I hadn’t slept well and was still in pain when I got up.  I clearly wasn’t the only one that was in a bad mood, when I was harped at by Earthling when she awoke.  Feeling the need to not be attacked, I packed up and left without breakfast. I needed to get to the big ford and across before the post office closed and I was in a hurry to get my warm weather gear. The week of being so cold I couldn’t sleep had gotten to me and I was miserable.  Each step towards the river crossing was painful.  When I arrived at the crossing, I debated walking across or waiting for the ferry.   I flipped a coin in my mind and it came up try it, you’ve got plenty of time.  Within seconds I was u dressed and packing my gear in my bag.

The only downfall I had was the hole ridden trash bag for a pack liner.  Taking careful steps in the water, I walked out into the river.  So far so good, as I walked farther from shore the water rose slightly, no worries for now.  Then it all changed, the water got deep quickly, not to the point where I needed to swim but I had to hold my pack up.  Next thing I knew I was under the icy cold water and I was swimming.  Aaaargh, my pack floating, slowly taking on water, I made a snap descision.  I could easily swim to the other side but my gear would probably suffer serious damage, ten feet behind me I could stand so I went back.  Within seconds my bag was out of the water again and pouring out the water inside.  Walking back to the other side, I laid everything out to dry and Flailing came out ten minutes later. 

His timing was good, we only waited another ten to fifteen minutes beers the ferry arrived and informed us the post office was open at 2 pm.  Awesome I thought, I got wet for no reason then.  Whatever it will dry, I have dry warm clothes in my mail drop, I said to myself. Not long after Earthing came out of the woods and caught the next ferry across.  We tried to hitch for a while but to no avail we ended up having to call for a ride.  The shuttle very happy to help us drove us to the hostel where our packages were at.  To my utter complete surprise the winter get I so desperately needed wasn’t there.  I lost it, I became enraged, I needed this gear desperately and it had been at the post office for 5 days now.  To make matters worse it was a holiday and I couldn’t get to it. I would have to hike out without it again.  I couldn’t believe the hostel never picked up their packages and left hikers stranded without there mail drops.

She ding the rest of the afternoon drying my gear out, I just wanted to be left alone.  I was so furious that I don’t want to be around anyone. To make matter worse my tablet had somehow decided this was the perfect moment to have software glitch and need to be reformatted, losing the weeks worth of writing I had just gotten caught up on.  The final nail in the coffin, I was toast.  The moment we hit the trail, pain or no pain I was off.  Hiking town the trail I tried to keep from yelling and throwing sticks and rocks. The tablet more of a minor irritation was nothing compared to the thoughts of having to hike for another few days without the proper gear for the weather.

I hiked till I became thirsty, dropping my pack and walking to the stream I slid off the bank and plunged both feet shin deep into the water. My then dry shoes had become soaked again. I just couldn’t get a break, nothing had gone right, gone anywhere according to plan.  I just sat down, taking my shoes off and threw them in the air.  The very moment I did that, the other two walked by happy as clams.  Irritated that I had thrown them, Earthling picked up my shoes in protest and set them by my pack.  I went no fruther, I just sat there for an hour.  I wanted this no more, I was miserable and not having any fun.  Picking up my gear I walked to the shelter.

No words, no thoughts, just my sore, wet feet carrying me to the shelter down the road.  When I finally walked in an hour or so after the other two, I dropped my gear and set up my tent and crawled in.  I spoke to no one and got in my sleeping bag. Cold and shivering inside my stuff I prepared for along night. After sometime Earthling came over to talk and offered or should I say told me I was using her bag for the night. Hoping a warm nights sleep would help with my misery. Still I ate nothing and tried to rest.  I was warm but I still didn’t sleep.