6.09.2008

Alone in the Wild

I will start by saying it's been a very hard week for me. I'm not writing about why it's been difficult, but I will write about my experience of trying to get some clarity.

I went camping, alone in as remote as a place I could get to. I went into the Cascades, and ended up halfway between Hwy 2 and I-90. I took my car, the Dart, down a 15 mile, pot-hole filled, gravel road. It took me nearly an hour to do so. There wasn't anyone else out there.
I fortunately have a friend who lives in "that general direction" who I had conferred with before going out. I think he was doing some recon for me, and he went out that direction in the morning before I went. He called, and said that I'd need waders to get into the lake I was going for. I could borrow some from him.
So with waders, and my pack, and bear spray, I left the trailhead and went into Forest Service land. First I crossed a 100 yard bog, then went through old growth forest, then (I just found out) I went the wrong way. I hit a river I had anticipated, and crossed it, downstream from where I should've been. I then couldn't find the trail. All there were were beavers and their pond. I figured that they'd come in and covered the trail. It was getting late in the day, and so I struck camp in a spot that had been camp for someone else before.
I was right on the river on a small peninsula, or rather, an isthmus. I pitched my tent, built a fire, had dinner, and it was 10:30 before I knew it. The stars came out. I was alone. Very alone.
I awoke this morning to the sound of rain, and due to the poor soil of said isthmus, my fly wasn't as tight as it could've been. I packed some things away wet, ate an energy bar, and crossed the river, getting up to nearly my waist. Back through the woods and to my car, getting to do that crazy drive again. I listened to my dad's new album on the ride back.
I felt I got some clarity I was looking for. It was nice to be able to think without distraction. I think that is rarely attained in our lives nowadays. It's a shame really...
Oh, yes, and no sasquatch sightings either!

2 comments:

2treesandahorse said...

dam was hoping for a big foot encounter tale.

Anonymous said...

BEAR SPRAY??!!