When it rains it pours... literally. I woke up late this morning (7:30am) because the sun, responsible for signaling morning, was not out. Since it was also drizzling I decided, in lieu of my difficult day yesterday and today being a day off, to stay in bed. I read, mopped up puddles (this tent is no longer waterproof! This brings up a valuable point- you rally do get what you pay for with camping gear. It seems like for every dollar you spend you can add another small percentage of enjoyment to your trip. Case in point- $20 mini-stove? Can't even boil water. But I digress.) and generally loafed around until 11. Had it not been for the rain and dampness it would have been heaven.
This was, for three weeks, my home entertainment system...
Unfortunately the rain still hasn't let up, meaning fire making was quite difficult (though I did it) and everything I own is damp. I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to having a warm, dry towel (I've been forced to use an extra pair of boxers :( ), a soft mattress, and friends.
Also, and this surprises me, I'm eating very little (compared to normal). Even with all the hiking I'm eating one helping of stuff, not my usual two. And I'm both content and satisfied. When I start the second half of my trip (the big 16-dayer in the Western Uplands) I plan on bringing a lot less stuff :) (oh, and Canisbay lake, where I'm headed to tomorrow, has a laundromat and shower facility. I can't wait!).
Evening
You know what robs you of your confidence in surviving the terrain? Hearing a tree 'randomly' snap and fall in the woods. If you stop and listen it actually occurs fairly frequently. This got me thinking- what is one falls on me, while I'm sleeping? Assuming it doesn't kill me (a possibility) it would still shatter some bones. What would I do with a broken ankle when I'm miles away from the nearest person? Am I strong enough to crawl 7kms to find help? I hope I don't find out.
The rest of the day was gloomy. The drizzling never stopped the the sun never broke through. I spent most of the day reading, playing with my cards, and ducktaping the tent (to, I hope, prevent future leaks). I f the rain comes down hard though, and it will at some point, I'm screwed.
This was the lake I stayed at. I climbed to a summit peak the next day and got this photo.
Tomorrow I do 7.5km which is a pretty good few hours, then I get to Canisbay. This assumes someone will give me a lift at the highway, or else it'll be... gulp... about 17km. It'll be highway, so a lot easier, but stll- I don't know if I'll make it (not with 80lbs on my back!).
I didn't see anything interesting today as the rain kept most things seeking shelter (I assume). Its 8:30pm now but since there's no sun it's already dark- I'll be hitting the sack soon.
That's what "tired" looks like.
Night.
Ben
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