July 12

Ok time to be serious. I do have some foot issues that could lead to further complications. I have some open tissue on three toes that could lead to an infection if I'm not careful. Also, plantar fasciitis of all things has been the cause of my right foot arch pain. I had this last year during my marathon training. The only way I found to get rid of it was rest. So rest I will until further notice my hiking is suspended. I am currently in Chelan, WA and have a boat ticket to take me back to Stehekin Landing where I will set up camp at one of the campsites, and try to rest and heal. 

There have been too many things going wrong for me to try this section until I am sure I can make it. It is a long and lonely stretch, so I need the confidence to make it the whole way.

Now for the story of the night of the bear. Last night after writing my blog post, reading, and saying my nightly prayer, I had a most unwelcome visitor. Crunch, crunch, CRUNCH came the deliberate footsteps to my tent (I use a tarp structure so there is no actual floor and about 3 inches of space between the ground). Right next to my tent it stops, and a bear sticks its nose under the tarp and sniffs a couple times. I yell! And scream and beat the ground so hard I tear a gash in my palm! The bear jumps back away from the tent, and circles around me with a wide berth. I then proceed to sing out of the hymn book I have with until my voice is hoarse and lay the rest of the night with my headlamp on, maybe getting about an hour and a half of sleep in total. Terrifying experience. 

Needless to say as soon as daylight arrived I went as fast as I could 10 miles back to High Bridge to catch the 9:00 AM shuttle to Stehekin Landing. Once at the landing, discovered they didn't have batteries for my SteriPEN, so I got on the boat that was leaving for Chelan and here I am.