Walking in a winter wonderland (Day 19)

Frozen. I am a frozen person. That’s what I texted my husband while I was getting ready this morning. It rained and was windy all night, but the most unfortunate thing was that it was cold.

Winter strikes back

Everyone seemed to have a hard time getting up this morning and it took all my willpower to put down the quilt to sleep. My Ursack was wet and covered in ice when I went to retrieve it from the bear, and my fingers were so cold I could barely make my coffee.

falling ice

Today was a long 12 miles, although the walk was the only thing keeping me warm. Every time the wind blew, chunks of ice were thrown at us, breaking the frozen branches of the trees above. At one point, I thought about taking cover, but at the top of the ridge there was nowhere to go. Luckily, the pieces were small and more annoying than painful. Today I stopped halfway at a shelter for lunch and heard the ice hitting the roof. Once there was nothing else to eat, I moved on.

Wild boars gone wild

I walked on what I guess was one of my fastest days yet. I just wanted to get to camp, even though I knew I was only in for more cold. About a quarter mile from the shelter, I was startled from my thoughts by the sound of snorting and grunting. I looked up and saw a large black animal running down the trail. At first I thought it must be a bear, but then I quickly realized it was one of the wild boars I had been warned about.

I got so scared that I immediately screamed and started hitting my trekking poles. This seemed to scare the boar, and only then did I notice that all its babies were running frantically around me. They looked like little piglets and I didn’t know what to do except hurry up and leave the area. Then I felt bad imagining that I was the cause of them separating from their mother.

I had a quick dinner of more instant mashed potatoes and went to bed early on my quilt to sleep. We look forward to an even colder night. Seeing all the ice today was beautiful; It felt like a winter wonderland. However, one I wish would go away. I will go to sleep dreaming of the heat and that a family of wild boars can be reunited.

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