Boat mishap
In the early morning hours I try to maneuver the small boat up the 12,000 acre Ross Lake in Northern Washington State. The chill, ignoring the dark, slices through the fog numbing my hands. Without warning the small craft crashes and is wedged between two giant floating logs. I am stuck! I push, shove, heave and pray until slowly the boat drifts free.
I am headed 24 miles north up the lake to the Canadian border where in August I ended the latest stage of my race walk from Alaska to Florida. I have come here with the goal of crossing the high mountain passes before winter avalanches close the trails until spring.
At the end of the lake I leave the boat and begin my ascent into the Cascade Mountains. Roots, stones and muddy creek beds challenge my conditioning. There are no other people. I know nearby there are bears, deer and elk but my frequent stumbling keeps them out of sight.