Date: 2007-07-26
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To

To: Moxie Bald Lean-To
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

mi. 8.9dest. Moxie Bald Lean-tosleep hammockday 14Well today marks the 2 week point. Seems crazy that it has been 2 weeks alreadyand about 130 miles.I got a little later start then usual. The other 2 guys already left. I thinkI hit the trail around 8am. My latest start yet. I decided to get up afterhearing all of the chipmonks moving in ever so closer. I figured they wereplotting their revenge.Today's hiking went rather well. The terain was relatively flat. The firstpart was reminesant of what I saw out west. Lots of heat and conifer trees. The 2nd half was lots of rocks. It was weird walking on rocks in flat terain vsthe ups or downs.I thought a lot about my mind set last night and while hiking today. I think Icame up with a couple things. I was good up until my last day in thewilderness. That is about the time I decided to change the way I am setting mygoals. Originally I would just think about finishing the day, and about the endgoal of finishing my hike. I switched to sytart thinking about the next town. Today I went back to my first goal of hiking to a point where I want to stop forthe day. I thought soe about finishing, but about the normal random things too. That helped out a lot. I really enjoyed the hiking today. I went back to taking a lot of pictures ofrandom things like I always do. I also took the long break in the middle of theday for coffee like I did at first. I think those really helped my attitude.I am glad I talked to the 2 northbounders about my river ford last night, Itmade it a lot more clear. It was across a knee deep part for 15 feet, over asmall island covered in high grass and a hard to see trail for 15 feet, thenover 10 feet of water. I sat on the other side after crossing for a good 30minutes or so and had coffee and snakes. A great place to stop. On the way outI made a small carin (stone trail marker) to help the next southbounder. I got tothe shelter at about 3pm. I was excited to make this one. It is righton a lake. I really wanted to go for a swim. I hung my pack in the shelter andwent down to the lake. This is a beautiful lake. I walked out a little ways. It really wasn't that keep. About 20 yards out is was only about waist deep. That is after I sunk about a foot into the mudd and debris.I took a short swim. I pictured myself coming out covered in leeches. Ithought I saw some. Luckily I did not have any. Although they are probiblyabout the only thing not to bite me out here. One of the northbounders said hesaw a few when he went for a swim.I went back and had dinner and set around and talked to the northbounders forawhile. There is a lot of people here. Probibly about 10 hikers and about 8from a boys camp. Funny thing is only the boys group is i the shelter.Two of the northbounders are even using hammocks. I think people are slowlycoming around. Usually every time I setup someone asks me about it. One otherthing I get a lot of comments on is my pack. I use a gearkskin pack. I reallylike it. The guy who thought it up was really thinking outside the box onpacks.After everyone was eating we ended up talking by the lake. It was a really coolscene with the moon rising, bluse skys, a hint of red, frogs in the background,someone playing the gaitar, and some great conversation. With eversone sittingon the rocks by the shore.I am told there are some big slower groups of southbounders just ahead of me. Ishould catchup at some point. I think being around people will help. I don'tthink it was all of my battle, but it was half of it.I have a great spot with my hammock. Just in from the lake. The skys are clearso no tarp for me. I can look over to my right and get a great view of thelake. I did set up half of the tarp, just in case.Gear Note:My foodbag pack lasted all of a day. The glue is still on there, but not theplastic bag. It"s watertight for now, so I', just going to go with it. I thinkI will replace it out at some point. Everything else is holding up fine.On the gaiters, the guestbook comment is intreging. I will have to read it acouple times. Right now the paracord I have on it holds for 80 miles or so. Ithink if I put wire back on, I am going to notch out the sole of my shoe alittle so the wire is recessed a little. That should fix the problem.