Let’s start with the good news.   Store, showers, and beer tonight.   Bacon, pancakes, and bacon burgers tomorrow.   The bad news is that it is damn hot and will keep getting hotter as we lose altitude.   The worse news is that the climb out of the valley will be a nasty 5k gain over 8 miles.   This one is even worse than Belden. 

I didn’t get a good look at my campsite last night because it was dark when I arrived.  It actually was a nice spot to camp.  

Soho and Twigsy packed and left while I was crawling out of my tent.   I really slept like a rock last night.   

First thing in the morning was a 500 ft exposed climb.   Glad I’m doing it early in the morning.   It was a good warm up.   Here is a view from the peak looking back.   The campsite and lake is behind the ridge.   

Then the great descent began.   7k to 1300 feet in 20 miles.   Rule of thumb is that I’ll gain 3 degrees for each 1k drop as the Sun (and temp) is rising.   

Stopped with Twigsy and Soho for some brunch action.  The German boys showed up while we were there (Bay Watch and Golden Snitch).   Those kids look dirty as ever.    I took off ahead of folks to get a jump on the miles. 

Down, down, down.   Began to start seeing these

My pace began slowing as I stopped and picked these whenever I found them.  The trail was overgrown in some areas and I missed a turn.  Spent 15 minutes beating around until Soho showed up and told me where the trail was.   Back on and more hiking. 

Followed this river for 8 miles or so.   Most of the canyon was burned so there was little shade.   It was now over 90.   There are a bunch of little streams feeding it that we cross every mile or so.   I started dunking my head and dumping my hat in each stream.   The cold hat would last me for 15 minutes then it would turn into a hot, moist hat and the cycle would repeat again.

All the dead trees are getting pushed down during the avalanches and spring flooding. 

The trail crosses the river several times.  There are nice bridges which is nice.

Eventually the trail spilled out to a 6 miles road walk.  What total sucks about this is that 4 miles are just going around this stupid river.   I was looking for a place to cross while walking it, but there are No Trespassing signs everywhere.   Found out later one of the German guys jumped the fence and walked/swam the river. 

There was an upside to this road walk.   Gigantic bushes of Blackberries !

I ate about 6 handfuls of these.   Wanted more, but I figured I’d be barfing soon at this rate.   They were soooo good. 

Here is the stupid bridge that 4 miles of the road walk forced us to cross. 

Here was the route.  Why can’t someone get a right of way to cross the river instead? 

Got to town at 6:30 in time to get beer and some burgers for the grill at the RV camp.   Soho, Twigsy, and me had a good dinner.   It was 26 -ish miles today.    Glad we rocked these two days.