Bad Back Camp, page 10

It seemed there was no summit to this ridge. I began to feel the onset of despair and even fear. Something was terribly wrong and if I could not find a place to pitch my tent soon, I was going to be in big trouble. I needed shelter, water and rest. And I needed to find it fast because the shooting pain and the spasming muscles would soon make it impossible for me to walk, let alone set up camp.

Bad Back camp before the storm broke

Finally, I reach the end of yet another switchback. But this one was different – there was a clearing at the end. A sketchy side-trail led to a good-sized gray tarn at the foot of a rocky outcropping. Thank the powers that be – there was a campsite! Under other circumstances, I would describe it as ‘marginal,’ but at the moment it was truly God-sent!

The cloud cover was very low, seeming to press down menacingly as I threw my pack down and dug out the tent bag. Quickly, I pitched the tent, jerking to a stop frequently as the muscles in the back of my legs spasmed into tight balls of pure pain. Finally, the Omni was up and I threw everything inside. Then, grabbing my water bottle and cook pot, I lurched down to fill both at the tarn.  I was just crawling into the tent as the rain began to fall.

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