked. 😡

Total: 32.56 km in 10 hours 01 minutes
856 m ascent, 690 m descent