Miles today: 32

Trail miles sum: 1301.4

Trail location: 1983.6

Elevation: 5308

Spinning on the turntable: Anton Batagov: The complete Phillip Glass piano etudes: Live in Moscow

Glad to start a new week! Last week my total hiked distance was 159.1 miles. This week I’d like to bump it up a bit higher, maybe closer to 175 miles. We’ll see how the week, and my body, agrees with my proposal.

I’m starting to see a lot more action from SOBO flippers and true SOBO.

I’m really enjoying the early morning sun peeking through the trees. The colors are just amazing! All to quickly, the moment is gone.

I saw this hanging bag very early in the morning, maybe around 6:30. Closer inspection revealed it was a trail magic bag hung for hikers. It was too early to care, so I didn’t even drop the bag to see what was in it. I spoke with another hiker later in the day who dropped the bag…but it was full of trash but no goodies.

The lakes today are beautiful. It’s really very relaxing to hike next to the lakes, provided you keep moving. The mosquitoes are still vicious.

Alpine Lake

A fellow hiker was sharing with us that he drops his pants, quickly rubs mosquito repellent all over his butt, and then does his business. I’ve had great success lately with finding pit toilets or actual flush toilets so my bum remains bite free.

Waterfall

I’m starting to see new mountains pop up in the distance. I don’t know who they are though. Guess I need to figure it out.

Cascade Mountain Range coming into view

How is this for a hiking trail!!! The colors are incredible. Living in the Pacific Northwest and hiking in this area is amazing. The primary color is green, but there’s so many different shades of green.

Greens and purples

I ended the day together with Noelle hiking on lava rocks. I become irrationally angry hiking on lava rocks. Angry like I want to throw my hiking poles as far as I possibly can and just go home.

Oh the lava rocks

It hurts my feet, ankles, knees and shoulders. No one (that’s telling the truth) is happy out here in the lava. Tomorrow I have more lava to hike over.