On Thursday, I got to the trailhead around 8 pm. It took me about an hour to go the two miles to the trail junction where I camped. I made a mistake when I got there. I was all sweaty, but I didn’t change into something dry, which meant that I got cold quick and it was hard to warm up inside the tent. I had to chow down on some of my gorp to get warm enough to sleep.
I didn’t set an alarm for Friday morning. I figured with less than four miles to get to Stump Lake or Blackmare Lake, I could afford to start hiking later in the day. And if it was hot hiking in the afternoon, well, that would be good training. I left the campsite a bit after 9 am and crossed the nearby stream on a large log. Almost immediately, I ran into a huge pile-up of trees across the trail. I had to go a long way around, and I still had to climb over and go under various trees to get back to the trail.
The hike took a lot longer than I expected with all of those downed trees, but I made decent time. Especially because every time I stopped a swarm of mosquitos would surround me and try to fly in my mouth. I stopped for about an hour for lunch and got to Stump Lake around 2:30 pm. There were patches of snow around the lake, but plenty of clear ground for me to pitch my tent and hang out. I could see lily pads growing under the water though none had yet reached the surface.
Saturday was officially a do-nothing day. I had to keep up with camp chores and take care of myself, but I had no place I needed to go and no timeline. I had a cooked lunch and I thought I’d go to the Needles Summit after eating it, but instead I went into my tent and shut my eyes. I did go to the summit a bit later.
It rained Saturday night, which meant I had to pack up wet Sunday morning. I set the alarm for 5 am and managed to be packed up and ready to go by 6:35 am. Not bad; I aspire to take less than an hour from wake up to leaving camp, but I rarely get close in the early season. I counted the trees fallen across the trail as I hiked out. I got up to 280.
I stopped in New Meadows for lunch and in Council for a small shopping trip. And I was home before 2 pm. It was delightful to reach 55 and turn right instead of left. Technically, it’s a two hour drive from Cascade to Boise, but on a Sunday traffic going that direction gets thick. Ambrose would have appreciated how much less traffic I encountered going home to Cambridge.
My friend’s dog still had water and dry food on Sunday. I fed him again today after work, and watered her plants.
I had a hard time getting up this morning. I wish I could take a week and just be out somewhere camping. Maybe out at that antelope reserve in Oregon with that hot spring. Or Dixie Campground. Or even out towards the coast. Taking Saturday to do nothing up at Stump Lake was good for me, and I think more would be better.
But instead I worked. Six meetings today. I checked the mail, which I hadn’t done since Thursday. I was supposed to get a package from Amazon, but there was nothing in my mailbox or my package box so I had to report that. I was able to get a reorder on the photo backings, but I had to get a refund and then reorder the oats.
I didn’t know what to do for dinner. I ended up baking more banana muffins during family zoom. And then I had a muffin and some plums that I bought in New Meadows for dinner. And popcorn. I should get the veg that I froze pre-cooked into the fridge so I can make it into something tomorrow. I hope to mow tomorrow.
I remembered my dreams from Thursday night, but not Friday or Saturday. Or last night for that matter. I hope I dream of Ambrose tonight.