I’ve always been a bit of a pack rat. When I lived alone, my apartment was full of things. Every flat surface had some stuff on it. I culled hard when I relocated up to Little Bay Root, but I still had a deep legacy of possessions. This really came to a head when Mrs. Portmandia moved in and started cracking the whip.
Today was a busy day. I think that I have finally started to cast off the shroud of fatigue left over from my life as a working stiff and started to transform into a productive hausmann. I took old clothes to Goodwill. I sold some board games that I haven’t played in years. We did our daily swimming lessons and such. Productivity abounded, but most important, I rescued a lost Lego piece.
This last trip was a big one for me. This was the first time that I’d been out on the trail for four days. There was a major defeat that led to a big detour. This was also the first trip where I felt that my gear was just what I wanted and my menu was great too.
My last morning on the mountain was calm and unhurried. I fetched water and ate breakfast in camp. I broke down my tent and stowed my gear methodically, making sure that everything was in its place. My body had complaints about the previous day‘s brutality, but I was soothed with the knowledge that I’d be home for a hot shower before dark.
My second morning on the trail began much like the first. I woke to the sound of water, this time Ladd Creek just over the rise. We broke camp and ate by the water for the convenience of a quick refill. I also used the cold water and a bandanna to wipe the trail dirt off my legs and feet, arms and hands, and face and hair. It was a lovely start to what would become a brutal day.
Day two began with breakfast at Ramona Falls: my customary bowl of oatmeal and two cups of hot chocolate. It was cool and calm beside the falls and a great way to start the day. We talked over our route for the day. It was decided that we’d deviate from the Timberline trail and head down the Ramona Falls loop to the PCT, then follow that up to Bald Mountain. This would let us avoid an unpleasant water crossing, so we packed up and started out.