Today started better than the last.   Ate a Poptart and heading out.  

Goal was to do 20+ miles today to make up for my poor performance yesterday.   This should put me at about 5,500 feet.   Since I’m starting at 5,500 feet, should be easy, right?   Well no.   According to my app I get to go +4,700 feet and -4,700 feet today.   Awesome. 

I found this interesting.   The area I walked through in the morning was an old burn from 2007 (I think).   It is interesting seeing how the vegetation recovers.   You can see a few old dead trees together with some dense bushes and younger pine trees growing back.  I suppose in 20 years, this will again be a pleasant shady walk. 

This brought back some bad memories from yesterday….

There were some small creeks still running.   Nice algae filled creek bed.   Delicious, slimy water. 

Got to Mill Creek Fire Station and ran into a dozen hikers milling around.   The Station has an active staff who stayed inside while the hikers all spread out around the building seeking shade.    They must just look out the windows and shake their heads.   

Took a little nap here and updated my blog.   Dexter turned up and we decided to hike together to a campsite for the evening.   Was interesting to get to know her.  

She was a zoology graduate student in Wisconsin doing research into Sparrow hatchlings.   Apparently, these birds are unlike most in that they can survive as babies on either seed or bugs.   Most species of birds require a specific diet depending on their age, but these little guys can switch it up and still develop healthy.  

The theory is that there is an enzyme in their digestive system that allows them to switch between the two diets in 24 hours or less.   To prove this, Dexter and team gathered a bunch of hatchinglings, feed them certain diets for a few days, then killed them and immediately dissected their intestines.   Apparently she did this 191 times for the study over 3 years.   That is pretty gross….hence her trail name.   It is Dexter the serial murderer from the TV series…not the cartoon character.

Camped here for the night.   It was an old campsite that was trashed by the recent burn.

Did a good 22 miles today (Mile 425).   Feel a little better now.