Spartan Hike - Day 7

Hiker, and co-founder of American Spartan Inc, Captain Tommy Muir, continues to keep us updated on the day-to-day of the 425+ mile Spartan Hike, via emails spent from his phone.

"Our hope wasn't strong enough. We were greated once again by a nice cool and heavy rain. We chose to for go our routine warm breakfast in favor of quickly tearing down our drenched tents and grabbing hot coffee at the gas station when we filled up the vehicles. After we had torn everything down, our "good ranger buddy" decided to drive up to our campsite and from the friendly and warm confines of his truck inform us that we hadn't yet paid for our stay. First thing I thought was, yeah that's true but only because you weren't at the gate when we drove in while it was pouring and your lack of driving around camp last night didn't allow for any opportunity of contact between the two of us. As I was thinking this, Dan paid him and we were on the way, ready for the wind, cold and rain we were going to encounter on today's 20.6. The elements gave us their best from start to finish, no question and our collective hats are off. The rain fell hard and heavy and it was a nice cool 45 degrees but neither of those was our fiercest foe today.  That was the wind, which peaked at close to 30mph. We were leaned forward at near 45 degree angles pushing into it and we all likened it to hitting the blocking sleds in high school football. In spite of the conditions, there are zero complaints amongst the group and morale somehow is climbing. We have even begun making light of our own situation and two common themes emerged during today's hike. One, even with the constant rain showers we certainly weren't smelling fresh even though more than one member of the team claims to smell like roses. It's been a week since anyone's last shower, which is a really short time in this group as we've all gone atleast four times as long. Two, we could all think of worse places to be miserable. Even with the cold, rain and wind the trek has been filled with absolute breathtaking beauty and that's something no one will argue with. As we were loading up back into our vehicles, Dan's phone rang and the conversation brought a smile to his face. 

When he hung up, he told us that our adoptive mother Marilou was driving 80 miles south to bring us a hot meal for dinner. She got to our campsite and emerged with a beaming smile and a couple bags of fresh fruit, peanut butter and cookies. For dinner, she prepared chicken taco casaroll, which was magnificent and really hit the spot. We had a great conversation about current events, to which we knew nothing of and of the epic storm currently hitting NorCal. She brought us a front page news clipping of a story telling of downed trees and flooding at the campsite she first met us at three days prior. As she departed she honked and headed back north, not really knowing the impact she had made on us."    

          Tommy Muir