Daybreak...

The first bird song of the morning in the shelters heralds the rising sun. It may be the first bird or the second, or perhaps some other sound of a creature scurrying through the leaves that might wake you. But before long, the sky begins to lighten and more and more birds begin their songs.

It takes a moment or two to remember where I am in the morning..oh yeah..a shelter somewhere in the mountains. Sometimes it's the sound of other hikers eagerly packing to head on to the next shelter. Sometimes they are oblivious to those who are trying to get a few more winks in. Sometimes they don't care, or perhaps they do their best NOT to wake those who want a little more shuteye.

But daybreak, when I am in the woods alone, are the times I most enjoy. The forest is still mostly silent and I glance around at the greenery, or the small Junco birds who bravely enter the shelter domain looking for dropped pieces of oatmeal or other snacks. I glance over at my food bag hanging at the front ceiling of the shelter to see if the mice have bothered it, then I glance at my pack that hangs from a peg on the inside wall of the shelter...it looks unmolested. I check the other items that were laying next to me, and they too are ok.

My hips hurt, as they do every morning, from the hard shelter floor and I am a bit congested...a sign that I probably did a bit of snoring...no, that I did a good amount of snoring. I slowly zip the side zipper of my sleeping bag down and pull my shorts on. Sleeping in the nude is actually warmer in a down filled sleeping bag than wearing clothes. I roll around and sit at the front of the shelter with my legs hanging off for a few minutes and contemplate the previous night's sleep and the day ahead. I plop on my camp shoes and hobble off like Fred Sanford, in Sanford and Son and go for my morning pee in the woods.

When I get back, I pull down my food back and start preparing breakfast. I've not found a way to eat and pack in a short amount of time, mostly it takes about 90 minutes, but I'm fine with that. The quiet time is most enjoyable and I know it is only a short time before I'm sweating as I trek up and down the next set of peaks and valleys.

Yes, daybreak is my favorite time of day on the trail.