I am an obsessive planner.
Sia looked at me like I was mentally ill when I showed her my Montana binder, organized according to national forest. It contains a calendar with an activity for each day.
The problem is, when I'm vagabonding, I have trouble sticking to the plan. Because isn't that kind of the point? To be a free spirit and explore?
I didn't plan to end up in The Swell, but here I am, never wanting to leave. There is SO much to see. This morning I hiked in Crack Canyon, a lovely canyon with three sections of narrows. There was only one downclimb that was slightly difficult, and I was super excited because I didn't need the handline going down OR up it.
I encountered two other hikers in this canyon. One stopped to chat with me for a few minutes. He introduced himself and said that people call him "Coyote." I felt like the biggest dork telling him my name is Erin. I rolled my eyes when Bernie told me I needed a road name, but perhaps he was right. Ray suggested Goodpeace Deathpunch...
Anyway, this man was super nice, and I have a feeling he's an experienced canyoneer because he was using Kelsey talk (describing distances in meters and using abbreviations like LDC). As we parted ways, he said, "Hey Erin? Way to go. I don't know a lot of women who would come out and do this stuff alone."
Either I am really brave, or really stupid.
After the hike, I went into Hanksville for lunch. It was still really early in the day, but too hot for another hike. I decided to scope out the trailhead for tomorrow's hike and was intrigued by a sign for Muddy Creek. On impulse, I continued to follow this road. Suddenly, I was determined to see Muddy Creek.
I drove for 15 miles down a sketchy dirt road and didn't see another person. I probably should have turned around when I started having to get out of the car to check my wheel placement over rocks, and I DEFINITELY should have turned around at the steep drop off where someone had built a pile of rocks to keep you from bottoming out. But I was determined to see Muddy Creek.
And I knew things would get easier after that initial 15 miles. According to the map, I'd cross the creek and make a right on a better dirt road, so I'd get to do a nice loop.
And then, out of nowhere, I was in soft sand. A seemingly endless stretch of it. I started screaming and hit the gas, knowing that if I stopped I'd be totally screwed. The sand went on and on, then ended abruptly on the banks of Muddy Creek. There was no way across. I'd have to go back through the scary sand.
It is by the grace of God that I'm not stranded there tonight. I don't know what I would have done if I'd gotten stuck. I had plenty of food and water, and Kristin knew where I was. But no cell reception, and no other cars on this road to tow me out.
I was scared enough after that that I chose a campsite with cell phone reception tonight. I needed to not feel isolated. Although I still feel kind of alone, because I'm watching a storm blow in, which always looks so much more ominous in the desert...
The biggest town I've seen in almost a week is Hanksville, which basically consists of two gas stations. Maybe I'll head up to Dinosaur tomorrow. That way, I'll get to drive through a town big enough to maybe have a Walmart.
Sia looked at me like I was mentally ill when I showed her my Montana binder, organized according to national forest. It contains a calendar with an activity for each day.
The problem is, when I'm vagabonding, I have trouble sticking to the plan. Because isn't that kind of the point? To be a free spirit and explore?
I didn't plan to end up in The Swell, but here I am, never wanting to leave. There is SO much to see. This morning I hiked in Crack Canyon, a lovely canyon with three sections of narrows. There was only one downclimb that was slightly difficult, and I was super excited because I didn't need the handline going down OR up it.
I encountered two other hikers in this canyon. One stopped to chat with me for a few minutes. He introduced himself and said that people call him "Coyote." I felt like the biggest dork telling him my name is Erin. I rolled my eyes when Bernie told me I needed a road name, but perhaps he was right. Ray suggested Goodpeace Deathpunch...
Anyway, this man was super nice, and I have a feeling he's an experienced canyoneer because he was using Kelsey talk (describing distances in meters and using abbreviations like LDC). As we parted ways, he said, "Hey Erin? Way to go. I don't know a lot of women who would come out and do this stuff alone."
Either I am really brave, or really stupid.
After the hike, I went into Hanksville for lunch. It was still really early in the day, but too hot for another hike. I decided to scope out the trailhead for tomorrow's hike and was intrigued by a sign for Muddy Creek. On impulse, I continued to follow this road. Suddenly, I was determined to see Muddy Creek.
I drove for 15 miles down a sketchy dirt road and didn't see another person. I probably should have turned around when I started having to get out of the car to check my wheel placement over rocks, and I DEFINITELY should have turned around at the steep drop off where someone had built a pile of rocks to keep you from bottoming out. But I was determined to see Muddy Creek.
And I knew things would get easier after that initial 15 miles. According to the map, I'd cross the creek and make a right on a better dirt road, so I'd get to do a nice loop.
And then, out of nowhere, I was in soft sand. A seemingly endless stretch of it. I started screaming and hit the gas, knowing that if I stopped I'd be totally screwed. The sand went on and on, then ended abruptly on the banks of Muddy Creek. There was no way across. I'd have to go back through the scary sand.
It is by the grace of God that I'm not stranded there tonight. I don't know what I would have done if I'd gotten stuck. I had plenty of food and water, and Kristin knew where I was. But no cell reception, and no other cars on this road to tow me out.
I was scared enough after that that I chose a campsite with cell phone reception tonight. I needed to not feel isolated. Although I still feel kind of alone, because I'm watching a storm blow in, which always looks so much more ominous in the desert...
The biggest town I've seen in almost a week is Hanksville, which basically consists of two gas stations. Maybe I'll head up to Dinosaur tomorrow. That way, I'll get to drive through a town big enough to maybe have a Walmart.
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