Slow miles, but getting there
Ahh, glorious descent.
Our day started off with some fairy steep downhill, which looking at the elevation profile got me excited. The only thing is, having all that additional momentum as you descend a mountain makes things a bit uncontrollable. Picture a man with a pack the size of himself in a semi-controlled fall... for miles on end.
A bit nerve wracking st times, but I made it safe and sound.
We've seen many deer (of a greyish color and white fluffy tail) and lots of varying tracks and scat. Some actually quite intriguing.
Shortly after our day began, there was an eerie backpack (school bag style) with pants and food strewn around it. Some creature most have gotten in it and tossed the contents around.
I shouted and hollered to see if anyone was around, but silence was the only thing that return my calls.
I was really disappointed that someone would have just left all their stuff thrown around the trail... I would have packed it out, but my back is already way passed max capacity.
As we approached even ground, we trekked across open plains of tall sun dried grass, and took breaks under the glorious shade of anything over four feet tall.
Unfortunately, I was only able to make it 11 miles, even with all the dry downhill. Andy's food supply is dwindling as we were not anticipating such slow miles (well, I wasn't). We have 27 miles until we get to his first resupply, and I'm going to try my hardest to make that in two days, but it will be tough.
My body is sore in every place imaginable, but my spirits have not yet been broken. The pack weight is decreasing, but not at a good enough rate to increase the mileage to what we need.
All I can do is trek on!
Speaking of trekking on.. we made a slight wrong turn today. The trail crosses and follows many forest service roads, and we came to a junction and followed the road (uphill) for more than half a mile, missing the hidden sign in the woods for the AZT. Trekked back down and continued on... so I guess we reeeeally did 12 miles, though only 11 counted.
We're camped on an old dried out riverbed, with a tiny little trickle of water that quickly becomes subterranean. Plenty of fresh water though, which makes tonight's campsite the best yet.
