Finally On the Way to the Sierra's

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Wow, we are finally on the road and true to form only 4 hours late!

So we 1^st had Elias and Charlotte divide out the food between the 4 of us, setting stuff by the each of our packs. When Justin came over everything changed; he had a bunch of food and clothes. For awhile we couldn’t even walk on the floor in the living room, it was piled high with bags, food and clothes.

By 2a.m Dale and I had a chance to wash the kitchen floor and then start to gather our stuff. Bed couldn’t come soon enough.

We had hoped to start out at 6a.m. but alas we didn’t wake up until after 8. I looked out the side door and saw Camilo and his boys sleeping in their truck. Cam had been up all night and kids until 4a.m packing.

We need to go first to the Interagency to pick up our permits as they won’t mail them. Then head up to the trail head where there is a parking lot and campground probably a ½ hour drive.

Once we get to the trail head we must unload all of the equipment and food stuff from backpacks and shopping bags. Then we will load all food stuff and personal items with any scent into bear canisters, packing the bear canisters into our packs where the items had been.

We brought frozen chicken and a bunch of fresh food in our Oscar ice chest. We will unload all of the cold food, dry the chest, then repack it with canned foods for Friday and Saturday’s meals and put the lid on to keep any smells inside. As an ice chest cannot be within sight of anything we will keep it on the backseat floor covered with a towel. On Friday morning we will send 2 people back to the truck, packs loaded with trash to go out and then load up with the remaining food.

So Dale is driving while I write, kids are in the back seat resting from a very late night. There will likely be no cell service with which to post blogs or photos so we will see you on Sunday when we return to civilization.

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