To West Yellowstone Day 4: bailed

I’m starting this day at mile 914.7. I’m ending it in West Yellowstone. I hiked 2 miles on the trail, then I bailed down mile creek to the highway and tried to hitch, then walked however many miles on the highway back to Reynolds Pass where after hours standing in the wind and sprinkles I got a ride to West Yellowstone. 

When I woke up to my alarm it was very dark. I found a lot of inch long skinny worms in the dimples of my sleeping pad. This had been a pretty bad campsite. I mixed up some coffee and breakfast essentials but I wasn’t hungry for anything else. I decided to eat some cookies as I hiked. Had I gone a little farther on the trail there was a flatter area. Had I gone two miles to Mile Creek there were shaded tent sites. Will I ever learn?

My ride was a kind man and his son, who may have been autistic, who said he makes a point to try to help people in need. I thanked him profusely. He dropped me off at the post office where I picked up a package containing a new polycryo ground sheet and my air mesh fleece.  I was going to send home my puffy as a trade for the fleece but it was suddenly so cold compared to yesterday. 

McDonald’s was near the post office so I stopped in for breakfast but I was too late and settled for lunch. 

I bought two nights at The Madison hotel and bought some things to try and hydrate myself. I got coconut water, although it was not the most natural kind, some lite salt (half potassium chloride), some pedialyte drink mix and some chips. I got some kefir which I’ve been eying ever since Helena. Might as well satisfy a mild craving. 

I caught glimpses of hikers as I walked around town. I saw Mango and FastCash. I saw a few guys from Lima at McDonald’s. I saw hikers I did not recognize. I saw Wanderer. He had climbed the whole big 10,000 foot mountain after where I camped and he camped on the descent after 10 pm. 

I had no real hunger. I ate at McDonald’s only because I hoped for breakfast sandwiches. I got ice cream but it didn’t taste like anything. I ate nothing else until dinner and had stir fried veggies at a Chinese restaurant. 

As I walked around town I felt like it was hard to breathe. I found a pharmacy and bought a Covid test. I tested negative. So my hydrate, rest, eat plan would have to suffice. 

My feet feel weird from all the hiking in wet socks. I bought a new pair of socks. I will keep the old ones to wear if my socks get wet. Darn Tough socks take a long time to dry. 

I talked to Tony on the phone a lot. I worked out resupply plans all the way to the end of Wyoming. If I get to the highway to Lander without dying but I still feel like I might die, I can always go to Jackson and fly home. 

The day went by quickly. I hope I can sleep. I have such poor sleep I’m afraid to sleep.