"You love the thunder"... maybe... - Greg

"You love the thunder and you love the rain
What you see revealed within the anger is worth the pain"
    - Jackson Browne

I got a call from Melinda at about 3:00 yesterday (Wednesday July 8) afternoon. She was walking the ridgline north of Fordyce Lake. I'm that shocked she had cell coverage, she really was in the middle of nowhere.

She had just weathered a very nasty squall, dropping a torrent of 1/4 inch to dime sized hail. The wind was blowing hard. She hadn't seen any lightning until just before she called but the thunder was nearly continuous. She said she was doing fine, but she was cold and I'm sure quite tired. If it was me, I would have been at least a little scared too but Melinda has a quiet confidence that I'm pretty sure I don't.

Jackson Browne was writing about relationships in the bit quoted above, but the same sentiment could apply more literally to the thru-hikers relationship with Mother Nature. I won't presume to know whether Melinda thinks what she saw yesterday was "worth the pain". But she certainly got a show. It seems that just when you begin to think you're on a pleasant walk in the woods, nature puts on a display to remind you who is boss in these wild places. These shows are often both awe-inspiring and frightening.

All those of us at home can do is watch the blue dots, chew our nails and say a prayer. I did plenty of all yesterday. I was quite relieved to get a text this morning and see the blue dots marching on.

In spite of the challenges she knocked out over 18 miles yesterday and over 20 the day before and another 20 the day before that.

There are more thunderstorms forecast for today, but not as intense as yesterday. She is almost certain to make the 16 miles to Highway 49 and Sierra City where a resupply box is waiting. I expect she will get a motel room for the night to dry out and charge up as she's likely to arrive after the 2:00 closing time at the post office.

Click here for an awesome first-hand account from the trail yesterday, about 200 miles north of where Melinda was.