After a few days to contemplate our next move, Fearless has begrudgingly, accepted her promotion to Trail Angel. Jen’s right leg is still sore and rather than causing any further harm, she is renting a car and following Hogged Up and I, as we tackle the Great Basin.

We managed to use our much needed time to gather supplies from Atlantic City and Lander. Hogged Up and I made our way to the Outpost of Atlantic City. I believe the population is not quite 37, give or take a few miners, geologists and tourists. It boasted close to 3,000 people back in the day when the gold rush was at its height and men flocked to the town for riches and fame. Now it’s nothing more than a walking tour with the Miners Grub; a welcome oasis for hikers.

Lander is a bustling town of 7,400 residents with just as many men as women. The city has pretty much anything you could imagine except for car rentals! But their claim to fame is NOLS -National Outdoor Learning School. Its core mission is to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. Just about everyone we talked to has work or is working for NOLS, or knows someone who has been to their hundreds of courses. They are the heart and soul of this community and contribute a wealth of knowledge to many who love and respect the outdoors. We had the fortunate opportunity to stay at their facility for the night. What a treat that was.

So after a couple of days in Lander, we made our way to Rock Springs in search of a rental car for Fearless. Being it was Labor Day weekend, we found out that this holiday is revered by rental car agencies! Nothing is open until Tuesday so we are making the best of these rest days. An exuberant amount of calories are being consumed. Pizza, Salad, Chicken Tenders and Fries, Fish and Chips, Flakey Croissants with Cortado, followed up by Street Tacos with Chips and Salsa. I feel much like a bear getting ready for hibernation! Hiker Hunger has finally kicked in!

Yet, we still have many hundreds of miles to hike so Hogged Up and I are hitting the trail together. Fearless will support us with nourishing water, which is unavailable on the Great Basin. What precious little water there is, is held back for cattle. The Sweetwater Creek is at its lowest level throughout the Basin, the aquifer’s are drying up if not bone dry, and what water may be found in puddles is contaminated with sulfur and other minerals that don’t serve a hiker in anyway.

Fearless has questioned why this happened, but it seems abundantly clear. The Lord always is in charge even when we feel we are. What foolishness that I would ever believe that He will not change my plans. This Great Basin has been a concern for Fearless. With MS, heat is her nemesis. This area is exposed and has little, if any shade. She uses a hammock and there are no trees to support her sleeping arrangement. And honestly, He just knows better than I. It could be His way of allowing Fearless to rest and restore.

This upcoming State of Colorado is a doozy. It has incredibly high summits, massive climbs, cold temperatures and much different terrain than we have encountered. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus provided us with time to prepare, take a breath and tackle this upcoming challenge with exuberance and vitality! There is always a lesson in our derailed plans but possibly this is how we heal, grow stronger and finish well.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬