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| - APRIL 4th, 2015- This was the day the Boy, Zac M., and myself were going to walk the almost 36 miles of the River Mountains Loop Trail! Much thought had gone into the weather and ambient light..this was to be a cool, calm night complimented by a full moon!
We met up at Rail Road Pass. We then headed out to stash our cache points along the way. Cache #1was 11 miles into the journey. This was just outside the entrance of Lake Mead. Cache #2 was almost another 11 miles off of Lakeshore Drive just north of the pump station. The third cache was aways from there on the presuppose of Boot Leg Canyon.
After stashing our provisions, we headed back to Rail Road Pass for a high calorie meal at the Iron Rail Cafe (See review).
After a short pep talk, along with putting GLIDE and powder on parts of the body that will remain nameless, at approximately 1900 hours, we stepped off into the beautiful moon light. Be sure that technology had it's little fingers in every aspect of this adventure. There were cell phone with tracking apps and a Garmin Oregon and Foretrek involved with with every aspect of keeping the pace count honest, as were headed off in the clockwise rotation of the trail.
Mile 7...into the trail, I began to experience a hot spot on my left foot. What!! How could this be? With the help of my partner, Nelita U., we would deduce...I had not broken in my socks. But the view of the valley was off the chart, as was the company, and so was the random bodies we would came across on the trail. Spooky that anyone would be out on a trail after dark. Comforting non the less.
After trucking through the darkness, we hit Lake Mead Pkwy (LMP). Prior to crossing underneath, we swapped socks and did some preventive maintenance. I threw a blister bandage on the previously named hot spot and again..applied powder to that area and my other regions.
As we made our way under LMP, we now cruised along the north side. The lights along this amazing stretch light up while sensing our presence and would turn off after our passing.
We would eventually hit our first cache. Stocks were replenished and I revealed in Zack M smoking a stick and enjoying the nectar flowing from a flask he was wise enough to bring.
Under the LMP we went and into the abyss that is this section of the trail. Words cannot define this portion of the trail. I will say that it was filled with thoughts illuminated by the moon and many a micro temperature. Perhaps the words of Zac M., will do it justice.
Eventually we would find our way out onto Lakeshore Drive. This is where the mind F&*% would begin as he made our way around and through the pump station. With GPS technology playing hell with our mind, had we known different we would have cut some serious corners, but we didn't.
Once we made the Lakeshore Road again. We drifted...lame and almost lifeless to our second cache site. While filling up on h2o and previously stashed snacks, I took a look at the previously mentioned now blister, I discovered it had grown even larger and was now consuming the blister bandage. This was NOT fun as I applied self aid to the area in question. The second cache site began to take on the appearance of a causality collection point. Our three bodies strewn about in need of various forms of medical attention. BUT ALAS.....we pressed on.
Filled with a mix of emotions we deviated from the trail and decided to walk along Lakeshore Drive. Like the now crippled herd that we were we continued on our way. The Boy had now assumed the form of Quasimodo and I..being a responsible parent after asking many questions pitched it to expedition about the prospect of calling an exfiltration and thus ending the adventure. And so it would end at Boulder Beach. Our "Ride for Life" would arrive while I was unconscious and wrapped in a mylar blanket.
Months would pass and the completion of the trial would haunt me....
After much planning, on Nov 29, 2015, Zack M., and I returned to finish what had been previously started. With a vehicle stashed at Railroad Pass and the other taken to our start point at Boulder Beach, we stepped off...
Shortly in to our journey, we encountered a weirdo walking the trail. We sent out pleasantries only to be met with something alongs the line of "go f&*$ our mother." This sparked some conversation between Zack M. & myself, but nothing was going to damper the positive joy of finishing the trek.
The trail is savage. It inserts it's self into your mind at times and a weaker mind could be possibly be crushed. Not so...when you can share the experience with someone else. Never underestimate the power of two similar minds.
Following the flood canal, we pushed forward one step in front of the other. At the trailhead before St. Judes, we swapped out socks and applied powder and lubricants to the nether regions.
I just noticed yelp puts the kibosh on long winded yelps. WTF? This is a great hike/walk.
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