ET's Info-Stew

9:30: I rose early at 5:30 after a poor night of sleep. The sun didn't rise until shortly after six, which gave me time to get started packing. I had fully packed by 7:00 and we hit the trail at 7:30. On the way up we came to a fallen tree that hadn't been there on the way in. It was very large and made us lose the trail for about ten minutes until I finally tracked it down. We stopped at the outlook over Chewing Gum for some great views.

We made it to camp at around 9:15. The spot is not as nice, but it is serviceable. Getting water will be a pain. There's lots of people here so privacy will be an issue. After camp I'll go exploring to see if there is more to this lake.

12:05: I took off to the north of Powell Lake and ended up at a nice ledge overlooking a gorgeous river valley leading to the rocky pinnacles. There was also a nearby pond, which was cold even to my hands. On the way back I thought about leaving the pond behind without taking a swing, but then I went down there anyway, thinking I might regret it if I didn't try.

The water was so cold I couldn't get in past my calves, which were throbbing in pain from the cold. Well, at least I gave it a try. I have myself a "sponge" bath and did a little laundry. At some point Bill showed up and while swimming he found a neat piece of wood that looks like a sword. I got a nice picture of him holding it with the landscape in the background.

The trip took long enough to keep me occupied until lunch, which I plan to enjoy shortly. I will probably veg out in the shade for the rest of the day.

22:42: I did pretty much what I planned and vegged out. I took a short nap, read some, and played some cards. Tonight was another gorgeous starry night. It's a shame that it could be a long time until I see another such night.