The day started fine. I had cowboy-camped and, apart from the mosquitoes, everything was reasonable. I got up around 7am when the sun hit my sleeping bag and it got too warm to stay in it. Had breakfast and set off in sandals again — I knew a section was coming where I’d need them.
The trail rolled gently up and down until it dropped to Mission Creek. A small river you follow for about 15 miles from this point. Depending on the season, it’s bigger or smaller. Since most of the trail along it has been washed away, you have to find your own way through. I solved it differently: I walked in the creek. Somewhat unstable, and I was fighting the current, but it was wonderfully cooling. I was never hot all day, while others were soaked in sweat. At some point the creek simply dried up and everything felt ten to fifteen degrees warmer.
About two miles past that — I covered roughly ten miles in total that day, given the terrain and my planning — I found a spot for the night. My camp neighbour from the night before was there too, and we got talking. He was still awake when I arrived, so I hadn’t woken him. Other hikers trickled in over the next while. Some had bushwhacked their way through; others had found different routes. Mine was probably exhausting, but pleasantly cool and varied. Slippery, uneven — and genuinely fun. The sandals proved useful.
I’m planning to drop them in a hiker box when I see one, and pick up flip-flops as camp shoes instead. The sandals are heavy and I mostly only use them around camp. They’re perfectly comfortable in general, just not on this kind of ground. Constant small stones, twigs, leaves between sole and foot. Too much weight for the use I get out of them. You learn on the trail.
I had camp set up by 4pm and was asleep by 5:20pm. The plan was to be up and walking by 1 or 2am.