My watch says July 24... Hmm. I think it's the 25th. Today we packed camp faster than ever. I'd like to hit many lakes and get a lot done. Impossible to predict. Nate has fallen twice already, and we are not wearing backpacks or walking yet. We need vitamin E for our skins. I have some, but we need more; it seems to be a new magical cure out here. Hope hope to wash boyos today; we are so dirty. Right now the guys are echoing into the mountain caves, off our breakfast spot.
Our hike today was up and down, through woods and mountains, over volcanic rock and weird cobblestone. We saw at least four lakes, and seemed to weave in to the shore and then away from the lake. The meandering trail was annoying me, and I noticed some growing crankiness for this goddamn beauty. So beautiful. So. But today was the first day I felt tired and pressed. We keep falling behind. I keep trying not to care. My back hurts and we smell bad. Today I was cranky.
I'm not as tired as I am at home, truth..but I am beat. I think it's ok to admit it.
The lakes are ice cold, but so lovely. The scenery matches my memory of so many oil paintings that families in the 80's hung. We crossed a few waterfalls and discovered a new favorite food: hazelnut butter and chocolate. This was a gift from Al and Mark, and Nate and I licked the wrappers clean. We are disgusting now, did I mention?
We run into the same groups and have developed a neighborhood feel on the mountain. Our neighbors tonight just invited us to a campfire. I'm so gross, so tired, it's my bedtime, 7:00p, but I might slick the hair and go. The boys love this part.
Went to the fire. Glad we did. We heard a great, great bear story from a great bear story teller. These campfire boys decided two weeks ago to start their adventure, and were a really nice bunch for us to laugh with. The tallest camper told Nate how hard he thought this trail was, and that he had been breaking down too. They were all tired and blistered and dirty, just like us. Sitting with them was a little like a sigh of relief, I think. They were friendly and funny and super charismatic and sweet to my boys. We left by 8:15a, which was past all of our bedtimes; big and small people but it was a great late night.