Trail Isn’t Giving Up Easy

I had a good fall as we were descending to a campground a few days back.

Didn’t see a rollie rock under a bed of grass on the “trail”. Stepped on it, took a spill.

It’s coming along nicely:

Getting some lovely hues...

Today and yesterday it has been raining. This is our last forest section and the last time we have any elevation at all. Yesterday we climbed over the top of a wide open hill, with barely any ground trail and only sparse poles to guide us through a whiteout with strong wind and rain.

This is the only photo...can you see the trail in the upper left? This was just before it disappeared completely.

Trail ain’t giving up easy.

M, 5 April 2014

Freezing on the St. James Walkway

We woke to rain and wind blowing outside the hut, happy that we weren’t outside. But we had 16km to do that day. Not a long day kilometer wise, but it looked cooooold outside.  We hung out in the hut as long as we could without getting sucked in, donned our waterproofs and headed out. The wind immediately blasted us and my toes lost all feeling within 2 minutes. We saw snow on the mountains, not 150m above us.

Check out the snow!

The grass was soaking wet (it was raining) and our poor running shoes were not really cutting it. The numbness inched its way up to my ankles and I felt like I was walking on blocks, my feet hardly bending at all. All of a sudden, the rain turned to hail and to keep warm we picked up the speed. We were practically running the trail at this point. Mike asked for a lunch break and I reasoned with him that it was either eat food or get frostbite (OK, that may be a bit dramatic, but it felt true at the time). We finished the 16km in 3.5 hours and reached the next hut wet, cold and excited to get the fire going.

Lunch was next as the hut warmed us up. Don’t know what we would have done without these awesome shelters.

The next morning the storm had cleared, but in its path it left a dusting of snow on all the peaks and frost on all the plants. These nor’westers are cold!

Z, February 24th 2014

Today’s Gale Tale

We’re sitting in our tent wearing long johns and our puffy jackets trying to recover from the long, arduous day we’ve had.

Yesterday we did a 957m climb up to Pironga Summit in short sleeves and shorts. It was hot when we started at the bottom, but by the time we reached the summit, we were freezing. The fog made our anticipated views impossible and the wind howled.

No views here…

At the top there was a wilderness hut that we slept in, and which protected us from the wind and rain that battered all night long.

This morning, after a few brief board walks, we descended under continued rain and wind. Through ankle-high bogs of mud (new shoes now nasty… White socks now black), and down a steep, rooty path.

It was slow-going and wet, and we longed for yesterday’s scorching sun.

When we arrived at the end of the path from the forest, we had 20km of road to walk. We were excited to leave the mud behind and for the going to get easier. Alas, without the shelter of the trees, the full force of the wind came upon us.

The rain came to us horizontally, and we could feel the sharp sting of each drop through our layers of clothing. Since our packs make great sails, the strong winds pushed us all over the dirt roads we were on (luckily the rain also drove away the cars).

We both got soaked through and through, and we both pondered how we’d set up our tarp in such winds and rain.

Luckily, around 4pm the rain abated and we grabbed the chance to set up.

The world is a wet but drying place, and here we are in our long johns and puffy jackets, working to stay warm.

Z and M, 5 January 2014