Fog. I hate it. I didn't like it before and now I absolutely loathe the stuff. I hiked about 50 straight miles in between yesterday and today and it felt miserable the whole time--cold, damp, clammy, gloomy. It seriously was putting me in a funk because I couldn't see anything except for maybe 100 feet and then BAM! white. A person expects to see fog in Oregon or Washington, but I'm in SoCal! It kind of feels like getting rained on at the beach, like you got cheated out of something.
Anyway, I survived, obviously, and even hiked another 25 miles today (that makes 50 miles in two days)! I was definitely motivated to get out of the fog even though it took everything in me to get up before 6:30 this morning! I just got to a point where I put myself on autopilot and cruised. It's not like I could see anything anyway! (Forgot to mention this in yesterday's post. I was so bored that I sang all 99 verses of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" to myself on the trail yesterday. THAT is bored, my friends!) But the good news is I made it to Pine Canyon Road and had my tent up before dark. Tomorrow I'm planning to go about seven miles in the morning and hang out at a place called Hikertown. Then in the afternoon, set off across the Mojave Desert. Don't worry, it's only about 20 miles where I cross and it's still not very hot.
Now for the more interesting stuff! With my 25 miles today, my tally is now past 500 miles for the trip! (See photo below.) My plan is still to be around 560 miles when I reach Tehachapi hopefully on Saturday. More importantly, I start hiking North tomorrow after weeks of going west!
Also, my fundraising mark passed the $6000 threshold yesterday! Obviously I've still got a ways to go, but I've got a long ways to hike, too. But I'd really like to keep my fundraising mark ahead of my miles. For example, right now I've hiked 511 miles ($5,110). If I get to 600 miles with about the same dollar amount, then I will have caught up to it. In other words, if you've been planning to donate but haven't yet, now is a great time! :)
Finally, and most important, I just got a message from an old buddy of mine who has been undergoing chemo for the past weeks and months. The doctors delivered the good news today: He is cancer free!
News like that definitely makes it easier to get up on the cold mornings!
Hike On!
Would this be Craig who's cancer free?
ReplyDeleteMom again.....NORTH! Exciting. Now maybe we can actually begin to see marked progress on the map as we follow you. 500 miles - what a milestone!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Son.