After a good nights sleep I woke up to this deer at the tent site.  I think the same deer was there last night just before I went to sleep and may have been there all night for all I know.  This was the day of the deer as I saw many on the trail and on the way down to creeks for water.  In addition to the deer here are couple other early morning shots

At mid morning I emerge from the forest and start hiking along an exposed ridge.  Beautiful views.

It is a little past this point that I make a curious and rather bad decision.  After 9.36 miles I come to the Gold Creek Trail Junction.  This is a junction that can take you 2/10 of a mile off the trail to get water.  So I sit down at this crossroads and weigh my options about going and getting more water.   Looking at the halfmile application the next water on the trail is 10.5 miles away.   While sitting I try (and am successful) in eating some summer sausage and I think about it.

• I have 4 liters of water left.  At least I thought I had 4 liters.  As it turns out I only have 3 but I think I have 4.  I have drank more from the camel back that I had thought
• Generally they say you only need a liter for every 5 miles.  So I should have enough.
• For the last couple miles I have been exposed to sun and that looks like it is going to continue
• It looks like the next 10.5 miles has a lot of up’s and down’s
• It is the heat of the day
• I know from experience that when it is hot and when going uphill I need a LOT more water than the recommended liter for 5 miles.
• If I make it 10.5 miles it will be the longest day I have done so far
• If I don’t make it 10.5 miles, I will not have enough water for the evening meal
• It is only 2/10 of a mile to the *&@&@*(@ water.

The decision is clear.  I decide to keep on hiking and skip getting more water.  NO!!!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR BRAIN!!!  ATTENTION, ATTENTION, ALL RATIONAL THOUGHT HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.

I have not gone half a mile and I am already rationing my water and only taking small sips.  This just slows me down and keeps me in the heat even more.  At 5:17, I take the following picture.  Very pretty but very much like the picture taken at 10 in the morning.

At about 6:30 I am two miles away from the water and have about half liter of water left and I am beat.  Just don’t think I can make the next two miles and so decide with the water left I will camp.  It is enough to get me through the night and in the morning I will have more energy and it will be cool and I will be able to finish the two miles and eat when I get to water.  That is what I do.  I stop and camp for the night.  There was only 1 camp site at the water location and I figured that site would be taken and then I would have to continue…

So I have done 18 miles.  I am thirsty.  I should be hungry but the thought of eating makes me ill so it is probably, I’m thinking, a good thing I don’t have enough water to give it a try.  In the morning I will be fresh and feel more like eating.   I can hear Scarlet O’Hara from Gone With The Wind saying “I’ll think about that tomorrow”.

Phone says 49000 steps and 78 flights.

Lenora’s Note:

Morning shoulder pain so hot shower followed by sitting still followed by trip to the hotel hot tub followed by sitting still.  Prescription made it to the drug store and I even drive the block to pick it up, followed by more sitting still.  Good news is Chiropractor again tomorrow morning and maybe that will help.  As Scarlet said above, …..tomorrow….