The Wonderland Journal

Miles hiked: 29.2 Mile marker: 1559.9 Total ascent: 2000 ft Total descent: 2850 ft 5:00 AM, we’re up. By 6 o’clock and we’re off.  3.2-3.7 miles an hour. The goal is three miles an hour. We need to get to Seiad Valley by Saturday about noon for the post office. …

Miles hiked: 18 miles Mile marker: 1530.7 Total ascent: 4600 ft Total descent: 1200 ft The next morning begins pretty late as Rafiki and I start the ascent with the sun appearing to say “Good morning!” We walk along a dirt path with a lot of bright green shrubs. We…

Miles hiked: 10.1 Mile marker: 1512.8 Total ascent: 2400 ft Total descent: 1000 ft I wake up slowly in a dark room. It’s nice to just lay in bed! We do some laundry and head to Black Bear Diner for a free meal! Dad loves this place. I visited him…

Miles hiked: 22.9 Mile marker: 1502.7 Total ascent: 3500 ft Total descent: 4900 ft I awake to the sunshine and sound of deer kicking around in the woods. Luxy already left since she’s wanting to get to town ASAP. Rafiki and I choose to wake up with the sun. Or,…

Miles hiked: 28.8 Mile marker: 1478.9 Total ascent: 3500 ft Total descent: 5800 ft I don’t like getting up at 4:30. I didn’t like it back home, and I don’t like it now! We begin the hike in the dark. Luxy and I walk together for a while, as Rafiki…

Miles hiked: 23.9 Mile marker: 1450.1 Total ascent: 4700 ft Total descent: 2100 ft We’re moving at 5 o’clock. Way too early. I’m exhausted as I pack my things. We start the hike in the cool of the day, and soon it gets warm.  The bushes become so thick that…

Miles hiked: 13.4 Mile marker: 1426.2 Total ascent: 1100 ft Total descent: 1200 ft Everyone is moving before me. I start to pack my things and head over to the lobby for a free latte. The church is doing some social event.  I’m wearing a dust pink tunic type of…

Miles hiked: 20.6 Mile marker: 1412.8 Total ascent: 900 ft Total descent: 2800 ft We wake up early for a twenty mile day into town. Our water cache is four miles ahead. When we get there, a giant tank is filled with water.  A guy there offers to do trail…

Miles hiked: 25.2 Mile marker: 1392.2 Total ascent: 1750 ft Total descent: 2900 ft Rafiki and I are so tired from the late night of hiking that we get going slowly. We’re only a mile or so behind Voyager and Bumper.  The sun is already out by the time we…

Miles hiked: 30.3 Mile marker: 1367 Total ascent: 4300 ft Total descent: 4000 ft Today is the first day that I sleep in on trail when I have a big day ahead of me. Voyager (Savannah) and Bumper left at 5:15 for the big day. Rafiki and I are tired…

Miles hiked: 17.3 Mile marker: 1336.8 Total ascent: 2500 ft Total descent: 3300 ft The morning begins with a yellow glow over blue mountains. Diamond shaped tin signs lead our paths with hand written notes scratched on them that read: YOU’RE GORGEOUS YOU’RE SO F-ING CLOSE! and other such sentiments. …

Miles hiked: 22.2 Mile marker: 1319.5 We begin our hike and within a few minutes reach 1300 miles! Yay! That’s a big hike. Just as Dad said, the numbers after 1,000 haven’t felt so significant as they did before then.  I brush my teeth as I look at a view…