Backpacking this past weekend in the Catskills with Leah and Celio was a lot of fun. I think it was just what I needed. There were a lot of people out on some of the trails because of the Memorial Day holiday, but there was still the feeling of being away from everything, a place of solitude, and no phones, tv's, computers, mirrors, or worries about what other people thought. Besides one or two scares with wild animals at night, it was pretty unevenful. We saw a wolf...but he was on a leash. It was nice getting our water from streams, setting up a shelter at night with ponchos instead of a tent, sleeping on the ground, eating cambells soup with rice and either peanuts or tuna added, and not showering for three days. I am serious with I saw I really enjoyed it. It was nice to shower once we got back, but I didn't mind the time in between because none of us cared.

The weekend was a lot more fun than camping the week before, because there wasn't the worry about being bored, I dind't feel like I had to talk at all, we all were just kinda lost in our thoughts a lot of the time. Some of the views were awesome. I really liked the fact that it felt like real camping, not like the fake camping last weekend. That was fun to spend time with those friends, but it wasn't what I needed as a vacation. I came back almost feeling more exhausted last weekend than when I had left. This weekend I came back feeling much more rejuvenated, and I also felt like I got a lot more exercise this weekend. Hiking all day can make you sore.

Tomorrow I leave fore CTLT, the unknown. After that I have a few weeks at home, and then I'm off again to Fort Bragg for SMULT. I'm hoping it will be one of the best summers I've ever had.