Pixabay

There was a bright object in the sky-high and to the east of the big peak. I thought it was a planet until it began to move. It traveled from southeast to northwest steadily for several minutes. I figured it was the space station, but then its movement got erratic. It looked like it was stopping, backing up a bit, going forward again, some kind of space rogue or bandit. Then it went back to the southeast after going dark for ten seconds. Strange.

Now a shooting star and I realize I’m getting cold; I mean it is 12,000 feet or so. Crawling into the tent, I’m soon relaxed into the warm soft cocoon that is my sleeping bag. My feet slowly change from blocks of ice to warm and toasty, probably due to the large body warmer I tucked next to my belly. I faded into dreams of elk in the gully.