Day Four
31 August 2016
Mile 2518.8-2540.7
Day total 21.9
Tally 79.1 miles
Total up/down: +5765/-8114ft
Camp: near Image Lake Trail
LL: 48.196496, -121.044992
Despite feeling completely at home out here, there are subtle things that feel weird. When we meet people we are section hikers, not thru hikers. Today a girl said she knew we were thru hikers because of my “hello kitty backpack,” referring to my ultralight setup. It felt really good, but also felt weird. This class is not my class. I do not feel apart of their summer. I feel like a normal hiker just passing through while these other hikers are coming to the end of their journeys. I too am coming to the end of my journey, but it is one for completion and not the close of a killer hike. It is a strange feeling.
One thing I have particularly been happy about is the warm nights. Mornings have been brisk, but I am super toasty at night. I am reminded how much I don’t like to put my tent up. As one of the few daily chores I have, I remember why I prefer to cowboy camp. But this is Washington, so it is not smart to risk falling asleep without cover…though we did cowboy two nights ago.
Elizabeth Erickson 