Bland

• Day:  48
• Start:  574.3
• End:  590.1
• Miles:  15.8
• Hours:  7
• High temp:  78
• Low temp:  55
• People met:  7

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Loading up for the trail 

 

The front of the house faces an ope field. 

 

View from the behind the car

The alarm sounds all too soon waking me for another day.  I'm ready in short order, moving my gear downstairs to the mud room.  Coffee, eggs and bacon for breakfast then three of us are ready to be shuttled to the trailhead.   Popsicle is going south and MGD and I are going north.  

 

View of the hostel from the road up to the trailhead.  

I finally start hiking at 0900 hrs a little late today from my usual start time.   The trail winds down and away from the ridge walk of yesterday. Mostly I am moving away from the Burkes Garden Valley.  The trail is moderate regarding ups and downs.  There are lots of water from springs.  I'm hiking on the lea side of the mountain so I'm in the calm, but I can hear the wind in the tree tops along the ridge.  I come to a 2 mile steep climb, I'm thankful it's in the early cooler hours.  Once this climb is completed there will be no more like this today, this knowledge is always a spirit lifter.  

I meet Little Cheese and his brother Einstein they are contacting a hostel owner for a shuttle from interstate 52.  With the forecast of thunderstorms this evening I ask them if I could be included.  We agree to meet at the road just prior to interstate 52 which is a couple miles from the small berg of Bland. 

 

View from our agreement place. 

 

The last section of the day

I have 3.2 miles to complete today's hike and mert the hostel shuttle driver.  The sky is changing to a darker more threatening appearance. The wind is picking up and cooling down as evening approaches.  I think to myself, will the rain start before I gain the meeting point?  All three of us arrive about the same time followed by our shuttle driver, thankfully beating the rain. 

Tonight,  there are 7 hikers in this hostel which is a converted ranch house.  Thr place is clean an comfortable, a good place to beat the rain. As I close the storm has moved in and the rain is here.