Due to lack of service, days 42 and 43 will both come out today

The sunrise over the canyon this morning was every bit as beautiful and glorious as expected. The sky painted colors of blues and oranges and reds across the horizon, bit by bit revealing all the farms below us. We all woke up on the ground or in our tents and came together to watch it in all its glory. 

But it wasn’t the sunrise that was most memorable about the morning. It was the sunset. We knew this day would come but today marked the day where rocket and I were going to go further than Second Breakfasf and Viking. Our band of four was being split in two. 

We sat around laughing and joking but there was a feeling of tension in the air. “I can’t take it,” said rocket to me. He got up and gave both Viking and Deuce big hugs and then disappeared down the trail. I stalled, slowly eating my breakfast and packing up. When I finally could wait no longer, I got up to do the same. 

I told them both how fun the last bit had been. I told Viking how excited I was for him to continue his weight loss. He’s down 50 pounds at the last weigh in and was hoping to lose 100 by the end. I know he can do it. I gave him a hug and told him to never stop giggling. Even as he becomes a smaller man, his big man giggle can never be lost. As I walked over to deuce, I saw Viking wipe away a tear. 

When I got to second breakfast we shared an equally emotional good bye. We admitted that it actually had been lovely to be together. Sharing those laughs and those barbs. It’s the way both of us know how to show love. I gave the little man a hug too. There were no tears here but I still knew I had to leave because there may be some of my own soon. 

I don’t know how to explain the relationships out here to anyone who has never done an adventure like this. When you’re essentially sequestered together in the woods, relying on each other for support, entertainment, guidance, jabs, navigation and so much more, the bonds grow fast and they grow strong. I’ve already had to say goodbye to McKay, salt and jackrabbit. Adding two more to the list was tough. 

When I was on the Camino, I remember talking to a welsh poet. he read me a poem of his which had the essential take of “it’s great to meet so many people out here. But saying goodbye is always hard. It makes me not want to open up to anyone new.” I didn’t really get it then. But I realize now that that was because I was so lucky to go through almost all that hike with such an amazing group of people. To do the hike alongside Julia, Jackie, Jim and Yulia. I never had to say goodbye to the people I was closest with there. 

But even after a tough morning, this hike had to go on. And so I walked on. I put on a podcast to distract myself and headed up and down the rolling hills. As the podcast ended, it resumed playing my last played playlist – Rolling Stones radio on Spotify. The first song was “wish you were here” by Pink Floyd. 

15 miles later I arrived at a river and, knowing that camp was less than a quarter mile away, I went for a quick creak soak. Essentially icing my legs after the longest day I’ve had since my injury. I didn’t feel great, but I also didn’t feel bad. I think I’ve just lost my trail legs a bit and 15 miles is back to feeling like a long day rather than a short one. 

When Still Packing and his dog Snoopy walked by, I joined them for the walk up to camp. Along with Rocket, boombox and trekking hands, we set up shelters and got to our camp chores. 

We laughed and joked and set up, yet another massive fire. I roasted a spam packet on a hot rock in the coals and came out with the most delicious fried spam sandwich. But even as we all laughed around the fire and joked about who knows what, there was a hole that could only be filled by a short British man and red headed Viking. 

Key stats:

Miles: 15

Elevation gained 2,400 ft

Mile marker: 585

Games of rummy tonight: 0