Into the Valley of Darkness

• Day:  49
• Start:  1712
• End:  1739
• Miles:  27
• Hours:  12
• High temp:  69
• Low temp:  44
• People met:  2

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I shall fear no evil, perhaps a concern about rain, though. 

A shiver runs down my spine as I put on my wet clothing. Some drying occurred during the night moving my clothes from soaked to damp. My tent is another story, I'll have to dry it around noon if it warms up. 

Within .5 hour on the trail my clothes are dry, yea for this technical clothing. I am pleased that the trail is a coarse sand that does not cake on my boots. The air is fresh with the intoxicating scents of wet earth, rain, and the delightful mixture of vegetation. My step quickens as I am content and dry.  The trail is heading into the darkness of rain, I'm hoping I'll find a place to dry the rest of my gear. 

Flowers this morning cheer me on my way 

The sky and hills are breathtaking today, I marvel at the dynamic beauty. 

By 1100 hrs I find a good spring. There are rocks here and the sun is trying to poke through. I stretch out all my gear to dry then busy myself with gathering water. I have 30 miles till South Pass City so I load up with 4.5 liters. 

Drying my gear by the spring 

Shortly after lunch I come upon a concrete marker indicating this section is part of the Oregon Trail and the California Trail on the Seminoe Cuttoff. I frequently think about the settlers working their way west as I hike. This section is great as I can actually see what the settlers saw as they came west. 

The Oregon Trail

On the same trail, the California Trail and the Seminoe Cuttoff

I notice they had good grazing for their livestock, they must have worried about water some and they must have felt so very small and far from the rest of the world. I'm impressed with the courage and strength it took to make this crossing.  I wonder how they cooked as there is nothing out here to burn, unless they used up what was here, but I would think I might see stumps then. 

Rain, just a little, just enough to cause me to suit up for most of the rest of the day. To the south the sky is filled with dark blue gray clouds that touch the ground. I see occasional lighting, some hitting the ground. The roll of the thunder is deep, distant and massive. Luckily the wind is driving this enormous cell south away from me. I'm now walking towards the Winds and the clouds are not as threatening. 

The thunderhead is to the left

 In back the Winds and in front the Sweetwater River

The Winds

Well I've hiked a good day, got dry gear and now I want to setup camp. I select a good draining location low enough to not draw lightening and high enough to stay out of the damp.  So nice to relax in my dry tent.