Saturday, May 12, 2012

May 11th Mile 294

Sitting on a gray boulder, listening to Holcomb Creek rolling over the rocks and happy to be doing what I'm doing. I finished hiking for the day at 3:15, my kind of mileage at 14 miles. Again, this area is relatively easy hiking so it isn't hard to do the miles, even when it is hot outside. The only downside (isn't there always a downside?) of stopping here is that I get to commune with all the creek side insects. The biting kind. I will be brave.

I'd say 10 of the 14 miles I walked today were in burned over forest. Some within the past couple of years, one spot was so new I could still smell the burn. Sad to see so many trees burned up, even though I know how important it is for forest ecology to have these burns. Still it is hard to see. But, looking closely it is possible to see new life and that helps with the feeling of desolation.

I do love being alone. Even though I really enjoyed the company of my trail friends, sometimes it's just too much and I just have to get off by myself. For one thing I do my best idea hatching when I am alone and WALKING. Not just alone but walking alone does something to my brain and it seems to loosen up my thinking and new ideas get to coming along. I don't know what it is but I like it. I can't guarantee the ideas will amount to much but I'm just happy to be in the flow.

I took a picture of my dinner tonight-Alice Lake Gnocchi. Little potato dumplings with a yummy cheese sauce. Try as I might the image of dinner keeps popping up between the burn images. You-all are just going to figure out which is which. I have faith in your ability to succeed.

Moral Delima #1
To take the Deep Creek PCT route or to take the road walk detour? All (unofficial) reports of the damage to the trail and bridge say it isn't dangerous and can be safely traveled. The Official report says the areas are dangerous and are not to be traveled until repairs are done. Clearly someone has it wrong, or maybe it is an issue of liability. Either way I have to decide whether or not to violate the detour and hike in a beautiful canyon or follow the rules and do a road walk. Another way to ask the question is "Do
the rules apply to me only when I agree with the rule? Who knew hiking the PCT could put one into such a quandary?

2 comments:

  1. I have some of my best ideas while I'm riding alone. So it comes as no surprise you do your best thinking while walking alone. Don't we wish we lived during the days of Socrates and Plato so we could be some of the great philosophers. But wait, I don't know that women even had a voice back then. We might have changed that!

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  2. Glad to hear you are back on Your Plan. Good looking dinner!

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