Daily Distance – 18km
Daily Ascent – 1480m
Daily Descent – 1080m
Total Distance – 657km
Distance Remaining – 360km
I nearly lost my shoe today to a sucking vortex of cow mud. Fortunately I managed to extract both foot and shoe, although both returned with several additional pounds of slimy mud attached. At least, I choose to believe it was mud. The exact ratio between mud and cow is debatable, although the smell would seem to indicate that cow is in the mix somewhere.
I should have expected trouble when the trail notes for today promised an easy stage. “Easy” features of today included:
- The aforementioned cow fields, of which there were several, all of which capable of hiding a stealthy hippo below the innocent looking morass.
- An exceptionally slippery descent from the first of the day’s summits. While these rocks felt firm, I am fairly sure their atomic construction featured a thin, surface layer of grease.
- 1400 metres of ascent, which even after a month on the trail is strenuous.
- A section of trail which led into, but not through a steep, unmarked section of forest. I earned my Mountain Goat merit badge for this part. A particularly strenuous 20 minutes, which would have taken 20 seconds with a sledge and a shot or two of whisky to gather the courage to use it. Congruently, this non-existent section of trail, led to a non-existent town, where I had hoped to drink a coffee.
Not an easy day…
As you see there is always a suprise round the next corner, whatever the trail notes hint at. Pleased you found your foot and shoe. If you look at appendix 1 you no doubt will see the warning of the atomic construction of the rocks being able to shrug off any unwarey shoe.
No, not a good day. I can imagine the disappointment when you couldn’t get a cup of coffee. Poor thing.