Hike of Week 7

October 7, 2006 at approximate 0815 hours, I pulled into the EH parking lot. One other vehicle. Not suprising since the rain drenched all yesterday. I grabbed my gear and started up a well worn path, however; never appeared to have been walked on thanks to the rain wiping away all existence. My footprints would lead others to the unknown known.

The sun was awake and trying to dry everything. The desert still smelled 'just after the rain'. The sage brush was emitting its fragrance and everyone once in a while the juniper smell would jump off the branches. Everything was silent, but rejoicing after the spa treatment they received in the last 24 hours.

I walked with my nose to the perfumes. I shuffled my feet, scampered over slickrock, and slithered through cervaces. Every so often the trickle of water would stop me and I could feel it cleanse my veins as it cleansed the Earth. At the trail junction, the trickle became a flow and I felt all my sins washed away.

The trail followed the creek bed. There was a lot of rock and sandbar hopping. Of course 95% of the sand was quick and my feet would start sinking. I kept thinking of movies where people disappear. (Does anyone know where I am hiking today? NOPE). Thank goodness rock is just a short distance down.

Another junction...I should have zigged instead of zagged and I missed my orinial destination. But I was still on unchartered trail to me. When I saw my first person 4 hours later, I knew my mass, my holy quest, my religious pilgrimage was finished.

I retraced a trail I'd done before to another new trail to the first trail. The first trail was now in footprint ruins wiping away my start. I returned to the parking lot, where both were overflowing with noise and souls. I threw the car in drive with the windows rolled up tight holding in the silence and continuing to homd my happy heart beat.

Total Distance: 11.4 miles
Total H2O Drank: 100 oz
Food consumed: 1 PB&J, two granola bars
Total people encountered: 20 too many
Enjoying the first 4 hours along: Beyond Priceless

Week 6

Week 7