If you split the Mondeaux Esker segment into an east half and a west half and pretend each half is a child, the east side that we hiked first thing this morning is the annoying child that poops itself and cries all day. West side kid gets all the attention and toys, the east side kid is the middle child that remembers what it’s like to be the favorite and it is pissed. More specifically, the Mondeaux Esker’s east side was filled with bogs and ankle breaker holes covered by overgrown grass.
Today would have been a very challenging hike in terms of terrain and water if it hadn’t been for Mel. Mel carried our packs in the truck and met us every 5 or 6 miles while Brianna & I walked the trails with only a hiking pole, a bottle of water and all the snacks a Fanny pack could carry. Walking 21.5 miles with this kind of support was almost like a day off, such a dream; road walks weren’t so terrible, rugged terrain wasn’t so taxing.
Brianna has asked me to correct and improve upon a previous entry, so here is my best effort at that. The song about not loving Jesus is not something she made up, it’s a Jimmy Buffet song. She also claims that she sang the actual words and not the words I said she sang.
“My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus”
Needless to say, I think she is wrong but wanted to provide readers with her side of the story, even if it’s not what I believe to be accurate. Most people reading this will side with Brianna, and to that I say… wise choice.
After the hike, we hit Ed’s IGA in Rib Lake for supplies before retreating back to the AirBnB. Our AirBnB is quite amazing little house on 120 acres of farm land, a perfect place to relax. We met Don, the owner, and he is a salt of the earth farmer man; has to be in his 80s, probably still bales his own hay. He is bringing us a grill tomorrow for the steaks Mel brought :-).
This entry will be short. Tomorrow is an off day with much prep work to be done. We have a 7 day stretch coming up with no towns or resupplies. Will write more on this tomorrow.