|
A Quick Getaway |
|
My last four hours was of the highest quality of sleep. While a little concerned during the night, I awoke to the river not more than an inch or so higher than the previous day and all the water had drained from the foot of the tarp. Today, Amber woke up with me and got dressed as I retrieved the bear bag. She found an enormous slug to play with while I made breakfast and packed up. I noticed one thing that I hadn't since my PCT hike. It was on both of us and it was potent. It was hiker funk, requiring two showers upon our return home.
What shocked when I went to retrieve our food bag was a mouse had climbed the bear wire, did a kamikaze drop, then chewed his way in and out of the plastic garbage sack that my food bag was in, but declined to chew through the silnylon food bag itself. Pesky things those vermin. Amber and I got a chuckle out of it while saying our goodbyes to Big Timber..
The trip back was fast, even though our hiking was a little lethargic. The night before left me craving a lot more sleep than I had, but since Amber wanted to lead, it suited me just fine. Once at Dose Forks, she retrieved a rock shaped like a heart that she had stashed on the way up.
I never knew how much the sun motivated me as we were blessed by the warm rays of it's return. The warmth instilled power in me that had been leeched from all the bad weather. We whistled. We Sang. We made plans of what to do when we returned home. I was just wondering how I could keep up with her for the last five and a half miles with a flat rear tire.
Nearing the end of the trail, it was a race for the finish. My pack, still heavy from the went tarp and ground cloth, slowed me down as the little one nipped me at the finish line. Smiles and laughter were abound as we were now on the final stretch. Amber even asked if we could stay for a while in our first night's camp It was true. The child did not want to go home.
We plopped down on a picnic bench next to our first camp site. I let the sun warm me, rewarding me for all the work I had done in the rain. I felt at home in the woods like I haven't in some time. I was at peace. My little one was looking under every rock she could find while munching on a king sized Snickers and I almost did not have it in me to tell her it was time to go.
The ride back was spent with my weight over my front wheel until that one blew. Ok, so there is nothing dorkier than seeing some yutz on flat tires with a large pack on, flying down gravel roads, trying to keep his rims in good enough shape to not require replacement. It was quite the spectacle to behold, but allowed us to make the 5.5 mile descent in a scant 40 minutes. Relieved to get back to the truck, we loaded the bikes, changed, threw our gear in and headed out to the nearest restaurant before trying to beat traffic on the long drive home. The proverbial icing on the cake was a herd of elk crossing just in front of the truck on our way out. There were four calves in the herd which gave Amber the full visual treat to chew on during the drive.
|
