Today was a day of highs and lows. We awoke to clear skies, which was a welcome
break from the rain of the past couple days.
With the forecast calling for sunny and 60's, I was looking forward to
taking advantage of the weather to bang out some serious miles and have fun
while doing it.
The high quickly wore off when I hit the trail. My "waterproof" shoes were still
wet from the day before, and the first couple of miles of trail were basically
a glorified swamp. Where were the
boardwalks from the day before? Why
weren't my shoes keeping me dry? And
where were all these "amazing" views of Lake Superior and waterfalls
that the SHT guidebook talked about???
After 5 miles, I put on my headphones to try and improve my
mood. The trail, however, would soon take
care of that for me. I ascended a ridge
to find what would be the first of many awe inspiring views of Lake Superior
and the surrounding countryside.
Scenic view of Lake Superior from Wolf Rock
I put on a dry pair of socks, and was greeted with some
better-maintained trails. The trail
alternated between cool valleys and warm ridges with scenic views, before
descending to the Gooseberry River for the final 5 miles of the day. A mile from our campsite, just before a
series of waterfalls, I met up with my dad.
We've been staying in Gooseberry Falls the past three days, but this was
the first time I would see its famous series of waterfalls. They were truly incredible, and I can say my
20 mile hike today definitely ended on a high.
The end of a long day at Gooseberry Falls
Back at camp, however, I began to sink back down to the low
of the morning. My feet and knees feel
like they did after the Flying Pig Marathon, but instead of two weeks of rest,
I'm looking at 8 more days of hiking.
According to my itinerary, I'm supposed to hike 25 miles tomorrow, yet
today at mile 20 I felt as if I could truly go no further. I'm beginning to question my 10 day
itinerary, and whether or not I can really hack a 235 mile trip.
But ultimately, isn't that why I came? Most of the things I do in my life, I take on with a pretty strong degree of confidence, knowing that if I plan well and give it my best I'll be able to achieve my goal. But with this trip, right now I can honestly say I don't know if I'll succeed or fail. In a way this is terrifying, yet at the same time there is something truly invigorating about pushing past the boundaries of what I'm confident I can achieve.
Matt
Hey Babe,
ReplyDeleteRemember I told you, just don't stop moving. You can do this!! Some days will be tough, but if you push through it will be rewarding at the end! I miss you tons. Keep it up!
Heidi
Isn't there a saying that it's the journey itself that matters...sounds as if regardless of any physical difficulties, you are getting a lot - so far - out of this adventure. But hope the weather stays dry and once you get moving again tomorrow your muscles will warm up and be ready for the next leg (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) of your trek.
ReplyDeleteTake care and tell your dad and I said hi (when's he going to be a guest blogger?)