Date: 2013-02-08
To: Devil's Pot Holes
Miles today: 0.0

From my personal journal on my first overnight backpacking hike!Monday April 30, 2012Hike one, day one...Up kind of early this Am. After coffee and a little breakfast I finished loading in the rest of the BP gear including food water and clothing. With 1-1/2 gallons of water my pack was getting heavy.M and I drove down the Colorado River overlook, almost made it all the way before the "road" just got too rough for our little Suzuki, but we almost made it.We then drove over to the trail head and had a sandwich for lunch.Noon, I started up Elephant Hill and about 10 percent up I was wondering "What the Hell am I doing." About 20 percent up I noticed the camera lens hoodie that M had loaned to me was missing. Back down half of my archived distance I find it. The Hiker Gods are having fun at my expense... just before reaching it I stepped on loose gravel and did a nice butt plant. Fortunately, I was close enough to reach the hoodie without getting up first. Getting up with full pack is not easy, but I managed somehow and was on my way to the top of the hardest hill I have ever climbed due to the weight of the backpack.It took me forty five minutes to do the first one point five miles. I was surprised I covered it so quickly. I stopped for a much needed rest and removed my pack.   The Hiker Gods had to get in one more laugh. My new water bottle that goes with the Steri-Pen was missing. It must have gotten knocked out of my pack when I fell on Elephant Hill. I'll never see that again!As I was getting back into harness two 4x4s came by. People were nice enough to stop and confirm that I was OK. There was a major climb there and a spotter got out for the climb. Talking to rear car driver, I ask, without any hope, if they happened to see a water bottle on Elephant Hill. They had and had brought it with them. I guess the gods had laughed enough.I got to Devils Potholes tent site about 1500. I rested for a while before setting up the tent, and then I inflated the sleeping pad, got in the tent and rested for over an hour. The pad felt great, I was lying on my sleeping bag, and that felt good too. In five o'clock shadow, I got up and walked around. Took a mile and a half, RT, to the car camp to make use of their facilities then made dinner and did the journal. I had time to read a little and go to bed. "The Gods too are fond of a good joke!" Aristotle, (384-322 BC). Hike one, day two, ... The morning after.Up at six after a restless night with sleeping pad and bag. A very warm night, 65*F when I got up. I had breakfast and coffee and on my way by 0800.About 4-1/2 hours to cover the five miles of up and downs to the trial head where M would be waiting. And beautiful vistas in every direction the whole way. I walked on one side of Chesler Park, would love to do the whole loop one day, just didn't have time today. As I told M, I used the photo ops as an opportunity to rest. It was overcast, which made for good hiking, but not for good photos. Maybe next time.M was waiting and we head home (RV) and the nice hot shower sure felt good.It was a very successful training hike. I was tired, but not overly so, and the recovery time was much less than I thought it would be. I had the right amount of food and water. Sure wish water had been available along the way so I would not have had carry so much, but, that the way it is. The pack felt good, and better as it got lighter with less water.