Day 93 – Etna – The Trek

I did it exactly as far as I wanted yesterday. I camped for a lake about 6 miles from the road where I will hook in Etna. Yesterday I met a Germany couple for the first time, Thor and Blackberry. I hope we see each other a little for the next few days since they, unlike most hikers around me, adhere to 22 to 25 miles. I will lose them when it is at zero in Ashland, but it is good to hang out with people who are not pressing during the 30s every day. Of course, now that I say that I look to start pushing at 30 in Oregon in a few weeks.

My plan today, as mentioned above, is to walk to the beginning of the path, take it to Etna, breakfast, shower, wash clothes, buy, fix the hole in my pants, load my devices and then return to the road. I only plan to do another seven or 8 miles after returning to the road, so I will probably also have lunch there. I will be walking near the edge of where the closing of the fire was just a few days ago. They do not want people to camp in the area that was closed, for many really good reasons, so I would camp a few miles short and then walk through that section tomorrow.

I slept much better last night, despite needing to add air to my mattress three times. I really want to pick up a new one when I get to Ashland. If there is a chance today, I will see if there is an obvious leak that is not where the valve joins the body, which bubbles occasionally, but not constantly. I am quite sure that that is what is the leak, but as much as I have submerged my mattress, or let it rest with soap bubbles at the top, I cannot find where it is dripping. I will send it home from Ashland and leave it for a winter project.

Etna was a fun stop. I had a wonderful breakfast burrito, smoothie and coffee from the cafeteria, and then walked through the city, taking care of my tasks. Many of the restaurants were closed today, but I was not hungry, and the replenishment was good enough. Once I finished, I sat in front of the library for an hour of loading devices until I found the angel of the path to take me back to the path, by a rate, of course.

I returned to the road a little after 4 pm, and I started my climb. I just plan to do a little more than 7 miles this afternoon, so there is a lot of time to take my time and enter a camp. Given the relative lack of activity in Etna Trail Angel, Facebook Group, as well as many conversations with hikers who are jumping towards Seiad Valley or Ashland, I doubt that there are many people ahead in the spectrum at this time. Every time I say something like that, it surprises me, so we will see what happens.

The weather is pleasant. It’s hot, but there is a fresh breeze, and smoke is very minimal. If I couldn’t see it visibly in the distance, I wouldn’t even know that it was here. In general, the path is great here.

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