Day 82: Respite in Belden

Miles hiked: 22.4

Mile marker: 1297.3

Total ascent: 4,000 ft

Total descent: 6,000 ft

The morning finds us in the dark. We leave at 5:30 am and walk up a hill into a beautiful morning landscape that is full of layer upon layer of blue mountains. The sun hasn’t yet reached the peak. The view goes all the way from my left to right. I’m walking along side it, as if we’re holding hands in the early morning.

Down below, the skinny trees reflect off of the lake like a mirror. The mountains are blue with an orange glow just above it. The sun will be up soon.

I’m reminded of when I was in college and a part of a Christian group called RUF. We once went on a group trip and stayed in a mountain chalet with a view similar to this.

The only difference is that it was about 30 degrees then and it’s going to be about 130 degrees today.

We walk on a couple more minutes when I see a cloud from Heaven with a glowing edge. The sun breaks through and lights the sky in orange!

We walk downhill on switchbacks that are littered with fallen trees that we have to step over.

A deer gallops down the steep hill. He is flying downhill and looks so graceful. I wonder how he doesn’t break a leg running so quickly on this difficult terrain. I can barely walk without tripping on a stick every few steps, much less skip downhill over bushes.

It’s a long descent, but we finally make it to Belden! The store doesn’t open until noon. I sit down on a long deck outside of a mountain town restaurant. The sun begins to sizzle anything that it comes into contact with, so I decide it’s time for a dip in the river.

It’s cool and rocky in the water. I rinse off while sitting on algae-covered rocks.

Shorts now soaking wet, I go back to the store. After a quick run through the sprinkler outside, I sit down.

When the store opens, it’s quiet in here. There’s a vintage store theme going on, and there is only one lady working. There’s a couple others floating around, but she is in charge of most of it.

In order a burger and get a food resupply full of off brand pop tarts and candy bars. Very nutritious.

I’ve only eaten three snacks today because that’s all I have!

We all sit at a table and dig in to our meals.

“I know we said we wanted to leave in an hour, but it’s so hot outside,” Rafiki says.

I give my mom a call. When she discovers Rafiki’s real name (Rafiki is his trail name), she repeats it then giggles. “You don’t look like that,” she says.

Luxy heads out. It’s 4:00 and I hang out with Mom a while longer on the phone. An hour later, Bumper, Rafiki and I leave for the trail. We walk across a bridge over the river I bathed in earlier and to a trailhead.

Looks like we’re in mountain lion territory!

Along side of poisonous plants and bears.

It’s hot. Really hot. The sun beats down on me as I trudge my way uphill. Soon I’m trying to catch Rafiki, who’s moving fast.

Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten three cheese sticks. And some crackers. Nausea begins to set in.

I can push through. It will pass.

I imagine myself chucking over this ridge that overlooks a winding road next to a frothy river.

My snacks sit somewhere in my throat as I push myself faster up the steep and narrow path that goes along the side of this mountain.

Rafiki waits for me. “How are you doing?” he asks.

“A little nauseous, but I’m okay,” I say.

This leads to a break on the side of a ridge. It takes a while for my stomach to settle. I can see some hikers coming toward us. We’re back up and soon chatting with a fast hiker who sped up from behind me. He’s a French guy named Zappy, and he actually met Thomas, our French friend from the beginning of trail!

This conversation motivates me to move quickly. But not fifteen minutes later and I need to use the restroom.

I don’t know what’s going on.

We continue to hike up. And up. And up. The dirty and rocky path turns to forest. The sun sets. I step on rocks and crawl over fallen trees.

The crickets sing. Frogs chirp. It’s as loud as a symphony. My feet hurt. I’m exhausted. I keep moving.