Posted by Mile 2417.7 to mile 2444.7 (27 miles, 43.4 km)
Most of today was similar to yesterday. Very steep ups and downs on rooty, rocky terrain all day. I attempted to go long and get a 30 miler in to lessen the distance tomorrow to Skykomish but didn’t have it in me. Washington is hard and I’m finding it difficult to push big miles through this terrain. Still 27 is a great distance.
ESP must be a real thing. About an hour into today I was looking at a list that I have been compiling along the way of hikers who I had some connection with, travelled with, got hitches with, stayed in towns with etc… and was thinking where particular individuals might be. Particularly the early May starters. Are they still on trail? How far behind or ahead are they? One by one: Tristan, Tyler, Matt, Rand, Bird, Miren, Zack, Ben…. the early days before trail names. And about five minutes later who should wander around the corner headed south bound but Bird. We haven’t seen each other since some time in the desert and instantly recognised each other. Spooky or coincidence? I don’t know but way cool.
We stopped on the spot and chatted for 20 minutes catching up on our adventures and continued on with our journeys. With an injured foot Bird took some time off trail and is now headed SOBO. The reality is that we’ll never meet again and this chance encounter was amazing.
That was probably the highlight of the day. Plus the dinner burrito I managed to yogi off a couple of weekend hikers I’m camped with. They had made far to much and I was happy to take it off their hands.
Washington in certainly making us work for out stripes. It ain’t easy. Who would have thought, this far into the game?
Mick Beckers 