Start: 0830 - Big Crow Basin
End: 1900 - near Blowout Mountain
Miles (today): 20
Miles (cumulative): 2388.5 (2165 PCT, 149.5 alternate, 74 off)

We awoke to the weird and almost haunting sound of elk.  I think elk sound like someone trying to play a recorder for the first time; Nick thinks they sound like a squeaky swing set.  It was a neat way to wake up - I peeked my head out of the tent because they sounded so close and there they were, on the hillside.  There were even little babies!  

In addition to the elk, I was elated to see the sun.  I love the warm sun, it makes me happy (particularly after being so cold yesterday).  

Nick and I made plans to meet at Urich Cabin.  Urich Cabin is right on the PCT, is technically owned by the Forest Service, and is maintained by a snowmobile club.  When I walked up I was instantly greeted by Bill, president of the Snowjammers Snowmobile Club, who offered me food.  The club was doing maintenance at the cabin this weekend (is it really Sunday?) and the hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and muffins he offered were their leftovers.  So, rather than eat dehydrated fruit with almond butter, I enjoyed a hamburger, hot dog, and two muffins (although I shouldn't have eaten the second muffin so close to resuming our hike, it made me a little sick).  Bill and his crew were great - they were impressed to learn we hiked there from Mexico.  

Urich Cabin is a wonderful little oasis after the storm - not only did we get food but the warm sun dried our wet tent and various other wet items (like socks).  When I say ‘we’ I don't just mean Nick and me, either - several other hikers were enjoying the cabin, too, like Roswell and Chili.  We all shared our hiking-in-the-rain tales (Roswell ended up sleeping in a puddle of water that formed under his tent and soaked all his gear; Chili's makeshift tent failed and he ended up walking to the cabin in the middle of the night) and we all enjoyed the warmth of the sun.

Roswell mentioned he was low on food - he thought he was going to get to the next resupply earlier, but the rain thwarted his plans - so Nick gave Roswell some of his.  Roswell was extremely grateful and Nick is happy to have shed some weight.  It's a win-win. :)

We spent several hours at the cabin and then finally decided to hike on.  It was a pretty easy 8 mile afternoon hike - ideally we would have hiked more than 20 miles today but we slept in a little and had to dry our stuff (rain really does slow you up).  Despite the rain, I'm in love with Washington so far- it is so incredibly beautiful!
  

Other memorable moments:

1.    We passed Cedric/C-Dog/Cougar going southbound - he decided to flip flop.  It was so fun seeing him again !!

2.    Nick got stung by something on the back of his leg. (He's fine but itchy)
3.    It's raining again!  I hope it doesn't last.

Along the trail: