I was pleased with the previous nights distance because it left me with only ten to go before Craters of the Moon. It was a sight I’d been anticipating since leaving Denver. Setting off in the morning I ate my Power Bar which was, as I recalled from my last experiment with one when I was 18, a bit grainy but it gave me what I needed.
Six miles down I ran across some road workers, Jeremy and Jessie, working under signs that had been modified with black tape to read “Women Working”. I complimented them on the sign which got us talking. Apparently they worked at Craters and were out doing environmental work weeding out some invading weed that someone had let loose on the territory. I gave them a card and hoped to see them in an hour or so for lunch, but none such luck was to be had.
When I got to Craters I talked up some of the rangers inside then set up shop on a picnic table and cooked myself 2 cups worth of rice. This was much more than I thought it would be, but was a fantastically over indulgent treat to fill up on. Accompanied by some hot cocoa, of course, and a little chatter with a German tourist and I felt renewed and complete. After, I did the dishes then couldn’t resist getting a grape soda and some Skittles before heading off.
The monument itself was interesting, and looked like something I’d really like to explore, but given that I was on foot and it was 1,000 acres I realized it was going to have to be another venture. I took in what was at hand, snapped some pictures, then continued on. As I went, the lava torn land spread far beyond the park’s boundaries so as I walked I would stare off at these black mounds of cooled magma.
On my second break after Craters I was quite anxious to sit down and rest Checks from my back a bit. So anxious, in fact, that as I had him off my back dangling from my shoulder by the road post just about to hit the ground I saw I was a foot away from a very pissed off rapidly coiling rattling rattler. My skittishness towards snakes and realization of mortality kicked in with chills as I dropped Checks at the post backing very far away. My bag had been taken hostage.
Fifteen feet away I sat staring at my captured companion as the angry serpent sat coiled and immobile showing no signs of getting bored and slinking off. I sat there for a good fifteen minutes or so trying to figure out my next course of action. No cars were stopping to find out what I was very blatantly staring at and scratching my head over only to look up pleadingly to the passers by. One truck pulled into a nearby drive but didn’t stop until quarter mile down by a lake, so I simply sat and pondered.
After waiting a bit I decided throwing stones at it from a great distance might aggravate my foe to the point of wanting to leave. Having no aim whatsoever didn’t help as various stones landed within a foot or so, but not actually hitting the damned thing. He continued to man his post, apparently unthreatened by my incompetent tossing ability.
After twenty five minutes or so the truck that had pulled in was now leaving again. I decided I required aid, if nothing else to see if stone throwing was a good idea or a tremendously bad idea when dealing with a poisonous fanged springing creature. I flagged them down and it turned out I was on the right path. Although the man who helped me had equal aiming ability, he had much more confidence in this solution and was therefore more determined. After several throws he finally hit him, the snake reared up, then quickly decided to leave. Checks was free again. I profusely thanked the man for his help and he suggested I best get out of there. I walked the last six miles I was figuring on walking that day.
In the end I did a good 28 mile day. For the last fifty feet of it clouds I’d been monitoring began to show some life sprinkling me with the beginnings of a shower. I hustled to the mile marker I wanted to hit and as the rain began to get heavier my poles came into place and the tent went up. It was 8:40, there would be light for another hour or so, but I was quite happy to lay down in my bed under the sky breaking open. I’d saved my Skittles and treated myself to dessert before bed.