The Wonderland Journal

Miles hiked: 23.6

Mile marker: 1274.9

Total ascent: 6000 ft

Total descent: 2000 ft

The day begins with a very long uphill hike. It goes on and on forever. The morning is sleepy with gray clouds that are overcasting the sun. I run into another hiker, Master Chef, a woman my age. We chat for a while about what we want to do after trail. 

Our conversation goes on about South Korea and how friendly the people are there. We switch to walking about Ray Bradbury when we reach the water source. 

I grab some water and continue on. A lookout is just ahead of me. I join Rafiki on the edge of a rock. It’s a thirty foot drop to rocks and broken bones if I fall. Looking down is pretty disorienting. I’m not afraid of heights… unless you include the reasonable fear of falling to my death. 

Trees and mountains are splayed out in front of us as we sit with our feet dangling over the cliff. 

I chat with my mom via text to learn that she broke her wrist! I immediately call her. 

“I was draining the pool and fell backwards in the process!” 

Oh, Mom!

We keep walking. 

We find a spot for lunch, but Rafiki wants to go on to see if there’s a less exposed spot to the sun. It’s overcast now, but it might not be soon. 

He said he would yell for me. Now the others have caught up and we wait quietly for a few minutes for his shout. 

“He’s like the man who left to get milk,” Luxy says. 

I laugh. “Let’s go.”

We wind through the meandering path that curves around the woods. It’s a few minutes later and we find him!

“I messaged you guys!” Rafiki says when we tell him that he went out for milk. 

“In reach’s don’t get messages quickly!” I say, referring to my device that allows me to communicate to other hikers on trail. 

We set up for lunch. Rafiki pokes a stick into his spam and roasts it over his gas stove. The spam turns out crunchy and way better than cold spam!

We walk on. After several miles of walking in the sun, we reach a water source. 

“Do you want to go further so we can camp by water?” Bumper asks. 

I look at the map. “I don’t see any camp sites by water. Plus, we’re walking to Belden either way tomorrow and can’t get there too early since the store only opens at noon.”

We stick to the original plan. I hike up a long but easily graded path as the sun  sets down on me. I’m glad I soaked my shirt!

We make it to an open spot. We set up our tents. Rafiki and Bumper build a fire. 

“I used to have a fire almost every night on the AT,” Rafiki says, referring to the Appalachian Trail. 

He roasts spam over the fire. We clean our filthy legs and the others put out the fire. 

Rafiki and I hold water bladders for one another as we try to get the black soot off of our legs and feet. I don’t know how much it’s worth it, but at least I won’t be so sticky tonight. It was another hot day! Thankfully, not as hot as yesterday. 

Bedtime for me! The mosquitos buzz like an orchestra by my tent. I’m glad I’m inside of it and not bug bait!