Day 4: 3.21
The agenda for today is to relax and also do some necessary chores before taking the shuttle back to the trail around 4 pm It is expected to be 97 degrees and I want to wait until it starts to cool down before heading back to the trail. I ended up hanging out with three other hikers who live in the UK. One is a famous comedy writer and has almost 2 million followers on Instagram. He didn’t tell me this, but I found out later when I followed him. Another is taking a break from his cycling trip to wait out the rainy season in Ecuador. He’s been cycling from Alaska to Argentina for the past few years, does great film work, and has 38,000 followers. Hiking really prepares you to meet all kinds of people from all over the world.
I originally wanted to do more miles tonight, but changed my mind and camped with the three Brits. Tomorrow is my birthday and it’s good not to be alone. They gave me a Percy Pig which, I was told, is a very popular gummy in the United Kingdom. It was delicious.
Day 5: 3.22
I got up at 4:40 and made some coffee and oatmeal while looking at the stars. When the alarm goes off at 5, the kids sing Happy Birthday to me under the glow of their red torches. It was a super special way to start the day and I laughed and cried during the short song. I pack my bags and say goodbye. I know two of them are walking at a slower pace right now. When you say goodbye to someone here, you never know if you’ll see them in 5 minutes or never again. Gallo is more my rhythm and I hope to continue seeing him at the water sources of the day.
It was hot but there was a breeze that made it a little more tolerable. A rattlesnake rattled as I passed him. 
It was hidden next to a bush where I couldn’t see it as I walked. It shook as soon as I was next to it, but I couldn’t see it, so I just shot forward, then turned around and saw it less than 2 feet from the trail, curled up and looking defensive.
A long nap was taken in the shade of a stream, followed by an overnight hike to the Kentucky camp. This was the site of a former gold mining camp and the buildings were built in 1903. They have been restored and a cabin is rented to guests. When we arrived, a guest gave us large chocolate chip cookies. One of the guests is exploring all the old mines in the area and putting them on a map for the USGS before a company comes in, builds a huge open pit mine, and destroys the history of the land.
Day 6: 3.23
Today I felt even hotter than the last few days. I think it was the lack of breeze that made it feel worse. I left well before dawn and was startled by giant glowing eyes along the trail. I quickly realized they were cows and not mountain lions. Both last night’s sunset and this morning’s sunrise were spectacular, with the nighttime orange, red, and violet dominating the horizon.
Mount Wrightson sits at over 9,400′ and is a mountain I can see every day from Tucson. It was my first challenging climb after my back injury healed enough for me to walk again. It has not only been prominent on the horizon but also in my heart, as I cherish the memory of getting there when I wasn’t sure my body could do it.
Yesterday I walked towards Mount Wrightson and slowly approached it. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation watching it grow bigger and bigger as I got closer.
Today I walked away from it. I kept looking back and saw it getting smaller. At one point in the morning, I turned around and gasped when I saw how far away the mountain was now. All I could think was that I walked from there to here. Lihat oaYsz untuk info lebih lanjut. I walked so far.
There is something about reflecting on the journey you have taken that is very different from looking at the journey ahead of you. A mind changing fromWow, I’ve come a long way!«versus»Can I go that far??”
How have I changed versus how will I change? Who am I right now versus who will I be later? It’s easier to see the progress made once you reach the goal than to imagine a future where you’re standing still at the goal.
I think about my back injury when I had been in constant, unbearable pain for two months. I couldn’t see a path forward without pain. I imagined the rest of my life filled with chronic back pain. But here I am, 10 months from my lowest point, backpacking pain-free. It is almost incredible the healing that has occurred in both my physical body and my mental well-being. Looking back, I can see the giant mountain I had to overcome to be here today like this.
Oh, I hit the 100 mile mark today! 
Day 7: 3.24
I only had 12.5 miles to get to the Gabe Zimmerman TH, where I would be picked up and taken to Vail for the night. I wasn’t planning on this stop, but now the 4 day “heat dome” is forecast to last 10 days and I need a break from the heat. It was a very exposed morning! Creosote bush and teddy bear cactus appeared on the trail today. Many hedgehog cacti bloomed with huge pink flowers atop their short, spiky bodies. The trail angel offered to take me and my new trail buddy, Rooster, to Safeway and then back to his house. She had an afternoon full of errands, but we were able to have free rein of the house. I did the laundry, took a shower, and sorted the food. When he got home, we played a fun game I had never heard of. It was a relaxing day in the air conditioning.
Creatures I have seen
14 hikers, 5 hikers, 3 tourists at the cabin, 1 person with trail magic, 20 lizards, 44 cows, 6 deer, 1 rat, and 1 angry rattlesnake
Water sources I drank from
Trail Angel Trailhead Caches Literally SAVE LIVES
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