Blogpost 20Thursday-Friday-Saturday 4/5/6 August 2016

The Skyline Trail.

Have never seen so many mosquitoes and flies around me all day. Deet only helps for an hour and I have to be carefull with my little bottle Deet, it must do for three days. 

The first day Skyline trail was unexpectedly gréén. 

The whole 12,5km through forest. Flowers, mushrooms, little creeks and christmastrees. 

Lots of mud like in the Ardennes last months. No rain or snow yet and nó skyline most of the day either. All varieties of green it was. The sun came once in a while. My first break was after 7,5 km and I was looking forward to a coffee. Enough gazz this time, little river besides me….picknicktable…I unpacked my rucksack for the stove, my mug and for my bags with food……Huh??….Unpacked the whole rucksack…and holy fuckieduck..something went wrong. Forgot one foodback! Which means nó coffee or tea at all. No lunch either. I had to make a plan for the coming days with was in one bag. 

While I am puzzling how to solve this a couple joined me at the table and the lady gave me immediatly a lunchbar. Wohw, thank you so much! Everybody is so damned friendly! 

I went on walking and arrived two hours later at my campground, Snowbowl. It was a bit dark and wet environment and I only could find one empty spot al hidden in the woods, bit nasty and depressive. No shelter here, no lake, no river…

there were only three picknicktables at the entrance of the campground, a mile away from my tent.
It felt lonely and cold. I pitched my tent, made my bed and basecamp was set, that is a safe feeling, your own dry closed area. Went back with my rucksack and all my stuff in it to the picknicktables and sat down there by myself. No coffee, choco, tea…

But the sun starts to shine and it was oké. I ate my trailmix and drunk some water from the creek. At every background campsite is a watersource.

In no time people were joining me at these tables and it turned out into a warming nice evening with everybody preparing his meals, chitchatting and chasing mosquito’s. I got more bars and enough Starbuckscoffees for the coming days. It was a heartwarming experience again. Although temperature was “freezing cold” I felt very warm in my basecamp.

Fridag 5 August.

I slept 10 hours and was almost too late for my coffeedate with the Canadian Starbucks-supplier. I shuffled around in my tent, put my lenses in. I “washed” myself, again against the rules I kept my toiletry in my tent, I changed nightoutfit to dayoutfit and went to the Starbucksspot. After coffee &breakfast and a cosy sitting together we said goodbye and everybody on the campground left. I was sitting there by myself, in the sun and só relaxed, not in a hurry at all because only 9km ahead today. Slightly I became aware that my sight was abnormal and I felt a bit dizzy while walking around. I took my toiletrybag again and controlled my lenses. (permanent ones -4) New nightmare: left eye had no lens!! I bought specially for this situation two new lenses and they were safe in my bathroomcloset at home….I forgot them. 

Nonono…I have never before lost a lens out of my eye. Why now!!! Many times it is lost ín my eye, and everybody with permanent lenses knows that you definitely feel that. I had for sure nothing in my eye now. The chance I would found this little lens back was less then a bear-encounter. I couldn’t believe that after the ticketdisaster this would come over me. Just couldn’t! I have no God, but Bear wouldn’t let that happen. Because of a structural, calm, and determined approach I found it back after approx one hour…..in my tent. On my knees with a loop I had examened every inch….Wohhhhhwwww, yeeeeesssss. So much luck. It gave me a deep relieve and high joy the rest of the day!

 The hike to my destination of the day was an easy one. Very meadow, creeks and flowers again. 

I arrived at Shovel Pass Lodge at 4pm. I had booked one night here and had dinner been served.

I start reading my first book on my ereader. It had been a very solitary day which I continued in my cabin and I enjoyed it. 

Saturday 6 August 2016
I couldn’t sleep well in this well payed bed. Got up at 5 and left at 6 without the also well payed breakfast. I had the urge to start the hike long before orhers so I could enjoy it more. And I got what I wanted. 

A spectacular hike, astonishing views all the day and no other humans. 

Unfortunately also no bears, only loads of marmots. 

On the top of the Notch at 8am I felt at my best, freezing cold, but sun and clear view! This was the second day of total solitary hiking and it works well for me. 

This is what I came for. There is something slightly changing in me after 14 days. I do not know what but i feel different. 

I walked this 50 km Skyline Trail in perfect weather, it gave me great satisfaction but need definitely a good rest now, my knees are tired!