Under Wild Plum Road bridge leading to Sierra City
Next to Haypress Creek
Elev: 4300 ft
Miles: 28
Trip: 526
Today was a very good day, if a little overdone. The elevation profile looked like a kiddie roller coaster: gentle ups and downs, with a good-sized drop at the end. It felt good for a while, even got me up to Mosquito Speed with the aid of bugs. But after we descended into the forest, the scenery grew repetitive and I got bored. Then my feet needed resting more than usual, tenderized from the rhythmic thudding downhill.
Luckily I had two things distracting my mind from boredom and my body from aching. First, the forest was continuously adding one or two new plant species as we descended in elevation, giving me something to identify and ponder. Also, Andrew was his usual chipper Shaggy-self, making up games and keeping my mind busy for hours. I never could have hiked almost 30 miles today without his company - although he tried encouraging me to stop after 26. But I'd set a goal of reaching a roadside swimming hole near town, and I was stubborn. I still feel that stubbornness in my throbbing feet. Thankfully we don't have far to go into town tomorrow - less than two miles. Then I'll have all day to sort through packages, nap, eat town food and read email. And to remind myself how lucky I am to be out here with the man I love, doing what I love.
Shaggy says:
Today we hit 500 miles of hiking. After 4 weeks of hiking, thats not bad. This is Lauren's first long hiking trip, so 125 miles a week is awesome!
The wind howled all night in that saddle. We were just thankful to be out of the mosquitoes.
The hike today was pretty smooth, 27 miles of gradual downhill. I love the downhills like this, but they hurt Lauren. Her shoes are wore out, but she was stoked to try and make it to a swimming hole mentioned in one of our guides.
The trail was amazing again today. As we descended down to 5000 feet, the flora changed gradually. From ponderosa pines and firs to giant cedars and even maples and oaks. Best of all, the mosquitoes are not down here.
We made it to the sweet swimming hole late, it was after 6. Made dinner and jumped in. The water was freezing. But the waterfall plunge pool was irresistible. I feel so clean now! We are hobo camping tonight, nearly under a bridge, along a river, downhill from a road, no tent, it feels good. We are just a couple miles from Sierra City, should get in real early. We cant heead out until Monday though, we need to visit the post office. Should be a good town stop.
"It's all magic, this mountain world - natural magic. Enough to enwild you - rewild, renature us all." -Douglas Chadwick
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| Snowplant, a crazy-interesting parasitic plant that mooches off of fungus. Check it out! |
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| I'm often asked if I get bored on the trail, walking for hours on end. To these questioners I submit this photo. |
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| My grumpiness was no match for butterflies... |
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| ...and ant armies all over the trail. |
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| What do you do when you run out of chain, but still have a lot of locks? You make a lock-chain. |
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