Wesser to Grassy Gap

It was a horrible decent today into the NOC - 5 miles of steep downhill and my feet and knees are NOT happy about that. The Clusterfunk Crew (our little hodge podge hiking group has a name now) has lost it's first members. Windmill had been having some heel problems over the past few days and him and AT73 have decided to call it. They were sort of our glue, setting our daily pace and keeping us together. They are totally going to be missed, but I'm so happy to have had the chance to get to know these great fellow Illinites! Windmill is leaving us with his water bag to carry on in his memory. Karma is also talking about quitting in Fontana, as his calf has been hurting badly. He is trying to get Bluto to leave with him and hang out in Florida. I'll admit, Florida sounds wonderful, but I told Bluto if he keeps going we can all hang out in Florida together later! Nothai had me listen to some of the soundtrack of Into the Wild and I decided that not taking my Ipod was a mistake. I'm going to call Grandma and ask her to send it to Cristy to load up and send to me.

It was also a crazy ascent out of the NOC (5 miles up), but we stopped halfway near these neat looking rocks and camped, where we have met Wendy. Bluto and I had stopped at the NOC and showered, but by the time we were at camp it didn't matter.

It was a different feeling tonight, without Lauren and Windmill. We still had a good time, although Screefreak seems to have a problem keeping his balance when attempting to SIT! He fell off this log like three times in a row and I just couldn't stop laughing at him. He is so funny. He is always smiles! I love listening to him talk, especially when he uses words like 'dodgy' and 'britches'. He claims that we American's have ruined the English language. I explained we simply don't have any porridge!


I've had the first of what I'm sure will be many deep thoughts...

So, yesterday I was having some thoughts about "the past". I know...duh-duh-duh-DUH (Pink Panther). Actually, I was thinking about how it is silly that when we feel wronged by someone, we hold onto it, preciously, desperately even...like it is a part of ourselves that now makes up the whole of who you are. I was thinking about the people who I've felt hurt by and how I do this, I totally carry that with me as a part of who I am, and that is ridiculous. I've hurt people too, and that was my issue for doing so, not theirs, and I wouldn't think they would hold onto something dumb or thoughtless I did to determine anything about themselves. So then, with that logic in mind...I am letting go of hurts done to me by others because they don't dictate a thing about me.
Furthermore, today I was thinking about labels that we wear. I was imagining people running around covered in post-it notes with words on them, like "mother", "student", "smart", "bossy", etc. everything that we think of ourselves, and that others think of you. Its like along the way, we write these out and apply them to ourselves. Others write new post-it notes and put them on other people freely...sometimes they stay stuck to that person and sometimes they blow off. All along though, these labels and words are covering up the actual person...so that all you see then is the outline form of a body covered in yellow post-it notes. I feel like out here, I'm not covered in any post-it notes...and it is an amazing feeling. It is maybe even more so incredible to look at other people not covered in post-it notes too and see the truly amazing people they are. I know this might sound like hippy junk, and just ignore it if you don't see what I mean...I'm writing this more for me to remember and look back on later, in case I find myself covered in paper again.