August 3rd, 2020
Mile 377.4 to Mile 403.1
It was chilly this morning so I took that as an excuse to stay in bed until 7. I packed up and had to put my rain jacket on it was so cold (I usually just go in my shirt and wait until I get moving to warm up).
The view of Adams was still great, but there was a wave of fog rolling in. I hiked down through the meadow and eventually over another pass with an amazing view. I met a few NOBOs and we were all stoked on the scenery.
Five miles into the day, I hiked by two women about my age. I wasn’t sure how they’d react to me but they greeted me warmly. We chatted for a bit and it was one of the best interactions I’ve had on trail. As I was walking away I realized it was the only conversation I had in a group without any men present or looming nearby. The feminine energy was GREAT! The women complimented my appearance for having been hiking for so long. We swapped gear tips. They were able to express their concerns for the upcoming section and ask me questions without fear of being judged. They expressed excitement for me and I cheered them on. I miss that kind of feminine back and forth. The trail needs more of it.
I continued on and ended up back in the forest. I’m sad the beautiful part of Goat Rocks is over, I can’t believe it only lasted 1.5 days. People rave about that section but it was so short!! The good thing about the forest is that the elevation change is minimal. I was able to hike 25 miles no problem!
I got to camp around 7:30 and there were already a few tents set up, but people were already inside! Idk how people get to sleep so early. I set up my tent and chatted with one woman who came out for water. She was older and had some sort of European accent. She hiked here all the way from Mexico!
I made dinner and filtered some water. I also washed my feet and was inspecting them while dinner cooked. They’re peeling like crazy right now. So much dead skin. They looked rubbed raw, I feel so bad for them. They’ll be getting a lot of TLC when I’m home. WHICH I REALIZED, is only 5 days away!!! Only 4 nights!!! So crazy. I think I’ll be on schedule to finish Saturday morning.