Friday, August 20, 2010

Day 117: Mile 2500.6 (34.2)

Location: Cady Pass

Chasing a PO

Before explaining what that means, let me first give a little cheer
for mile 2500!! Only 163 miles to Manning Park! (end of trail)

First note: I tried to camp 1/2 mile sooner but after getting my tent
set up I was swarmed by very aggressive mice. I had two different
buggers chew holes in my tent to get in. Bastards. The site was an
established campsite, with lots of regular campers. The mice, like in
at shelters, simply know where the food is. I packed up at midnight,
and night hiked .4 up the trail where I'm cowboy camping under a stat
filled sky, and no mice! Love it when things work out.

Ok so...thru hikers have a unique slang. Expressions like nobo, nero,
blue blaze, and the aformentioned chasing a PO. The latter expression
reflects what I'm currently doing. I have a very important drop box
in stehekin. It contains my passport and Canada entrance paperwork.
I have to pick this up. The problem is that I have to make it to
stehekin by friday at 4 pm. Otherwise I'm stuck waiting the weekend
to leave town...which is bad. The po is open for one hour on Saturday,
but from 11:30 to 12:30, which means i still lose almost a day. To
make things more complicated, stehekin is 10 miles from the trail down
a point to point road that is only used by a shuttle bus. This bus
runs four times a day. Long story short....I'm trying to do big miles
now, to ensure I make one of the early shuttle busses on Friday. I'm
chasing the PO.

Anyhoo

Today was another roller coaster of a day. Lots of ups and downs with
great views of glacier peak. I am about 10 miles from the base of the
mtn and am excited about tomorrows hike. Passed a lot of pretty lakes
today...but also with a lot of skeeters. They seem to be better here
in Henry Jackson wilderness as compared to alpine lakes wilderness.

Spirits are still high, but I'm having major gear issues. I'm hoping
my shirt, shoes and pack can hold together just a little longer.
Achilles is doing better.

www.hike4dad.com

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