Today it finally felt like I was thruhiking. Up till now it hadn't sunk in I guess. Maybe it was because I didn't have to travel a significant distance or that so much of the trail was already familiar to me. I dont know but today my legs started out sore and tired and I craved a rotisserie chicken with extra salt on the skin. That's more like the thruhiking experience. The realization came to me while I paused to catch my breath on a hillside. It made me smile.

The trail is getting harder. Until today the ups and downs where shorter and the elevation stayed below 8,000 feet. Today would have been all uphill and maxed out at over 10,000 feet if I hadn't realized that I was moving too fast. I'm meeting my girlfriend Saturday at Kenosha Pass and needed to take a shorter day or get there too soon. I'm happy for the forced break.

My first food cache was unmolested right where I left it a few weeks ago. Too many extras! I took just the main meals and some M&Ms and left my garbage. I'll be back to pick it up after I'm done.