Big Mile Day – The Trek

Day 116-23 Miles today from the Safford Notch Camp Reluita, 3100 feet higher, 4200 feet below, 2043 in Mile Marker

Rain

It was around 6:00 yesterday night when I arrived at the camp. I really wanted to go further, but I was out of the water. Deerstalker, a Scottish man who had been seeing on the road was there and asked me where the next city was. He told me he had about 3 days of food. I told him that I had a lot that I have a lot of food and that I could share, but he said it wasn’t right. I was surprised that I wasn’t really sure where we were on the way. That for me sounds like as much freedom.

The camp was very primitive and had two wooden platforms. Deerstalker was in one of them, another was much behind in the forest and found him empty, so I set up my store.

I did not anticipate any rain, but I put my rain anyway. Not long after I got into my store and began to rain. It rained quite well for about an hour. The floor of my tent underneath was wet a little due to my loose rain settings.

Planning

Last night I sat there calculating how much more Shaws and Monson. They were about 60 miles.

I really hope to get to the river tomorrow. Ferry runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00. I also told Deerstalker about the ferry and was not familiar with that either.

I have about 26 miles to Ferry. My hope is to obtain some miles today to settle to take the ferry early the next day. It seems that it will flatten a little and will not be the slow boulco that I had to spend yesterday.

Fearful

This morning, when I woke up, I thought about how many more days I had to endure. He had an attitude of urine.

I don’t know why I review these changes of emotion. But when I packed and made my breakfast, I looked at the day again. I was ready to finish this walk. This was not the first time I had this thought on the way.

I went up and returned through the area called Las Cuevas again. While I go out, I see a small tram of about four hikers who yesterday had camped in a cave. His cave was more a great huge rock cantilever, but he looked quite cozy. I have been running with this ignition and off trail from the saddlebacks.

Heavy load

I started around 6:30 at the AT. Once again, I felt the weight of my very heavy replenishment on my back while dragging it on my shoulders. I have a strong refueling mainly due to the fact that Knockerz had bought foods that I liked, but it probably will not have access from now on in future repayment points.

Some of my favorite energy foods are only available in certain places. With this heavy load on my back and crossing the Bigalows, it was a good test for me in the 100 mile desert, where I will have to take many days of food.

Mistreatment

Take my body down to have the additional load on my back and really slow down. This probably contributed to my urine attitude this morning. Not having Kneaterz to support me with Reupply also made my walk less pleasant. At this point, near the end of this adventure, I really wanted to bring joy to my walk.

Once I left the caves and returned to the main path, I could feel the heat of the day. It was going to be a very warm. The area of the caves is much colder due to all the air conditioning of the abisms of the abysses below.

Little Bigalow Mountain

My first section was a climb and about Little Bigalow Mountain. It’s only 1900 feet in 3 miles, but I’m sure it will have some steep revolts. The climb began as a good easy rating.

I was having a good walk in the forest at a very fast pace of more than 2 miles per hour. The path was flat and without obstructions, but it was not very technical until I reached the last 3/10 of one mile before the top of a small Bigelow mountain.

The climb suddenly became very steep and technical, but not so bad because there were many places to set foot.

On the Little Bigelow Mountain table there were multiple shelves that the path left aside with steep falls in the Valley below. A careful placement of the foot was needed to avoid a fall here that could end mortal.

Collecting speed

While I made the descent of the table, I saw a view to the north. Similar to the north of Virginia, it was the first time I looked out and saw more hills than I would call mountains. I am looking forward to a quick rhythm hiking after all the escalation we have made in the last states.

The path descended to the next refuge. After the shelter after the path, he became incredibly flat and soft.

I put my package above my back to help me push me. I don’t know what rhythm was happening, but it was very easy to walk. I spent hikers one day and they told me that there was magic of trails ahead. That is even more motivating to maintain a fast rhythm.

Magic of the path

When I arrived in the parking area, several tents were installed. A Flip Flouper that had already made the southern half of the AT was there and three other nobles appeared.

I obtained a little hot coffee and I put a real arce syrup. It was so delicious compared to my cold coffee on the path that had two more cups. The Angel Step path made me a fresh cheese farm wrap that was also absolutely incredible. After eating a couple of small bags of fries, a banana and a tangerine, I thanked Step profusely and put my backpack and began to head towards the river.

Ancient Portage Routes

The path then revolved around Lake Flagstaff. There were huge firs that border the path and the path was very fast. It was at a rate of approximately 2.5 mph.

The path made a couple of smaller climbs of approximately 700 feet each and then fell back into the west transport pond where the path became a bit rocky, but it was still quite flat.

The path took an immediate right and followed the historical transport route for a Portage in 1775 of an army attack against Quebec. The AT followed the exact route for Portage. That explains why the ponds were called «carry» here. I cannot imagine all hard work in the mud, attacked by insects, the desert through which this army passed. And in the end that all work was to fight a war in Quebec.

Tire

At this point, I had about six more miles to my planned destination, which would put me almost 7 miles from the crossing of the river. That would allow me to reach the crossing of the river around 9:00 am in the morning.

The first climb and about Little Bigalow Mountain had eliminated part of my energy, so at this point on the walk I was starting to feel quite tired.

I stopped in Sandies Stream to drink some water and spray my head with cold water. That made me feel much better. It was hot and covered with sweat.

Change of plans

Then, the path descended to East Carry Pond where the path was traveling on a beautiful sand beach. I undressed and took a very necessary bathroom. I was not very far from my destiny planned at that time, maybe 3 miles.

After bathing, I began to feel really good and the path was an easy level path through a beautiful pine and fir forest. They were huge trees around him, he was very peaceful. I looked at my expected destination and did not look like the best place to spend the night. The water source seemed to be a bit swampy and swampy.

I really wanted to get to the Pierce Pond shelter. It looks like a lovely place to stay, but it will be 3 additional miles. But I felt that I could arrive before dusk and I hope to get a place in the shelter, so I didn’t have to configure my store after a long day of hiking.

AAL

I arrived at the shelter just before sunset. The four -way tram was already there, but none of them was sleeping in the shelter. Peaches and snapshots appeared, but also configured tents. The mosquitoes were horrendous.

Since no one was sleeping in the shower shelter, I set up my insect screen in the shelter. The shelter was right on the edge of the ponds with a view of the pond and the mountains beyond. It was an incredible sunset on the pond to crown a long day of walking.

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