There is a specific moment in late summer. A moment every evening when daytime distinctly turns to dusk. It lasts less than a minute, but I can feel the temperature change. I can smell it in the air. It’s subtle, yet palpable as it slides between my finger tips and fills my lungs. It’s the best one minute of the day. The best minute to ride a bike, the best minute to walk, the best minute Read more…
In the morning, Aidan was feeling significantly better. We picked up the truck in Tuolumne Meadows and headed back to Carson City. Our dogs were happy to see us, but did not have the enthusiasm we’d expected from them. They’d been spoiled while we were away. We stayed there for several days, having long phone conversations with Aidan’s sister, who is in the medical field, and generally hiding from the rest of the world. We believe Aidan’s Read more…
Day 18– July 21, 2014 I never did eat any of those cookies. Those lovely cookies that Aidan ended up smashing with his feet to get them into the bucket to send to Muir Trail Ranch. Those lovely smashed Joe-Joe’s Gluten Free cookies that ended up, according to Aidan, “flavored with peppermint soap, cheese vomit, and a little hint of the plastic bear canister”. I was a little sad, but he said I wasn’t missing Read more…
Day 17– July 20, 2014 Odometer Reading: 164.5 miles Miles today: 2.1 Camped: Le Conte Canyon Ranger Station – elevation 8,758 Today’s Key to Success: Ranger Matt Aidan had a really hard time getting out of bed. Right when we left camp, it started to rain. Then it turned to hail, then sleet, then the trail was a stream, then the trail was a river. My feet couldn’t get more wet, but I tried to Read more…
Day 16– July 19, 2014 Odometer Reading: 162.4 miles Miles today: 10.4 Camped: Middle Fork of the King’s River near La Conte Canyon – elevation 8,921 Today’s Key to Success: Continuous Forward Movements Aidan wasn’t getting up. I felt cold and a little clammy, but not feverish. I figured I felt pretty good, considering. Aidan finally woke up, bleary with a bad headache. He started feeling worse pretty quickly. It was 8:07 am. He Read more…
Day 15 – July 18, 2014 Odometer Reading: 152 miles Miles today: 7 Camped: near Palisade Lakes – elevation 10,844 Today’s Key to Success: Immodium AD Really rough night. My legs hurt so bad from my hips to the bottoms of my feet. I rolled around for a long time trying to deal with the pain before finally getting up around 2:30am to grab some Advil. My feet, swollen lumps with baby sausages poking out of them. The bear did Read more…
Day 14 – July 17, 2014 Odometer Reading: 145 miles Miles today: 11.8 Camped: Cascade Creek below Deer Meadow – elevation 8,426 Today’s Key to Success: Pepto Bismol I knew it was Thursday because of my watch, but the alarm still didn’t work. We still seem to naturally wake up around 5:30, though, so our body clocks still work. Me and my Benadryl + Aidan and his Unisom = decent sleep. We still woke Read more…
Day 13 – July 16, 2014 Odometer Reading: 134.2 miles Miles today: 13.0 (GPS was turned off for approximately 2 miles) Camped: several miles down past Muir Pass – elevation 11,261 Today’s Key to Success: Hair Aidan pulled me closer to him and pointed. I looked at the door of the tent. The sunlight shone through the mosquito, her body ruby red with stolen blood. I’d never seen anything like it. She was lethargic. Read more…
Day 12 – July 15, 2014 Odometer Reading: 123.2 miles Miles today: 12.20 Camped: McClure Meadow – elevation 9,730 Today’s Key to Success: Gentle Rain I slept pretty well. Aidan did not. Poor guy. His legs were killing him and he didn’t feel well at all. We got up and set about trying to eat something. I was hungry, but it was hard to eat. Everything smelled like cheese vomit. Helluva diet. My shorts Read more…
Day 11 – July 14, 2014 Odometer Reading: 111 miles Miles today: 9 Camped: Muir Trail Ranch Backpacker’s Campground – elevation 7,600 Today’s Key to Success: Hot Springs The muted morning light pulled me from a dream. That, and I had to pee super bad. I prepared myself, blasted out of the tent, and bailed a hundred miles an hour to the nearest pee spot. I got bit thirty times on my butt and Read more…