05/01

To no surprise, the weather turned overnight. Clouds whipped through the trees, dragging a damp chill in their wake. We knew the rain wasn’t far off. Desperate to keep our sleep systems dry, we packed up fast and threw on our ponchos. Today was supposed to be short 7.4 miles to the next shelter.

But when you’re exposed to the elements with nowhere to hide, the weather doesn’t just set the mood, it defines the day.

I was already shivering before we left camp. My body felt spent from the long haul yesterday, and I didn’t have much left in the tank. It was hard mustering the energy to “look on the bright side”. Putting on my headphones, I was hoping ABBA could drag me out of it. Only finding them dead halfway through “Waterloo”… My charger was shot, phone down to 15%. There was no escaping the present. Just wet layers and slow miles.

We stopped for lunch in a small forest clearing. The rain, now a steady drizzle, soaked through my tortilla before I could even take a bite. Knowing the weather would be getting worse, we decided it’d be best to push on, getting us closer to the end of the park. Another six miles to the next shelter. The day’s plan practically doubled without ceremony. Seven miles became thirteen… What joy.

We reached the shelter around 6 pm, only to find as full campsite. The only space left was a sloped bank of mud. I pitched on the least ridiculous angle I could find and sat on a mossy log to cook, my ass soaked and feet pruned. A double dinner of Kraft mac and cheese was my only reward.

Today was hard. For the first time out here, I wasn’t enjoying my misery. Instead, I found myself wallowing in it. There was no poetry to be found in the damp. No clever lesson. Just the long, wet drag of the day. Still, we kept hiking.

I’ve come to a point in life where I don’t run from uncomfortable feelings. I try to sit with them. Let them breathe and have their moment. Misery included. There’s some power in that. Acknowledging the weight of a hard day, instead of pretending it’s always blue sky’s and sunshine. Doing so, makes room for a better tomorrow.