Sept 21st
Warm night, the tent dried, woke early to first light about 6:15 and since it wasn’t cold was tempted to get up but breakfast doesn’t start until 7:30 so we waited some. It was the first night without rain since leaving white Pass.
A day off in Stehekin
Breakfast Buffet with Dan
Steady on the trail and Spirit on the ferry left as did Nosgul, Wise Owl and Gange and Sasquatch
One Gallon and Fritz left later in the day
Dad and John arrived early, the ferry schedule changed ferries and they were upgraded to the faster ferry to allow for a group
Shower for the Carrot, laundry and phone calls
Sort through food and gear
Chinaman, Red Bull and Sidewinder arrived
Lunch at the bakery walk back
Dinner at the ranch
Socks, none at lodge store, outfitter nearby closed, one at ranch store, Monica from the ranch sold me a pair that she had just bought for her husband, new merino wool socks. At their cost, wholesale.
Camp at Purple Point
Stehekin is a magical, mystical place. A prominent place upon my soul, an impact upon an impressionable youth when I first arrived 23 years ago fresh out of college and was learning about the real world, here in a place far removed form most models of the real world. Stehekin is a place forgotten by the fast paced, franchised, frenetic lifestyle of most Americans. Its off the grid, away from the road system and not connected by phone or power or other utilities of the outside world. No TV reception or distraction from the mundane daily trappings of life. Its creative and alive. Safe and secure, friendly and the way things were in a simpler time. It’s community is the closest that non-thru-hikers come to understanding thru-hikers……..in some ways it is the sum of the best town experiences that the trail has to offer…..
Laundry
Dinner at ranch
wine back at campsite
more starry nights.
Phil “Nowhere Man” Hough
Leave a Reply