Why do we as humans so often take the shortcuts and lazy methods when we know it will cost us? I'll never understand that, especially given the repercussions of this morning. Last night I checked the weather and saw rain around 8am. I brought a couple things under the fly but that was it, figuring I'd be up by then anyway. As I could have predicted, it started raining at 5am instead. Being warm and cozy in a sleeping bag makes it nearly impossible to get up early when it's raining out, so I didn't rise until 8. At this point my leather saddle had been soaking for three hours in the rain, due to me being too lazy the night before to cover it up. The outsides of the tent were wet and required more wiping down when packing up than they should have, because I was too lazy the night before to stake down the front and back guy lines of the fly. I had to go out in the rain for my water bottle to make oatmeal, because I was too lazy the night before to bring it under the fly. To top all these frustrations off, when packing up the tent the elastic in a pole ripped! I hurried up and got out of there before losing it and headed to the ferry in Kingston.
Thankfully the ferries going in the Seattle direction are free so my morning wasn't completely horrible. I warmed up on the 30 minute ride and planned my stops in Edmonds. TJs was first for trail mix and snacks, then to REI for the tent and some freeze dried dinners. I love REI. Because I had bought my tent there they would have replaced the entire thing no questions. But instead I opted to get some elastic cord from them for free and assistance fixing the pole, and it's good as new. It cost them $2.25 in elastic and I gained the knowledge of how to repair my pole, win win! Then I snacked outside, charged my phone in an outdoor wall outlet, and uploaded a post. I was pretty surprised mall security didn't bother me, I did afterall look pretty homeless, crouched in the rain munching on a wedge of cheese. I brought my bike in the hallway to go to the bathroom and felt bad that the custodian was right there and mopped up my wet tire tracks. Sure enough I paid for it as I was walking out and security showed up telling me I can't bring my bike indoors. Thankfully I was leaving so I got out of there and made my way to the mountains. As I approached the stormy looking Cascades, tipped in snow, I thought, "Joseph Conrad, this will be my Congo."
The trek into the mountains turned out to actually be relatively mild. I'm camping at the Money Creek Campground which is at an elevation of only about 800 feet. The site is right on the South Fork Skykomish River and actually has a raised box of gravelly sand which makes for a great tent platform with good drainage. I took my time setting up the tent and did things right, staking and wiping everything down so I'm now nice and dry, snuggled up with a cup of whiskey hot chocolate and some good music. Other than the mouse that keeps trying to get into my trash it should be a great night. Tomorrow will bring me over Stevens Pass and hopefully to drier weather and easterly winds!
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