Mount Si, rain, camp robber

After a day of drizzle, a sunbreak toward the end of the hike.

I was quite tired during and after the hike. It took more than four hours to reach the lookout, so we were hiking less than 1 mph. I was packing 32 pounds and feeling soreness in my hip joints and in my knees. I wore my mountain boots, which tested my feet, but didn't leave them in bad shape. The inserts are working in those boots as well.

A well woodpeckered tree beside the trail

Landmark: The "bannister" wetted by the misty, drizzly day

Love Bugs: Two millipedes romance it up a little bit, by all appearances.

Me, bundled up against the drizzle

Beside the path a moss-covered tree straddles a moss-covered nurse log.

Gentle light enriches the verdant scene.

Tall, rotting stump by trail

The big surprise of the day came when a camp robber flew right up to my face and grabbed a piece of salami I was holding in front of my mouth. I've never had one be so aggressive in the past. We were warned, however, by other hikers on the trail.

Statistics for the day:
Distance: 7.5 miles
Conditions: Overcast, drizzle
Load: 32 pounds 
Elevation gain: 3,100 feet 


Statistics, year to date:
Distance: 155.3 miles 
Elevation Gain: 47,370 feet 
Next Goal: 57,644 feet (fourth Rainier)