Spooky trip up Kamilchee Ridge

I was dragging this morning so I changed plans.  I was going back to the Dosewallips to try to retrieve my reading glasses.    I think I left them on a table in the campground when I took off one  layer.

I felt tired this morning and there was frost on the ground.  A bike ride over an hour's drive from home did not appeal so I did the Ridge.  I have been saving the ridge and other close to home hikes for when the days get shorter.

I was grieving a fair amount on this hike and I wondered why, then I remembered this was the last hike I did before my husband died.  I also realized why I have not been able to put my Kayak into the water since he died.  My parking spot for this hike is at the boat launch where I always launched my Kayak.  I have associated my kayak with my husband's death and that anxiety is what stops me.

I feel bad that my Kayak has sat in the dirt for a year now.  I wish I had someone to come pick me and my kayak up and take us kayaking so I can get over this!  I sold the car I hauled it on but I think I can haul it on the car I still have.  But having to put it on a different car that is much taller is holding me back a little too.

I am glad that I have figured out exactly why I can't bear to go kayaking anymore though.  I knew it had something to do with my husband's death.

As I walked up the hill I was passed by several hunters driving trucks on the road I was walking up but I mostly hid in the brush out of sight when I heard them, so they did not see me.  There were so many that eventually I did stop hiding.  It turns out that Halloween is a popular day for hunting and it was the last day of hunting season.  There might be other types of  hunts still going on, I don't know.

I walked to the top then went back down to my favorite lunch spot and had to share my lunch with Sage since I forgot to pack on for her.  I was all packed for the National Park where no dogs are allowed.

Before I could cook lunch I got a phone call about a problem with my credit card and I spent a lot of my lunch break trying to sort that out.  My card was fine, the problem was on the merchants end.

I was unsure of my turn off to get to the mushroom spot on the way down so I had to backtrack while racing the setting sun.  I got what was probably my last batch of chanterelles for the year on this hike.

8.5 miles with 1,000 feet elevation gain