Up kinda early this AM. After coffee and a little breakfast I finished loading in the rest of the BP gear including food water and clothing. With 1-1/2 gallons of water my pack was getting heavy.
M and I drove down the Colorado River overlook, almost made it all the way before the "road" just got too rough for our little Suzuki, but we almost made it.
We then drove over to the trail head and had a sandwich for lunch.
Noon, I started up Elephant Hill and about 10 percent up I was wondering "What the Hell am I doing." About 20 percent up I noticed the lens hoodie that M had loaned to me was missing. Back down half of my archived distance I find it. The Hiker Gods are having fun at my expense... just before reaching it I stepped on loose gravel and did a nice butt plant. Fortunately, I was close enough to reach the hoodie without getting up first. Getting up with full pack is not easy, but I managed some how and was on my way to the top of the hardest hill I have ever climbed due to the weight of the backpack.
It took me forty five minutes to do tthe first one point five miles. I was surprised I covered it so quickly. I stopped for a much needed rest and removed my pack. The Hiker Gods had to get one more laugh in. My new water bottle that goes with my Steri-Pen was missing. It must have gotten knocked out of my pack when I fell on Elephant Hill. I'll never see that again.
As I was getting back into harness two 4x4s came by. People were nice enough to confirm that I was OK. There was a major climb there and a spotter got out for the climb. Talking to rear car driver I ask, with out any hope, if they happened to see a water bottle on Elephant Hill. They had and had brought it with them. I guess the gods had laughed enough.
I got to Devils Potholes tent site about 1500. Rested for a while before setting up the tent. Inflated the Sleeping pad, got in the tent and rested for over an hour. The pad felt great, I was laying on my sleeping bag, and that felt good too. In five o'clock shadow, I got up and walked around. Took a mile and a half RT to the car camp to make use of their facilities then made dinner and did the journal. Time to read a little and go to bed..
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