I woke for the first time at 11:30 last night. I was warm enough to remove my rain jacket. My feet were nice and toasty, but still damp. I went back to sleep. The day ahead My alarm wakes me at 4:30 am. It is 46 degrees, and much too cold to get up, and […]
Author: David Somers
Day 66 – Damn the Torpedos
I finished uploading the last blog at midnight last night, but I did not feel tired when I turned out the light. I slept lightly, waking often for no reason. It is always this way in town. I just can’t get comfortable. My best sleep lately has been on the trail. I get out of […]
Day 65 – Snoqualmie Pass
It was the perfect night to not wear my earplugs. The outlet from Mirror Lake ran right by my bed, adding enough white noise to my camp to muffle the stick breakers that might move by. But a rowdy group of young men camping near me on the lake where conducting a lab on the […]
Day 64 – Clearing Skies
I sleep OK, but not great. The rain forest is sticky. And sticky is not conducive to sleep. The happiest moment of the morning is when the sleep program on my phone plays my musical alarm. I don’t know who wrote that music, but it is so hopeful. I want to let it play all […]
Day 63 – Right as Rain
It’s a weird morning. I was up so late messing with my clothes, putting up my tarp, eating, chatting and writing that I set my alarm to 5:10, 40 minutes later than usual. I only have 20 mikes to hike today, and I want to see my friends again before I depart. They had told […]
Day 62 – Leveling
I sleep like a rock again. There are very few bugs around this little lake and it was the perfect camp for a stressful day. My food bag was not assaulted during the night, and I took it down and placed it next to my quilt as it is my practice for eating breakfast in […]
Day 61 – The Test
I could barely keep my eyes open as I finished my writing last night. I fell asleep to the sound of rain on my tent and the welcome white noise of the Bumping River 30 feet away. It rained all night, but my tarp repelled it all. I slept better than at any time since […]
Day 60 – Unexpected Encounters
Several people in the local saloon yesterday were wearing a T-shirt that said “Straight Outta Packwood”. It’s a riff on the phrase “Straight Outta Compton.” But Packwood is a million miles from Compton in so many ways. Packwood lives on “mountain time” – a laid back devil-may-care attitude about what anyone should expect from you. […]
Days 58 & 59 – Packwood Zero
A zero (no hiking miles) seems so extravagant. So decadent. After all, I am not a tourist, am I? I am on a mission. I am trying to do something great. My quest is important! This is how the thru-hiker must think if one is to keep hiking day after day. But hikers must rest. […]
Day 57 – Knife Edge
I awaken at 4 am and my quilt is wet. Not soaked, but there are sections by my feet and shoulders that are cold and saturated with moisture. It’s from condensation. The outside of my quilt is thick with it. I shake the quilt, hoping the Dee will fly off. No luck. Just gonna have […]