April 8 Time goes too slow, I walk to fast, and the Grand Canyon–rigid permit requirement and all–remains fixed in place. In two weeks, no more no less, I must be in the Grand Canyon or risk the ire of the National Park Service for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So … More Hayduke Day 28
April 7 Wouldn’t you know it, almost a month in and I finally meet another Hayduker on trail. I’d just turned north into the Paria River, whose waters I would spend the rest of the day walking through, when I man hollered out from beyond some bushes. “Hayduke?!” I called out, and when he answered … More Hayduke Day 27
April 6 Before the sun was even a quarter across the sky, I was under the earth. Round Valley Draw is the first slot canyon on the Hayduke (the short one I went through yesterday was half a mile off trail), so I’d been anticipating this for some time. When I got to the edge, … More Hayduke Day 26
April 5 I completed the seventh Hayduke section this evening, a day ahead of schedule. I’d buried a cache of food and water for myself near Round Valley Draw, and it has waited there patiently for me, nearly a month later. I’ll eat well tonight, for sure. This morning I happened along the first slot … More Hayduke Day 25
April 4 The day went and went and went. And when it was over I’d covered nearly 30 miles of ground. First thing in the morning–post haste!!–I take a giant spill while making my way into the first wash of the day. You’d think I’d be tumbling gracefully by now, but no, just…no. Poor sorry … More Hayduke Day 24
April 3 I never cease to be amazed by the transformation that takes place within a person after a full night in the wilderness and prospect many more days and nights thereafter. This portion of the Hayduke spends most of it’s time in one of the most vast roadless areas in the lower 48, and … More Hayduke Day 23
April 20 One of the more unexpected challenges I’ve faced so far is the struggle to leave my hotel room in the morning, on those days I’ve slept in town. I couldn’t find the motivation today to get out of bed, so it was a very late start for the day. Something about having to … More Hayduke Day 22
March 31 Patience, patience, slow. I’m walking out to Hole-in-the-Rock road today which will lead to Escalante and my first off day since I started, three weeks ago. My ankle is sore, and the trekking pole I bent in yesterday’s fall comes to resemble my body, my life. It performed the task of holding up … More Hayduke Day 21
March 30 I wonder at all the marvels that must have burrowed their way into the Waterpocket Fold over all the millennia. Pocked, smoothed, dented, gorged–the place makes up new words to describe all the assaults waged against it by time. Here’s a canyon below me, just there. Here’s a giant tinaja, somehow nestled deep … More Hayduke Day 20
March 29 By morning my tent looked like a sorrowful birthday balloon, droopy and spent. In pre-dawn, I could tell the winds had ushered in low clouds and colder air, so I packed quickly to make sure everything was safe and dry inside my pack in case rain began to fall.Not only did the morning … More Hayduke Day 19
tcmauer 