the longest descent ever

Day 12 ~ miles 186 - 206

(OK my blogger application on my phone at this post and the following one, so my apologies for the delay.  this is probably a condensed and less eloquent version)

We awoke early in the freezing cold, and it took so much determination to get out of the cozy sleeping bags and step into the frigid morning air.  Our shoes were frozen solid, and nearly impossible to put on.  After several minutes of flexing and working and smashing our shoes, we were able to get them on - quite possibly one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever done! 

The snow had frozen into a sheet of solid ice, which made hiking a little more difficult.  AS we hiked along, the morning air warmed.  Ice from the trees began to rain down onto us as the snow turned to slush. 

As we slowly descended the mountain, the snow amount decreased, and we eventually began to smell some of the familiar desert aromas that we had become so acquainted with.  As if we had clicked our heels together, we were suddenly in our old familiar desert again.  We never thought we'd miss it so!

We walked downhill ALL DAY LONG...swtchbacks all the way down the 10,000+ foot mountain. It really took a toll on Moonshine, he was exhausted with sore feet.  At the end of the longest descent ever, we plopped down in the first semi-flat spot we could find.