from view to view

I chose to leave Beldon around 6:30 am. That was not my leaving time, just when I decided to leave.  I had breakfast at Caribou Crossings.  Chris, the owner, was working an issue with the payment systems folks.  Miriam was busy in the kitchen.  I got eggs, hashbrowns, and toast.  She kept my coffee filled. He figured out what the issue was and joined the conversation of the hikers.

About 9 am a new batch of hikers appeared.  Swapped some stories.  Some had stayed in Beldon with the music festival.

11 am I got lunch,  12 pm I bounced.  I hung in Beldon for a while with another set of hikers.  I got underway around 3 ish.  I needed to wait for a train to pass.  Some railway workers kept the festivities away from the tracks while replacing ties.

I pushed up the switchbacks.  Not quite halfway up I came upon the lady I helped a few days before.  I asked how much water she had and gave her 1/2 litter of mine.  At a spring near 3 miles beyond, I asked a few NoBo's to take her some as she planned to dry camp a mile shy of the spring.

I evaluated the two campsites near the top of the switchbacks and chose the higher of the two for more wind protection.  I set my alarm knowing I'd be up before it.  Watched the sun go down whie sitting outside the tent.  It's nice to be bug free.

The Milkyway Galaxy shone bright.   I watched the Dippers trade places.  As expected, at first light I got moving.  I watched the glow brighten until the sun rose.  I began to sing my alarm's song.  I kept hiking.

I climbed on to a ridge looking down into several basins of lakes.  Dropping down into Buck's Lake area I heard of the campsites near Lookout Rock, a spring 2/10's of a mile beyond.  It'd be a 20 mile day, a done deal.

I write now with the sun slowly casting a shadow beyond.  3 other hikers are in the area.  With the lack of bugs buzzing, I am cowboy camping (tentless) for the first time this hike.

Tomorrow I'll be back in bug country as my aim is 23 miles to a campsite with water.

I have 2 trail weeks left.  140 miles to go.  I can do 140 in a week.  I haven't looked at this hike's average yet.  Choices: go beyond; double back onto the TRT & exit a different spot; check on changing my reservations and come back a few days early; slow down and take detours.