I went backpacking instead of working!

“Yesterday Hoosierdaddy, MtnWkr, Ford and me met up to get some mid week backpacking in.
Our plan was to score a X/C permit in the Olympic Mts. The road to Obstruction Point is still closed halfway out, so most of our hike was on the road..as usual I was behind them 100% of the way:


During this time the weather finally went bad-and the winds on Obstruction Road are never known for being gentle anyways-yeah, I had a bit of a snit fit in the howling wind and freezing rain. I didn't care where I stopped-I just wanted out of the nasties. But Hoosierdaddy and Mtnwkr lured me to jump the road and head south across the Lillian Ridge. And yeah..it got good. Oh it was still nasty, but every step got more gorgeous...

We found an abandoned trail and followed it, and then went more X/C.
Till.........


We knew we had found home.

(And yes, we are good little LNT'ers..we respect the land and are gentle)

Never have set up a tent so fast. Got Ford in, threw the packs in, jumped in...and got dry clothes on..and listened to it howl and pour. Eventually it got better...H & M had gone exploring-and had found a sweet copse of trees to cook dinner in. We found evidence of numerous old pits of garbage out there, in that gorgeous basin-the cans we could still read were at least 50 years old.

That is M holding up a boot in the big garbage pit.

After dinner H & M went for more exploring on the ridges high above..I did my own walking-my company was a lone duck, way out in the middle of nowhere.


At sunset I took this:


Last night it was utterly quiet. Not a single anumal was out. No sound at all......and then BOOM! The rain would start up over and over..lol! Woke up to thick fog and heavy clouds-and rain.

Ford and me all geared up to go home....

H & M went exploring after we got back to the end of the road..I whined when I realized the old privies out there had been removed this year :( (On the other hand the replacement privy is a great windbreak..and was fully stocked up with tp..woo-hoo!)

Our hike out was in rain and some kick butt winds.
Ford hates when the winds are so strong he gets moved..lol!”

“A photo of us hiking out:

I am in the middle.”

“You all are brave souls!! Sometimes it is good to get out in that kind of weather - makes you appreciaite the good-weather days. Plus there are no bugs.

Seems strange to me to see you all bundled up in mid-July when it is so hot and humid here, LOL!”

“beautiful pictures,we have a heatwave starting here, that snow makes me look forward to some cooler weather.”

“Hiking in the rain is good. Much more so if it begins while I'm already walking, rather than me lying in the tent and thinking about it.”

“Yeah, rain isn't too bad-if and if I am heading home ;-) I love rain at night..it lulls me to sleep.
The weather was a trip though-last weekend on my trip with Pixie it had been sunny and hot. I was just waiting for it to snow!”

“nice - good on ya for gettin out.

one of my goals this year is to call in sick to go backpacking!

hope the boss don't read that!”

“Still beautiful even tho the weather was crummy. You guys look like you are ready for winter! LOL!”

“Lol...it felt like it was..oh, NOVEMBER!! But a totally fun trip ;-) Totally opposite of our trip last weekend, Pixie!”