It froze last night for the first time.  I didn’t want to face the cold so I had a late start of 7:30. It’s funny how much determination it takes to get out of your warm sleeping bag and put on frozen socks and then deal with all the frost on your tent.

I made it to the top of the divide by 9:00 where the views were amazing. The trail flattens out on top of the plateau and there are several small lakes nestled in the rocks.  I am quite alone, several days behind the Sobo bubble. I am feeling much better right now and I hope I can make up a few miles today.

I saw the Parting of the Waters today.  It really is a special spot.  Two Ocean creek comes down the mountain and actually splits in two – one half becomes Atlantic Creek and flows left to the Atlantic Ocean, and the other half becomes Pacific Creek and flows right to the Pacific ocean.  This is unstable – in general one or the other will capture the entire flow.  I didn’t see any signs of human manipulation though, and it was almost equal flows in both directions.  Very curious.

I walked past a cowboy camp in the afternoon along the North Fork Buffalo Creek.  It was set back in the trees and a couple of cowboys sitting on a log waved at me.  I waved back and walked over.  They said “Take a load off and visit”. And so I did.  I introduced myself and sat on another log and we talked about the trail, and their horse vacations, and about the land around us.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  When I left they gave me some cookies and raisins, which was much appreciated as my food is getting quite low.

I felt much better today and managed 19 miles.  This place is so much more unspoiled and wild than Yellowstone.  I don’t like all the rules that the park imposes on visitors, although with so many I guess it’s necessary.

I have my tent set up in a beautiful spot near the trail and Soda Creek. It is near some trees at the edge of a meadow in a flat grassy spot. There are no bugs and I’m in some cool shade from the late afternoon sun. A couple of south bounders just went past.  We talked for a bit and they said they were trying to do a thirty and had to go.  Now I feel guilty with my paltry 19.  Oh well.  I’m happy in my tent and it is very peaceful here. 🙂