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Monday, September 19, 2016

Day 139- The One With The Warm Bed

Sept 18, 2016
Stampede Pass(2372.4) to Snoqualmie Pass(2390.9) 18.5Miles 
Total up/down: +3,910/-4,565 feet 

Today went by in a blur. I was so focused on getting into town for a hot shower that I really don't remember much about the day. It really poured last night. At one point I was nervous about my tent holding up to such a beating. I couldn't tell if it was just raining really hard or if it had begun to hail. Upon closer inspection it was just rain. Luckily, by the time I was ready to get up it had stopped raining. As promised, Stumbling Norwegian and Honey Bee, cooked us all breakfast. I enjoyed a breakfast burrito with a coffee spiked with tasty goodness. It was an excellent start to my day. Eventually it was time to say goodbye. I had almost nineteen miles to hike before making it to Snoqualmie Pass. Check in at the hotel isn't until four o'clock. By leaving at nine o'clock I should make it into town around four o'clock. 
Happy hikers
Great setup 

I was surprised by how well the trail conditions were. There were a few places with deep puddles, but for the most part the trail was pretty dry. The water sources were all gushing and it was a beautiful day. After hiking a few hours the sun even came out. 
Mostly clear skies 

Once the sun came out my mood improved greatly. I practically flew down the trail. I passed a lot of day hikers that wanted to stop and chat. Most of them wanted to know how I managed the storm. My response was pretty much the same, "not well". I was pretty freaked out by the rapid change of weather. I honestly didn't expect to have to deal with those type of conditions this early in September. I was convinced that people in Northern California were fear mongers, trying to scare me. Now I realize that they had a better grasp of the situation than I did. 

I decided to look upon yesterday as a learning experience. In the future I will wear more layers and I believe getting some gloves will help as well. I'm so close to the end now. I guess it will be a photo finish. I was really hoping for an Indian summer, but I'm beginning to doubt that will happen. 

I slowed down the second half of the day. I passed by a couple really pretty lakes and even though I'm not swimming I like to stop next to them for my breaks. 
Pretty blue water

The closer I got to Snoqualmie Pass the harder the trail became. I had a few steep climbs to make. Even though the trail was in good shape I still had to slow down a little bit. A good portion of the hike was over slippery rocks and roots. I am no stranger to slippery rocks and roots. I navigated my way through the without incident. I was so close to town I could almost taste the pizza. 

Getting into Snoqualmie had two possible routes. I could cut almost a mile off the trail by walking down a ski slope or I could stick to the trail and walk down a gravel road. I have never been so tempted to skip trail in my entire life. I could see the hotel. It was tantalizingly close. I stayed true to myself, but it was a close thing. 
So close, yet so far away

I wasn't too concerned about not getting a room. The parking lot was almost empty and I heard from other hikers that they didn't have any problems securing a room. The force was with me and I didn't have a problem getting a room. I was able to check in immediately. The first thing I did was empty everything from my pack so that things would dry out. Then I took a long hot shower. I had to wait before I could start my laundry. There was a long line of hikers ahead of me. I got my resupply box and my new gloves. This time the gloves fit perfectly. I brought some pizza and beer and relaxed in my room. The events of yesterday seemed like a bad dream. I was warm, clean, and my belongings were beginning to dry out. Life is good! 

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”
- Frederick Keonig


6 comments:

  1. Sometimes I suppose sweet is sweeter when we experience sour. Glad you made it through all that and enjoyed your hotel stay!

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  2. So true Theresa! Hoping you find a buddy to finish the hike with you!!

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  3. Your pal Outro should be somewhere in proximity to you. My hope is that you two will hook up and finish the final sprint to the trail's end. Being able to finish, preserving your blog and the photos you've shared with us cyber couch taters, and the memories you will hold forever should be the jet fuel you can rely on to break the tape. GO YODA!

    Double G

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  4. Sure that hotel stay meant even more after what you had been through. Keep up the good hike!

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  5. I'm so happy the weather was better and you had room for night. Thank goodness for a decent start to your day. Trail Angels just keep spreading their magic. Hoping for dryer hiking days for all that are on trail.LY

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