Started out this morning wanting to go to Cold Spring Shelter, like our "plan" stated. An easy 6 miles. I was pretty set on it, too. My knee is acting up and I needed an easy day.
Well, I got there about 12:30 and had lunch. Saw OWL, John the storyteller, Silver Streak, and Old Goat. Ate a little (I am trying to eat more) and then it was sort of decided that we were all going to take off for the next shelter. I was sort of pissed about it. The "plan" said we could stop, and I wanted to stop! But everyone else wanted to keep going. So on I went.
Hiked through fog and cold and rain. It was really cool to watch the fog roll in through the mountains. The colors in nature are really vivid when it is foggy and raining.
Got to our designated stopping point & OWL was no where to be seen. I did catch up with Old Goat, who said she & John were way ahead. He said - "look, you don't have to try to catch them. Just hike at your own pace and you will get there. Personally I want to enjoy my hike and not rush through it."
That made me feel a lot better. We walked together for a while and talked - he is a pretty interesting guy. I really like talking with people while I hike, and it was nice to walk with someone slower and older than me but just as determined.
Soon after I decided NOT to go to the hostel it started pouring down buckets of rain, thunder and lightning, the smell of ozone in the air. But, I didn't want to go backwards, and I didn't want to lose pace with OWL, so I just kept trekking to the shelter. By the time I got to the shelter I was sopping wet - even rain gear eventually gets wet. (Rain gear doesn't breathe, either, so sweat just accumulates inside the jacket). No room left in the shelter, so I set up my tent. It was on a slope but it stayed dry inside. My air mattress is really losing air fast. I can't seem to find the leak. But maybe if it keeps raining I can just find a big mud puddle.
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