I'm at Snoqualmie Pass! Craziness! I can't wrap my head around the fact that I walked here from the Mexico border. It just doesn't make sense! All I can say is that it feels wonderful, and I am so happy to be with this amazing family that I truly love.
I'm currently sharing a room at the Summit Lodge with Amigo. Smiles and H-Bomb are next door, and Mellow and Flappy are camping somewhere here at the pass. The hotel is extremely strict about not allowing extra guests. We ate dinner at the pancake house and then got ice cream at Lee's Summit Grocery. It feels a little strange to be staying in a hotel so close to Seattle, but I made the decision not to go into the city a long time ago and I know it was the right call. I definitely feel the Seattle pull though!
The hiking today was mostly downhill, but the trail was rocky so it was pretty slow. I woke up cold and with a dewy sleeping bag and left camp before any one else was stirring. I walked the whole way down to the pass alone but did some leap frogging with Virgo, Sidhartha, and Morisey, as well as Tangent, Holstein, Uhaul, and Lunch Box. The first feature I recognized was the good 'ol Tooth though it took me awhile to be completely certain I had correctly identified it. The next thing I recognized was Granite Peak, followed by Humpback Mountain, I-90, and finally the entire commonwealth area. The visibility is terrible due to fires, but it was still exciting beyond words. I walked right down the Summit West Ski area.
It feels like it has been a really, really, long time since I was home. In the real world, time flies by and months disappear in the blink of an eye. Out here, time passes so slowly. When I finally reach camp and collapse after a day of hiking, the first miles of the morning feel like they could have been walked a week ago. This isn't a bad thing though...it's actually pretty special. Each day feels so full, and I'm constantly amazed by how vivid my memories are. The other day, Smiles and I were reminiscing about the Kick-off, the day we all got super dehydrated leaving Ziggy and the Bear's, Casa de Luna, and the LA Aquaduct. These memories feel like they could have occurred in a different lifetime, but they are still crystal clear. We've just come so far in the meantime.
I want to give a HUGE congratulations to my good friend Kari (and Kevin, too!) who just gave birth to beautiful twin girls! I can't wait to meet them!
Off to bed now! Resupply tomorrow and then it's on to Stevens Pass!
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