Day 49: Back In the Saddle Again

(Kennedy Meadows, 702.5 to 712.5 = 10 miles)

Handstands for Kennedy Meadows General Store, 
the Sierras, and 700+ miles.

Literally, we are tucked up on a saddle tonight just around the beginning of the Haiwee Trail.  Just 10 miles today, but a pleasant 10 miles. 

Well, kind of.  I never like the first day of hiking after a town stop.  I sort of don't like town stops in general.  It's a funny thing -- I look forward to them most of the way, and then halfway through, I don't like them.  There are too many chores and too little time.  My feet swell like crazy, and my legs feel worse than when I was on trail.  I never relax enough or get everything done.  And then I eat too much and get food hangovers.  Yes, they are real.  And, yes, they are much like a regular hangover -- headache, bellyache, lethargy ... it is awful and not really worth it.  But you still do it again and again.  Today, I was sweating like crazy all afternoon, and it was so salty that it stung my eyes.  Sweating out all of the town stop toxins.  I didn't start to feel good again until tonight.  It is good to be back on the trail again.

We found another gymnast, Totem,
and Kindergarten Cop set us up
in a tripod!

And, to make matters better, Kindergarten Cop caught us and is hiking with us!  On purpose this time around.  We are tackling the Sierras together.  It has been a couple of weeks, and we all missed each other's company.  We have our guard dog back, and I have my let's-ponder-the-world-and-swap-stories friend back.  We chatted away the whole 10 miles.  And I learned the story of his pulling over John Travolta (sp?), among other tales.  We are all three very happy to be reunited.

Speaking of stories, it is night, but the five guys, "the Canadians," just passed.  They are pushing on to 714, but they stopped for a snack and a story.  I put on my park ranger hat and shared the story of how the owl got big eyes for them.  I don't know that it was what they initially had in mind, but it was fun in a terribly nerdy way.  I am sure it will happen again.  Just as they'll jungle call us, and I'll coyote howl in return.  (We had the real coyotes going with our howls the other night.  :)  I am a big fan of these guys.

A good day with a medium beginning as I worked off the town time and a great end as everything begins to fall in place again.  I am thrilled to be back in the saddle again. 

I couldn't be happier to be back on the trail and off to the Sierras.