Thursday, June 24, 2004
Flexibility
06/24/04
Apple Pie, Spur and I hiked 10 miles today with Anish and without Gottago, who was up and about, but not venturing too far from plumbing. We left Gottago in East Glacier, drove back to Two Medicine.
Backpacking our way from Two Medicine to East Glacier, we enjoyed the lovely scenery. The climb brought us to places with great vistas, but the rainclouds kept us from seeing them. Along the way, something caught my eye: across a small drainage I saw a black patch on a snow field. I asked if anyone else saw it moving.
Yes.
It was a grizzly with two cubs. We stood and watched as mom settled down in to a warm-looking pile and the kids enjoyed a noon-time romp on the snow slope. The kids were playing, sliding down the snow for a ways, then bounding back up to do it again. It was great to watch. It got even better when Spur pulled out his monocular. The improved view tugged my heart changing my experience from being great to making the cubs cute. Those cubs were having a blast, and I could relate.
Dropping down the other side of the mountain, we walked through a low aspen forest with a floor of incredibly green grasses and wildflowers.
We had some deep mud too. This area has lots of regular horse use. Before too long we were transitioning to town, East Glacier.
Apple Pie and Spur wanted milk shakes when we got into town and saw a sign, so I got on the Internet for 15 minutes. Anish had hiked on.
Back at the Whistling Swan, we regrouped. Gottago had moved to a comfortable room there, and the three of us each got our own room for a night of hiker-free privacy.
But before we retired for the night, we had a lot to discuss.
Gottago was not going to be hiking tomorrow, plus she hadn't done the 10 miles we'd done today. Hiker 816 wanted to join our group, so did Jesse, but he might not be ready tomorrow. Plus Spur was wanting a little more freedom than a group of four allowed.
Apple Pie, Spur and I returned to Serrano's to have dinner and negotiate a partnership. I was pretty sure that Apple Pie and I could keep Spur. Soon it was clear to me that Hiker 816 could fit in. Jesse was another story. He seemed completely unprepared gear-wise and logistic-wise. He may have been able to handle the physical aspects of hiking, but the CDT is more than than just hiking.
As a friend of Gottago, I knew she wanted a partner and Apple Pie had committed to partnering with Gottago, so both of us were concerned about leaving her behind.
Our dinner discussions were long and complex. During the scope of our discussions, which extended before and after dinner, Spur was in, then out, then in. He really wanted his independence.
We returned to the hotel, and I visited with Gottago. She was doing better, which I was glad to see. She also understood the complexity and implications of what was going on. She said she didn't know when she would be better and that I should do what I needed to do. I also mentioned Apple Pie's concerns. She said she'd talk to Apple Pie, but she was free to go too. I felt sad because that felt like she was quitting the trail. I also knew that anything is possible.
We chilled tonight by watching Cheaper by the Dozen, which was OK, but not great.
It rained off and on today.
