September 17
I've been sitting on my butt for the past ~2 weeks with hopes that the South Barker Blaze would cooperate fully and the ~19 miles of the ICT that are affected by the creeping blaze would re-open. Much to my disappointment I was recently informed that the trails, even with the weather and fire cooperating, would not likely re-open in 2008. So...plan deux.
Cathy Miller at the Forest Service was incredibly informative and I really appreciated her continual updates over the past weeks with regard to the fire. She offered many reasonable alternatives and provided excellent feedback with regard to my inquiries about possible re-routes.
The plan is pretty straightforward as I'll re-start the ICT at Stanley Lake outside of Stanley, ID and follow the ICT to Mattingly Creek and then head towards Atlanta, ID. From this point I've come up with a combo of rd walks, trails, and cross country hiking to drop down into Featherville, ID from Cayuse Point for a re-supply...skirting the western edge of the fire. Leaving Featherville, I'll follow FR 227 (southern edge of the fire) to re-join the ICT at Virginia Gulch and then head to Hammett, ID for my last re-supply before continuing through the Bruneau Desert to Nevada.
No doubt I will be greeted by cool temps in the Sawtooths (uh, I meant to say COLD), but the cooler temps forecast for the Bruneau Desert will be much appreciated...all the more so considering there is limited water (~52 miles dry) along the rte across the Owyhee and I do not plan utilize any water caches.
WD will not be joining me to finish the hike. Of the ~230 miles of the ICT that remain for me, ~140 miles of it is along rds and the terrain is very dry, --- both factors that made me decide that it might be in WD's interest to stay home. In addition, due to the fire delay, my schedule is now less flexible so I need to up my mileage to finish this up. Judging by the typical 'dawg spoilage' that occurs while at my parent's house, I doubt he is feeling any regret about not joining me...
I am looking forward to completing this hike despite the slight detour, and the rd walking (mostly dirt) that lays ahead...if all goes according to plan I should arrive in Nevada no later than 9/28.
Thanks for reading.
BrianSeptember 18th
I left Stanley Lake at around 2 pm, easily guided by the 5 ICT blazes I saw in the 500 yds from where we parked the car, to the actual start of the trail up Stanley Lake Creek. That is 5 more blazes then I recall seeing in the previous ~700 miles...
My Mom hiked with me for a few miles before giving me a final round of hugs and leaving me on my own.
Before heading back out on the ICT, I took the time to simplify my gear list and swap some things out, so I am happy to be hiking with a ~6 lb base load for the remaining miles.
I made easy progress up the trail as the path was wide, well-maintained, and gradual before finding myself again dropping down Trail Creek towards Grandjean where I left the ICT 12 days prior. A few more miles and aother wolf sighting brought me to Taylor Spring where I filled bottles and found camp a few minutes down trail. Plenty of black bear tracks in the neighborhood...
Nice to be back in the mtns! Even the more so with the cooler temps and the colors of the fall foliage.
Brian
September 19th
Left camp as the dawn came, making quick progress up the wide and gradual drainage of the Middle Fork of the Payette.
After passing the reflective waters of Elk Lake, the river channel narrowed and the water coursed over smooth slabs of granite --- rollicking along in a froth of spit and spray.
The climbing steepened a bit but soon leveled off at a tr jct to Ardeth Lake. Instead of continuing along the ICT I decided to take the jct to Ardeth Lake and then drop down from a saddle to rejoin the ICT at Spangle Lake. As beautiful as this drainage was, I felt it was necessary to gain some more elevation and get an actual view...the Sawtooths are absolutely stunning, and the ICT seems to ignore the trails that give a hiker a decent vantage to take in their grandeur.
Passing by Ardeth Lake I climbed to a saddle above Spangle Lake...the reward being a lunch break with fantastic views of two lake filled basins, and numerous craggy peaks rising skyward.
After lunch I began a long descent towards Atlanta from the head waters of the Middle Fork of the Boise River.
The drainage itself was stunning...a lovely mix of deciduous and evergreen vegetation with streaked granite slabs and boulders intermixed. It seemed like every component of the landscape managed to compliment each other.
By late afternoon I had reached the jct with Mattingly Creek...where the ICT heads, but eventually is closed due to the South Barker Fire. I continued south, shortly leaving the Sawtooth Wilderness Area and stumbling into the hamlet of Atlanta.
When I was planning my rte around the fire, I recalled a customer who lived in Atlanta. One quick email and fellow long distance hiker Mary Drake was willing to take receipt of a resupply package for me as well as give me a yard in which to pitch my shelter. Although I was a day early, Mary greeted me warmly with a cup of tea and a slab of chocolate pound cake! Thank you Mary! I was also introduced to her dog Josie, two cats, and her extensive flute collection. Mary had recently hiked a long portion of the AT so it was fun to hear about her time on the trail.
No doubt we could have stayed up much longer talking trail, but I was bushed after a 30+ mile day.
BrianSeptember 20th
The previous evening I had asked Mary about some of the trail conditions in her neck of the woods, and my intended rte was not shaping up well as it had recently burnt and was a mess. So, Plan B, which was to walk James Creek Rd was put into affect. The morning was pleasant...all the more so by starting it with another piece of chocolate cake and gracious company!
I left Atlanta at ~7:30 and headed along the rd under partly cloudy, cool skies. The James Creek Rd was pleasant enough...actually quite nice as traffic was slim as I climbed upward into the clouds. I passed bu a memorial to Peg Leg Annie and Dutch `Em who where 2 pioneer women from Atlanta who got caught in a snow storm while walking to Rocky Bar from Atlanta. Dutch `Em froze to death, while Annie eventually made it to Rocky Bar but had both feet amputated as a result. Hardy ladies...
My morning was thakfully much less eventful although the weather took a turn for the worse as I left James Creek and dropped into Elk Creek. The rain began in earnest and the vegetation had me soaked in no time. Couple that with numerous creek crossings and it was not long before I began to think about Dutch `Em and Peg Leg Annie again! Cold and wet, I stumbled on, eventually breaking through the brush and off the trail to FR 135...a winding rd that would eventually get me to Featherville.
After pleading for a for hrs, the sun finally arrived...the clouds pushing northward and I was able to dry out and warm up. Doing so made the afternoon rd walk much more tolerable.
I arrived in Featherville for another re-supply and a late second lunch, before pushing off again for 7 more miles to re-join the ICT at Virginia Gulch. I had expected to be hiking through charred terrain, but everything that was roadside was simple spot burnt and preventative backburns. The only real sign that a 43,000 acre fire had occured were the streams...each running black, thick with ash and soot as they emptied into the South Fork of the Boise River.
I was thankful to find a bridge crossing the river at Virginia Gulch so as to avoid a filthy crossing!
My brain and body are ready for bed after another 30+ mile day.
BrianSeptember 21st
I slept very well last night and was anxious to hit the trail this morning despite today being the last day of trail walking on the ICT before it turns to dirt rd for the remaining mileage.
Slight drizzle left the vegetation wet and thus it was not long before I was also wet and cold as I climbed up Virginia Gulch. Cresting the ridge, the vegetation thinned, the sun shone, and my spirits lifted as I dried out and had a few miles of ridgeline walking. Good stuff despite some whoop-de-doos and trenching from motorcycle use.
A few miles further and I was below Grouse Butte, an ICT blaze directing me to drop into Lime Creek where I found a spring to fill my bottles. Once in the drainage it was not long before I was again soaked and cold. But...hey, it was good trail and my patience for the conditions seemed to be holding up.
Lime Creek is a splendid drainage... nice and long so as I hiked I dropped through distinct vegetation zones eventually finding the sage brush covered hillsides that are the Idaho I grew up with. Lots of creek crossings as well, but the best for last...a good 50 yds long, near waist deep and through fetid beaver ponds. A short climb and descent brought me to the South Fork of Lime Creek and then along a granite lined two track to Hunter Creek TH...and the end of `trail'.
...and so the road walk begins! For the next ~130 miles I'll be leggin' it out along rds. Certainly I'll toss in as much XC hiking as I can, but the vast majority of miles ahead will be hard on my feet and hard on my head. Roads are for cars, motorcycles and bicycles...not for feet! Ouch. On a positive note, I have entered the high desert, another distinct regional landscape of Idaho and a place that I like a great deal. Plus, I know I will not miss another sunset for the next 5 days!
The next ~10 miles to Moore Springs and my camp for the evening were uneventful. A handful of cows, a stiff headwind, and monotonous plodding. I did hop a few fences and beeline along cattle trails now and again...not so much to cut distance but rather entertain myself.
Camp tonight is near Moore Spring in a shallow draw in an attempt to get out of the wind a bit.
BrianSeptember 22nd
Morning came slowly and the half moon was surprisingly bright last night. A heavy frost greeted me this morning which led to a quick breakfast, a fast pack, and 10 mins of scrapping the frost off the outside of my shelter with my drivers license...no sense in carrying that extra weight
and eventual sogginess of a wet shelter.
The morning started with ~3 miles of pavement...easy start, but I was cautious not to start too fast. My breathe was visible, and I was bundled up in what warm clothes I carried.
As the sun climbed into the sky I turned rigt onto Castle Rock Rd, ~5 miles of dirt through rolling cattle country, and a few outcroppings of granite. Just before HWY 21, I decided to skip the shoulderless 2 mile ICT rte along the HWY and passed through a gate...ambling downward through sage into cow filled meadows with the intent of finding a cow path that followed the drainage below the HWY. Good cattle paths wound through the meadow and the going was easy...and much more safe than next to speedy traffic. A careful tiptoe across a beaver dam then a few more mintues up the drainage and I was directly below my turn off of the HWY to Cat Creek Rd. Passing through another gate, I crossed the HWY and began a long, gradual climb to 6100 ft along Bennett MTN rd...passing by more cows, a number of beaver dams, a few trucks, and plenty of empty beer cans enroute.
Cresting the indistinct summit, the first views of the Snake River Plain were clearly visible on the horizon below me. Thankfully, the temps today are not hot, otherwise the prospect of descending to the volcanic landscape below would be a bit daunting.
Shortly after taking in the views I turned off the main rd at Burns Gulch to check on the water situation in Little Camas Creek. Good flow greeted me and a long lunch, a bit of laundry, and hearty drink ensued.
Back in July, I had ridden the last ~130 miles of the ICT on my motorbike as I wanted to check out the terrain with regard to water availability and road conditions to make an informed decision about the liklihood of WD being able to join me for this stretch. As such, I knew where water had a good chance of being and Little Camas Creek at Burns Gulch was one of them. My only concern from my scouting trip was that the beaver dams higher in the drainage may stem the flow of water later in the season. Fortunately they did not.
After lunch it was back to mind numbing plodding along Bennett Mtn Rd. Signage informed me that I was walking next to the King Hill Creek Wilderness Study Area. Acording to the BLM signage it was, "a place to exprience solitude, rushing streams, and abundant wildlife." Here's to hoping future ICT trail alignment might take advantage of those resources...
A few miles later and the ICT veered westward on an old two track, climbing slightly to the volcanic rim of the Snake River Plain. Enormous views met me...irrigated ag lands below, wind farms to the west, the Snake River Gorge, and the Owyhee Desert stretching out to Nevada and the Jarbidge Mtns on the horizon. Very nice, and a humbling prospect as to what lay before me in the coming days.
But...I'll think about that later!
The trail contoured down just below the cliffband before crossing a dry drainage. There is a spring on the map which was running at the ICT crossing back in July, but I decided against scouting up the drainage to find the source. I had a liter of water, was well hydrated, and figured my time would be better spent getting as close to Hammett as possible this evening.
The ICT headed directly south from the drainage on a rough two track before turning 90 degrees to join a road heading west. I opted for a diagnoling XC rte and re-joined the ICT at a transmission tower along a dirt rd. Another hr of rd walking (course gravel, ouch!) and I decided to make camp after ~30+ miles on the day. I've got ~14 miles of rds to Hammett tomorrow for my final resupply.
All in all a good day on the ICT. Rds always suck, but cool temps, little traffic, and ample water helped to offset the mental and physical anguish.
Thanks for reading.
Brian
September 23rd
Made it into Hammett after a peaceful morning...coyote serenades, 7 antelope, and plenty of bovine bellowing as the sun rose.
Quick re-supply and then back at it...into the the Owyhee Desert and some very dry terrain ahead.
BrianSeptember 23rd continued...
Before pushing out of Hammett, I made some last minute adjustments to my menu for the next 3 days... eliminating all meals that required water to hydrate. From what I have determined, I should start this section with an initial ~40 mile waterless stretch, followed by ~53 miles that are dry.
While caching is a viable option here with easy road access, I prefer to avoid caches. I feel like I appreciate a landscape and its inhabitants more when I play by the rules that the terrain dictates...its not a judgement of ones manhood, just my preference.
As such, less water used for meals means less water carried and more water used for direct hydration. Fortunately, it appears the weather may stay cool for the next few days which bodes well for me. The last few days I've managed with just 3 L of water despite the 25-30 mile distances. Of course that included ample cloud cover and vegetation to provide shady breaks. No shade out in the Bruneau Desert except for your own shadow!
After organizing my food and having a hearty lunch at the cafe, I set off for a ~6 mile paved road walk along HWY 78. Lots of cattle and ag trucks blowing by me to keep me awake.
Eventually I turned onto dirt up Browns Creek Rd which I followed for ~3 miles before turning into the actual drainage and entering the boundary of the Saylor Creek Air Force Range. I could see 4 aircraft in the sky and hear the explosions of ordinance --- thankfully well in the distance. At about 2:30 the bombs stopped and the planes flew off west towards Mtn Home Air Force Base.
The remainder of the afternoon was quiet...a quiet that only the desert seems able to supply. Peaceful, still, and stark.
Jack rabbits sprinted from beneath sage, lizards skittered across my path, and the occasional bovine was encountered.
By 5 pm I was at my intended camp, just below the exit of Browns Creek. Given the hr, the sun was still high and no shade was yet available in the east facing slope of the drainage. Further up the drainage the walls steepened and I meandered up canyon until I found a spot steep enough to block the sun. Ahhh, a much better place to hang out and await night fall. No sense in sweating if you ain't moving!
The finality of the ICT is beginning to set in. When I left the trail due to the South Barker Blaze, I seriously considered not finishing. I did not see the point in walking so much rd simply to say that I walked across Idaho. Who cares? Aesthetic is what I am after, and along those lines I was mostly satistfied. But...having 12 days to mull it over, it became clear that I did not feel fulfilled and I needed to finish the hike. So...here I am, thankful to be surrounded by the rawness of this place, appreciative of the solitude so easily available with a little effort, and grateful that I have a lifestyle that allows me to do such a trip. Those feelings have been present intermittently during the course of the hike, but always come to a head when I am about to wrap things up.
No matter the hike, I always find it strange how the finality of a trip suddenly strikes. Every hike (if its good) has a degree of timelessness. I do not feel like this hike has dragged on, nor sped by..each day simply was, but now looking ahead, there simply is not much left on the map! In the context of the whole, only a fraction remains, and that fraction seems tangible and within reach.
Anyway, a mixture of excitement, accomplishment and reflection this evening.
BrianSeptember 24th
A fairly restful night and I awoke to a clear, star filled sky. Packed up, I decided to not backtrack to the ICT but rather continue up Browns Creek and simply exit higher in the drainage on an obvious gradual slope to the rim which would allow me to remain in the shade much longer than hiking to the rim first thing.
A few minutes into my morning, I came upon a Bombing Range sign laying in the dirt which stated: "Warning!! Objects may fall from low flying aircraft. Travel risks include injury or potential death."
Not really a nice way to ease into a morning, but I scanned the skies, listened closely, and decided I'd take my chances. Besides `objects' is a fairly broad term...
As I left the creekbed and began my climb upward, the sun began to shine upon the upper slopes. Looks to be a warm one today.
Just below the drainage rim, I spooked a couple of Antelope and then followed their path to the dirt rd that is the ICT. From this point I could see a white ICT blaze in the distance and simply left the rd and aimed straight for it...an efficient beeline across sage and scrub.
A few miles from Bruneau Overlook at an old corral, I did the same thing, trading a perplexing 2.5 mile jog in the road/ICT for a lumpy cattle trail to the rim of the Bruneau River.
One unique aspect of this country is that really large landscape features do not make themselves apparent until the very last minute. What appears to be a vast expanse of slightly rolling lumps suddenly gives way to a near vertical canyon that drops ~1000 ft to the river below. Stunning and surprising to come upon.
I took a short break at the Outlook then headed on my way...~10 miles to my first and only water source (East Fork of Bruneau Canyon) in the ~90 miles from the Snake River to the Nevada Border. Aircraft could now be seen and heard, circling round and round in the distance and dropping `objects' that were making noise that could likely cause injury or perhaps death.
~5 miles from the east fork, I walked by a military truck with a radar mounted on a trailer and 4 fatigue wearing occupants no doubt enjoying the A/C of the truck cab. I waved, they waved, and we all carried on with our respective tasks.
A few minutes later I was being buzzed by 4 aircraft, each one coming in and flying overhead lower and faster than the first...200 ft max from the ground. Their decals and numbers were clearly legible as they sped over my position. It was amazing how quiet the planes were until they passed by. Strange to see something so large and potentially dangerous moving so fast and making virtually no noise.
After the flyboys passed I soon veered from the ICT to follow my own XC rte to drop into the East Fork of the Bruneau ~6 miles earlier than the ICT. I was not hard up for water, but the rte looked challenging and more scenic than the rd walk that dropped me down into Winter Camp and a bridged crossing of the creek. When I rode this portion in July, the water flow at Winter Camp was strong so I figured it would be the same further downriver. As I came upon the rim, after seeing another 5 antelope, I was dismayed to see a dry creekbed! Uh, crap. This was supposed to be the one reliable source! Keeping my anxiety in check, I descended the bouldered slope of basalt to the creeks edge, careful to avoid the loads of poison ivy that lined the banks. At this point I had 1 L of water total and ~50 miles of hiking! Not good. Judging by the maps it was ~4 miles to the main fork of the Bruneau River which was flowing (as seen from the Overlook before), so I decided to trudge down canyon!
to fill bottles, hydrate, camp, and then backtrack to my original exit come morning. I figured the chances were fair to good that I'd find water before I got to the River.
Sure enough, as the willows thickened and the canyon narrowed slightly, I caught the whiff of moisture and began to poke around. Beneath a large boulder was a decent sized pool that looked to hold ~6 gallons worth of water. Eureka! I could easily look past the water skippers, minnows, snails, and dung that called this pool home. Much to their chagrin I began to scoop the water from the pool and pore it into my gravity filter. Each scoop was ~.5 L, so it would take a number of trips beneath the boulder to fill my 2.25 gallon carrying capacity for the next 2 days and get my body re-hydrated this evening.
The water is of suspect quality, a bit offensive to smell and taste, but it is wet, cool, and should serve its purpose. Plus, it saves me considerable distance of unsafe hiking through a jumble of water polished basalt, thick vegetation, and poison ivy.
After I finished the task of filling bottles and re-hydrating, I made my way back up creek and sat in the creekbed until ~7 pm when I made the slow climb to the rim. The sun was behind some clouds as it began to set, and a slight breeze blew. I decided to hike into the evening to get some miles in during cooler temps and enjoy a desert sunset!
I took a quick bearing and then headed of across the desert aiming to re-join the ICT in ~5 miles. Much of the landscape out here is a mix of sage and scrub or is grassland...likely cleared for grazing or cleared from range fires. I basically followed the edge of the cleared portion...more efficient walking than picking my way through sage brush. Just before nightfall I crossed an indistinct two track rd that would bring me to the ICT. With no moon, I used my single bulb LED to highlight the rocks and holes in the track. Despite the handicap of darkness I made good time and soon rejoined the ICT around 9 pm, making camp beneath a star filled sky just off the roadway.
Brian
September 25th
Well rested, I got a jump on the morning and hit the road just before first light. I wanted to take advantage of cool morning temps and log as many miles as possible before the sun warmed things up.
It also appeared that sometime today, based on the stiff easterly winds and the clouds on the western horizon, that I'd be blessed by cloud cover.
A few minutes from camp I dropped into and climbed out of a finger of Sheepheads Draw before beginning an ~8 mile walk below low slung lumps of grass and sage which were just high enough to continue to block the sun as I hiked south.
Time passed with no real recognition of it doing so nor landmrks to mark my progress, until I came over a rise and saw the Bengoechea Cabin to the right. I stumbled over to check out its thick walls of basalt, hinged door, and now collapsed metal roof. Whatever 'ol Bengoechea did out here, he must have been a tough SOB. As much as I love the desert, it is very difficult to imagine living out here and remaining sane. No shade, relentless wind...maybe his wife was real pretty.
Pushing on, I continued to make great time along the dusty or rocky two tracks of the Idaho Centennial Trail, with ~20 miles by 2 pm. The clouds did roll in which was a relief, but any hydration savings were quickly negated by the warm wind that kept up steady throughout the day.
My feet are certainly tender at this point. I switched to running shoes when I re-started to provide greater flexibility for the road walks, but I am paying a slight price. With no stiffening in the midsole and thus limited durable cushioning, the sharp basalt in the rds and two tracks is hammering my feet. But...boots would have their own set of issues as well. Regardless of footwear, I have not had any blisters or foot issues this entire trip!
The afternoon was slower paced than the morning and I settled into a steady pace, staying with the ICT, and paralleling a wilderness Study Area until the north side of Poison Creek. I bailed off the rd simply to cross the drainage slightly earlier than the road...just to give my mind a chance to have some fun figuring a way through the cliffbands that guarded the dry creekbed on each side below. Successful, I angled back to the ICT.
A few Antelope around today...another 5, 22 since leaving Hammett. Great animals. The last 2 I saw as I swung south off the ICT again to work around the western flank of Poison Butte...staying close to the rim of the Jarbidge River Drainage for some new views, and to avoid an ~8 mile scenic tour of the north, east, and south sides of Poision Butte along the ICT. A very circuitous rte, but likely routed that way along rds to accomodate other types of trail use. Lucky for us hikers, we are highly mobile and not subject to such boundaries! Alternatively it would be very easy to go directly over Poison Butte as it is only ~300 ft higher than the surrounding terrain. `Butte' is too noble a term for the landmass, but `Poison Bump' does not conjure up romantic images of the western landscape...
Final camp for the Idaho Centennial Trail is on the SW flank of the aforementioned bump...just behind a large scrub that is doing a fantastic job at blocking the relentless wind. From this vantage I can see the Jarbidge Mtns (which I've seen for the past ~90 miles) rising quickly from the desert floor to the south, the E and W Forks of the Jarbidge River, and somewhere out there (~15 miles) is an orange metal post denoting the Idaho/ Nevada border and the southern terminus of the Idaho Centenial Trail.
Just about there...
Brian
September 26th
My final camp was a lumpy one, so sleep, when it came, was fitful at best. The wind carried something I seemed allergic to, so my nose and eyes watered throughout the night. I had a laugh at acknowledging that one of the worst nights on the ICT was to be my last...
Regardless I was packed and moving by 7:30...not as earlier as I had intended, but with only ~15 miles I suppose there was no real rush anyhow unless a fella was anxious to sit in the sun to await his ride outta here.
After ~20 mins of XC hiking down the gradual flank of Poison Butte, I re-joined the ICT once again and made my way south along a two track, again paralleling a Wilderness Study Area.
The morning was warm...no wind, no clouds, and a bit stale. I was happy to know that I would not need to be out all day in such conditions as it would have been an uncomfortable day given my remaining water supply and energy level.
A few antelope rose from the sage and scrub and pranced off to the east, but otherwise the morning was a solitary affair...right, left, right, left...each step one step closer to Nevada and the completion of my hike. I soon crossed the paved rd which drops quickly to Murphy Hotsprings and made my way to a two track...in the wake of a big diesel truck with 2 camo-clad fellows in the cab.
The truck stopped at a ranch gate and the guys got out to inspect the signage, piss, and open the gate. I wandered up and said hello and we had a nice conversation for 15 mins talking about what great country this was...open, quiet, and obviously void of humans. These guys were out hunting Antelope...with muzzle loaders! I was rightfully impressed as doing so meant a keen awareness of the animals habits and behaviors. Not to mention having to get out of the truck, be incredibly patient, and get within ~10 yds of the game before pulling the trigger. A bit different than the breed of most huntrs I have met. Pretty impressive. They had stalked and gotten a kill yesterday, but were getting snookered today.
We soon parted ways and I made my way the remaining ~1.5 miles to the Idaho/Nevada border after crossing over a small plateau, descending, and then climbing up a two track speckled with obsidian.
Although I felt sluggish most of the morning I was surprised to arrive at the ICT's southern terminus at high noon. Good time despite sore feet.
As most arbitrary points of terminii are, the southern terminus of the ICT was nothing grand or majestic...just another point on a high desert two track with a barb wire fence, a gate, and plenty of cow patties. An orange metal post with `NV' cut out of the top marked the boundary. Maybe not grand, but a perfect ending nonetheless.
The day I finish a long hike is never very relevant to me...its not a point of relief, nor a point of immediate jubiliation. I always want to believe that I am somehow immune to having such an undertaking affect me, but I know deep down that the end result of another long hike will pay dividends into the future. While never immediate or obvious, and however ambiguous it may sound at the moment, I know without question that those eventual dividends will alter the person that I am, and I will become a better person in some way.
So, to end this long winded journal, I'll end as I always do post-hike with these words:
Lived it, loved it, time to leave it.
I`ll post concluding thoughts about the ICT, gear, advice, resources to do your own hike, and more map info in a few weeks for those that are interested.
Thanks for reading.
Brian
