cathieandrandy

We made 25 miles today, enjoying great views under partly cloudy skies, and almost no clouds this afternoon. We saw Mount Baker to our immediate west shrouded in clouds. Beyond, there was another peak covered in snow which we do not know.

We passed the historic remains of the Eureka Gold Mine and enjoyed warm sunshine in the grassy meadow of Windy Pass.

Several locals out hiking told us a snow storm is anticipated for tomorrow night, and apparently a significant one for so early in the season. We are planning on reaching Manning Park, Canada, in the afternoon so we should be fine. There are still lots of thru-hikers behind us. We worry about our friends.

The five of us joke about transitioning back to our former lives. For example: We will have to make an effort to monitor our behavior, especially in the office.

There must be no more tooting at will, and we must refrain from peeing in the potted plants. There can be no more king size Snickers bars or we will all be king size. At home after a long day of work, we will be trying to figure out where to pitch the tent. We need to remind ourselves to shower everyday. We will be confused by all the clothing in the closet. We will be easily overwhelmed by loud noises, especially traffic. We may stiffen up with inactivity and require assistance getting out of a chair. Multitasking cannot not be expected from us.

This is our last night on the trail; our last night in a tent, at least for a while. We are 15 miles from the Canadian border, and 23 miles from our, more or less, permanent return to civilization.

Civilization?