I've got a Boil and Mount Rose is on Fire

It started right after our backpacking trip to the ocean and required a trip to the er to get it lanced. It was painful and horrible and a terrible way to end my summer. But I hope to be able to go hiking again soon. I had to get it packed three times but the final packing came out today. Now I can sit down without a huge amount of pain. I've never had a boil before and I sure don't ever want to have another one! My pharmacist has armed me with Keflex and Vicodin but I've not had to take a Vicodin for two days now. Hopefully the grogginess caused by the Vicodin will go away now.

In the meantime Mount Rose is still on fire and it is now 750 acres. But it looks like they finally have enough people and machinery in place to really start fighting the fire. You can see some of the smoke from this Hood Canal Webcam.

The Mount Rose trail has not been encroached by the fire but they are starting to mention fighting the fire from the East side of what they call "The Mount Rose Pathway". The fire started on the West side of the Mount Rose Trail if they are fighting it from the East Side of the trail that is not good news.

If you click on any of these pictures you will get to see a much larger image.

I don't know where I will hike next week. Clearly I will not be hiking any of the Staircase Area trails as they are all closed. Mount Elinor is open but in the smoke.

Perhaps I will do the Upper South Fork of the Skokomish Trail. There is just over one month left before car access to the trail head gets cut off until next spring.

The maple trees across from my front yard have started to change colors. I hate how maple trees are the first to announce that the end to summer is nearing. But at least this year I can look forward to the fall mushrooms and I know exactly where to look for them this season.

While convalescing from my boil I have kept entertained by reading the journals from folks who are currently through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and by tinkering around with home made alcohol burning stoves. It is my dream to through hike the PCT once my kids are a bit older. Perhaps I can try it as soon as the year 2010.