Started today with a light breakfast that turned into a heavy breakfast, generously supplied by a organization whose name I don't know. It's printed on the T-shirt I got, but I'm wearing that shirt underneath another shirt and I'm cold and I'm in my sleeping bag so no. Anyway. Breakfast! Eggs, sausages, black bean and egg burritos, hash browns, granola, yogurt, and fresh fruit! I ate more than I meant to, and we sort of took out time before setting out. This time, we were accompanied by a guy named Dirk, although only briefly for Tom and I. Our pace is much quicker than Jerry's, although his is steady, and Dirk's pace matches his. It wasn't long at all before Tom and I left Jerry and Dirk behind.
Unfortunately, the fast pace definitely took its toll on me as the day progressed. So far, this trail seems to have been merely uphill, with some downhill mixed in for brief periods. Today was no different. Up one mountainside, down the other a bit, then up the next, higher and higher but never reaching a peak. All this climbing is killing my legs, butt, and lower back, and the pack, loaded with six liters of water, is killing my shoulders. If we don't get out of these mountains soon, I'm in trouble.
Things aren't all bad. After one steep climb, we suddenly hit a highway with pickup trucks parked on the roadside and people lounging in chairs. These people are "Trail Angels," and they pointed us towards coolers full of water, pop, and beer. I sat on a rock, airing out my feet and sipping a beer for maybe twenty minutes.
It was glorious. After the trail magic, as people call it, we took off on another brutal climb. A couple of miles farther, we hit a patch of trees in a valley, and plopped down on the grass in the shade to wait for Jerry. He caught up with us eventually and we powered up another set of mountains.
We managed to find a decent spot to set up camp right before the sun set. I'm not sure what we would have done if we hadn't, but it doesn't matter.
Ok. Exhausted again. G'night.
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