September 27, 2017
Mica Lake (Mile 2518.2) to Mile 2541.3
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 145
Woke up next to Mica Lake, to a beautiful sunrise over the Cascades. We moved our tent from the lakeside windbreak last night before retiring to bed because I shined a flashlight and saw 6-8 mouse heads dart back into the stacks of rocks. Nope. We slept with our food between us and were actually able to sleep through the night. Vice, on the other hand, slept by the lake with Sam and Boathouse. he woke up to a mouse running across his face. Nope.
I’ve been meandering through the Glacier Peaks wilderness, sun shining, huckleberries bursting, clean cool, crisp air. The climbs are hard. The views are incredible, we are winding through the mountains instead of admiring them from a distance.
Later
Now sleeping/set up next to the Suiattle River on a sandy floodplain, hoping for no rodents. We're 28 miles from Stehekin. This battle with mice and not being able to camp anywhere is wearing on me, it's exhausting. It's almost worth carrying a bear can, definitely worth an ursack at least.
Met a couple yesterday. Well, ran into them for the first time yesterday and actually met them today. Patience and Element. Whitney and Scott.
Reconciliation
Something I want to jot down before I forget about it, Sam said something yesterday that I haven't been able to get off my mind. We were talking about James Baxter and I mentioned that he had bad vibes. Alex explained it was because it feels like he's constantly evaluating whether or not you're worth his time. Sam's reply was to say "yeah, but you guys do that too."
I have a really hard time with that I think everyone has something to bring to the table, but it is true that I often can't be bothered to talk to people, and I can be overly vocal about it.
I thought about it all day to try and reconcile the difference in the truth of what Sam said, and how I feel and act. I figured it out! When I talk to James, I feel as though he's evaluating whether I'm cool enough to talk to him. Like he's evaluating me and my merits, my 'experience' and 'street cred' and resume, if you will, to decide if I check enough boxes to be worth his time. For me, I can't be bothered to talk to anyone who is putting on a facade, or isn't open and genuine. If a person is really just who they are, and not trying to put on an act, then I naturally want to spend time with them. It has nothing to do with how cool they are or their list of accomplishments. Where you’ve hiked or your list of accomplishments or who you know or what you do for a living. Okay. I feel a little better, anyway.
