tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-389121492024-03-12T21:36:45.592-07:00Farewell to SpringDiary of a 50-something woman whose trail name is PiperPiperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.comBlogger777125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-56070274541228147272023-03-25T14:54:00.002-07:002023-03-25T14:55:37.970-07:00Knife<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7XO2PwrRcvePkSLwzggE-CLxqtBedpxYjpXtBFI-hTojI85-wFfh-w4PDtJN2aetLckGSxIla8de1Ve42mCk4Kko70Rd-i1rusIrkEB-h3SKRAkdkkjBt_eGDIq8W1_ME6y-dtmDg0XETGWooAFkLykr_IAOjxA4kK-L6iYJ-yHfcIXs/s4032/IMG_6081.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7XO2PwrRcvePkSLwzggE-CLxqtBedpxYjpXtBFI-hTojI85-wFfh-w4PDtJN2aetLckGSxIla8de1Ve42mCk4Kko70Rd-i1rusIrkEB-h3SKRAkdkkjBt_eGDIq8W1_ME6y-dtmDg0XETGWooAFkLykr_IAOjxA4kK-L6iYJ-yHfcIXs/s320/IMG_6081.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-31600214139445469912023-03-03T18:46:00.001-08:002023-03-03T18:46:28.399-08:00I'm going to hike the Arizona Trail<p>I have given it some thought and I think the health issue I had on the CDT was caffeine overdose. I peed too much, I could not sleep, I felt like I was dying. I think it was caffeine and chronic lack of sleep because of the caffeine. I won't make that mistake again.</p><p>I am going to hike the <b>Arizona Trail</b> at the end of March. I am really looking forward to it. This is a great year for the AZT. There should be a lot of wildflowers in the desert. There should be plenty of water. There may be a lot of snow, especially north of the Grand Canyon. You can road walk that section. This does not appeal to me at all, but I'll wait to see what it's like when I get there.</p><p>There should be a lot of hikers, too. The PCT is so snowy this year people are quitting before they even begin. Some of them will go to the AZT instead.<br /></p><p>I'm going to mail my food and see how that goes. I found it hard to shop as I went in those small Idaho/Montana towns on the CDT. I assume some of these small Arizona towns could also be hard to shop in. So I will mail a minimum amount of food and supplement with snack foods in town.</p><p>The food I will send:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Breakfast</b>: Oats with dates, protein powder or collagen, chia/flax/pumpkin/sunflower seeds, milk or coconut cream powder, peanut butter. Breakfast Essentials and Starbucks Via (only 1 per day).<br /></li><li><b>Lunch/snacks</b>: Larry & David Protein Cookies, extra strength Digest supplement (pea protein is hard for me), Ivan bars (so good), Just Fruit bars.</li><li><b>Dinner</b>: Three different dinners: 1) Cous-cous with dehydrated chicken, pine nuts, sundried tomatoes, olive oil. 2) Dehydrated refried beans (and more Digest supplement), dehydrated cheese, taco seasoning, dehydrated corn and red bell peppers, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated rice and store-bought corn chips. 3) Spam singles, dehydrated sushi rice, sesame oil and Japanese rice topping.</li><li><b>Supplements</b>: Curcumin with pepper (inflammation), Digest (for beans), Magnesium (for leg cramps), Lite salt (for potassium), Salt stick caps (electrolytes).<br /></li></ul><p>I've got my base pack weight down to 8lbs. This is about 5lbs less than the CDT. Eight pounds if I use a <a href="https://nashvillepack.com/collections/packs-and-straps/products/the-cutaway-pack" target="_blank">Nashville Cutaway</a> pack, a little more if I use one of my other packs. </p><p>The Cutaway is a small pack. They say it is 26L at the collar and 31L total. I'm a little worried I won't be able to fit all my food. Fortunately it is not until the Grand Canyon that there are any segments longer than 4.5 days. By then I should be able to hike more miles per day.</p><p>If I don't go with the Cutaway I have a <a href="https://palantepacks.com/products/copy-of-v2" target="_blank">Pa'lante V2</a> which they say is 31L just for the internal capacity, not counting the external pockets. I modified the Pa'lante pack to take the Nashville straps so this is my new favorite pack. I love the bottom pocket on the Pa'lante. It is big and easy to access. I can put snacks and my wind jacket and pants in there. There's a little trash hole to stuff in your wrappers. I took it on a thru-hike of the <a href="https://imgur.com/a/7V7AKne" target="_blank">Backbone Trail</a> and loved it.<br /></p><p>The bottom pocket on the Cutaway is small and hard to access. I am not sure I would put snacks in there because it's too hard to reach in. The big
uni-pocket on the Cutaway is weird. Sure you can reach everything in the big pocket without taking off the pack but nothing stays in its little area. It all flops around in there. It's all one big shapeless pseudo-pocket. The whole pack is weird and shapeless
and sort of drives me nuts. I could thrash it to hell on the AZT and
not care if it died, which is the reason why I am leaning toward taking
it. Maybe if I have something to hate other than the trail itself I will be better off.<br /></p><p>Lastly I have my trusty Zpacks Arc Blast which now seems too big at 50L. It's always been the most comfortable pack I've ever worn. I don't think I'll need huge water capacity this year. Almost 5L capacity is what I will have.<br /></p>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-17092401187749192672022-08-13T09:38:00.024-07:002022-08-13T09:38:00.206-07:00Videos of my 2022 SOBO section hike of the CDT<p>I did 45 days on the CDT. I went home from West Yellowstone. I think I may have gotten a concussion when I fell before Darby. I didn't really rest and recover after I fell. I didn't even take my first zero day until Lima. Symptoms of untreated concussion include headaches, nausea, fatigue and insomnia, which I had. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, nausea, leg cramps. Symptoms of exercise exhaustion include fatigue, loss of energy, pain and stiffness, nausea, headaches, shortness of breath. I probably had all three. Sucks to get old. Sucks to sit behind a desk for 13 years.<br /></p><p>Here are videos from my trip.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries/?list=PL-9yXoCfg54NUQR8WFOL_sYooSzs2ZBYe&index=2" width="320" youtube-src-id="2S6vCJUhNpo"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-6759048343290011392022-08-12T07:53:00.072-07:002022-08-12T07:53:00.201-07:00Zero day in West Yellowstone <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Not a lot to say about zero days but I really needed to rest. I just don’t feel right. Shortness of breath, dull feeling in my chest, a lot of peeing—always clear—a lot of thirst but little desire to drink, no real appetite, occasional nausea. I rested as well as I could, which wasn’t very well with all the chores to do on foot.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"> </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I bought a COVID test from the pharmacy. I tested negative. <br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The hotel where I stayed was next to one of those cosmetics shops where middle eastern men stand out in front and offer samples. I found out a hiker had borrowed a bicycle from one of the men so I asked him if I could borrow the bike next. The mission for both of us was to get to the dispensary. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I had tried hitchhiking and had no luck. The dispensary was 7.5 miles away. Bike rentals were expensive. Borrowing the bike was going to save a lot of money. I needed gummies to help me sleep. This was my last day in a town in a state where such things are legal. Benadryl, according to Dr. Google, exacerbates heat exhaustion symptoms and it did not make me sleepy anyway. I could not bear the thought of any more sleepless nights either in the hotel before heading out or on the trail. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">So I rode 15 miles round trip to get gummies. In the rain. On a busy highway with trucks, RVs, and rumble strips in the shoulder. While riding I could still feel my main symptom which is a sense of tiredness in my chest and difficulty breathing. I breathed in-out hard like the hills near Lima with the effort of pedaling. At least it was relatively flat to get there. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">After that errand, I was pretty wet and cold (imagine that!) so I crawled under the covers of my bed and took a nap. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">When I woke up I thought I could probably eat pizza. I went to Wild West Pizza and Saloon and got a personal pizza and a salad. The salad was so good. It had onions and cucumbers on it. I felt better just from that. I got a white sauce pizza and a beer. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’ve been putting lite salt on things, drinking Gatorade, eating salty almonds and making lists in my head of foods to bring for this 8 day section. I have a stop in 3 days to buy restaurant food and snacks so I don’t have to carry a full 8 day resupply, just an extra 5 days of things that are not snacks. <br /><div><br /></div><div>———</div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning, after sleeping pretty well thanks to the gummies, and despite needing to pee several times, I woke early to check FarOut for water info and saw the last water for me would be at 16 miles from the trailhead. After that the next water would be 26.6 miles and inside the park. I would have to get a permit to camp in the park. I would have to commit to a 16 mile day this afternoon and a 26.6 mile day tomorrow. </div><div><br /></div><div>Suddenly the weight of all this dehydration and exhaustion and loneliness overwhelmed me. The remoteness of the trail towns, the hot summer heat, the inability to feel 100% well, the dread to return to trail. </div><div><br /></div><div>I bought a plane ticket for less money than the rest of this trip would be. I could be home around midnight. Poof it would be over. </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt simultaneously sad and relieved. I went to tell Wanderer who was outside waiting for his ride back to the trail. He could tell anyone who asked if I was still on trail that I wasn’t. Not that anyone would miss me or anything. I saw some guys with backpacks hitchhiking and gave them my bear spray and fuel. </div><div><br /></div><div>It makes me sad that I’m not strong and fast like everyone else. I had hoped to hike a trail like this with others and enjoy that kind of experience of camaraderie. This was the loneliest town on the trail. I barely spent time with anyone here. A brief conversation was the most time spent. </div><div><br /></div><div>This has been the hardest trail I’ve ever hiked. I hiked about 800 miles. I hiked the Bob and the Anaconda-Pintlers and a lot of other wild places. All the things I’ve seen are all blurred together. It looked nothing like anywhere I’ve ever been. So beautiful. I’m glad I gave it a try.</div><div><br /></div><div>The airport is 2 miles away. My flight leaves in 8 hours. I think I can I make it. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKGkJLU9Pi51RUiJMwvQg8oCU3qirQ1LAXgG-jPCrzY0uGkTXyyOHGxV_LtpSLlzRJs4Oua5S2lEh29Jfz3V8ErDanPD7Nv_pSBSPFilN9gKmb84NDWr2c_q-_gqlzwMAWsEijJzfWWMVgaltcT6paq40ibxCGTqYvQChX22hh10JCLA/s4032/67812941275__5F8A58AE-D9F8-4F63-9A02-E5AF1D7201C8.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKGkJLU9Pi51RUiJMwvQg8oCU3qirQ1LAXgG-jPCrzY0uGkTXyyOHGxV_LtpSLlzRJs4Oua5S2lEh29Jfz3V8ErDanPD7Nv_pSBSPFilN9gKmb84NDWr2c_q-_gqlzwMAWsEijJzfWWMVgaltcT6paq40ibxCGTqYvQChX22hh10JCLA/s320/67812941275__5F8A58AE-D9F8-4F63-9A02-E5AF1D7201C8.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great view in the Bob<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluzaqOi25S0Lq_DrMdvkvs4TuRclYx3oym2Bxx7xSgDmqg0bSOMCxTyn3eA3ZdD0GYZewNu9RqMAzTl4wfYolSca8ej34Zs0TaEueRUHSpaIF_sh7TRy8Svbkv9MtnTGJw1dId_1-hkUddCGzHnFVm5xLgMIwkQEdqaaEVxrVLhMyWjQ/s4032/IMG_2483.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluzaqOi25S0Lq_DrMdvkvs4TuRclYx3oym2Bxx7xSgDmqg0bSOMCxTyn3eA3ZdD0GYZewNu9RqMAzTl4wfYolSca8ej34Zs0TaEueRUHSpaIF_sh7TRy8Svbkv9MtnTGJw1dId_1-hkUddCGzHnFVm5xLgMIwkQEdqaaEVxrVLhMyWjQ/s320/IMG_2483.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial blowdowns in the Bob</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUkjLGXOcteNohM4m1W_u1tQNwFCPysIbvtSkGUDpWSTYP8CFLPA-PB7dMj4mVg-f27O85e_BGTviiJxV1zeipzCxnCihoX0nv0WNgyxReZ4UpQN1BFSskgrjA0LWwXP1tkv7BURNQRStDl8WymNidOG5VatArV2_-GQdrrVWcFIeGho/s4032/IMG_2553.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUkjLGXOcteNohM4m1W_u1tQNwFCPysIbvtSkGUDpWSTYP8CFLPA-PB7dMj4mVg-f27O85e_BGTviiJxV1zeipzCxnCihoX0nv0WNgyxReZ4UpQN1BFSskgrjA0LWwXP1tkv7BURNQRStDl8WymNidOG5VatArV2_-GQdrrVWcFIeGho/s320/IMG_2553.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow near North Chinese Wall</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlf-pG213u4Mu_LeqYnB45uHSspbqXuexpZCiERLBezNZcDmfLilW8fUeNEahqzr65k-som8-j_co9lSB8OBubGLsATlnIX6-rmoLqPqlDarAO0SP5sAhv-ftArSMV58t86usqHZZXBfCIOfU-LGlwBWEwjN2PGngOMD5xgk2ekXFL8Q/s4032/IMG_3491.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlf-pG213u4Mu_LeqYnB45uHSspbqXuexpZCiERLBezNZcDmfLilW8fUeNEahqzr65k-som8-j_co9lSB8OBubGLsATlnIX6-rmoLqPqlDarAO0SP5sAhv-ftArSMV58t86usqHZZXBfCIOfU-LGlwBWEwjN2PGngOMD5xgk2ekXFL8Q/s320/IMG_3491.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft rounded hills of Montana </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8G5TFD3qEms5iMUuBf8jLgAdSaPL2M_M03E77m01I3gg14NBsYcImPQew4cjcETTlg5pnlnfsfptSEtyHjOuc5_xTQTxMoAn6FgvPvIIJNtp7HJ2tHIjKsJpUGLehyWp7QRNTV0TBKswWGk1z9W8Aga5dvpxnK6E6ZeU72nYC6zrV3YI/s4032/IMG_3615.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8G5TFD3qEms5iMUuBf8jLgAdSaPL2M_M03E77m01I3gg14NBsYcImPQew4cjcETTlg5pnlnfsfptSEtyHjOuc5_xTQTxMoAn6FgvPvIIJNtp7HJ2tHIjKsJpUGLehyWp7QRNTV0TBKswWGk1z9W8Aga5dvpxnK6E6ZeU72nYC6zrV3YI/s320/IMG_3615.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larch forest in Anaconda-Pintlers </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmOUNKN50otBWepWggk86guRjYVR99UvyISicbjpLr4AKgyd2FOlADTf8dE3cH2_EOuglPgZfpxU1hNJoApbJCUPXaXQCtPLBKzqYyr1L9spO8kFs3UI_5Tw8-MZ9nqgxnhNvQMUv7uI6bcZWHPn1F7pNWYszU6DLQEvoafIOhQTJG04/s4032/IMG_3650.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmOUNKN50otBWepWggk86guRjYVR99UvyISicbjpLr4AKgyd2FOlADTf8dE3cH2_EOuglPgZfpxU1hNJoApbJCUPXaXQCtPLBKzqYyr1L9spO8kFs3UI_5Tw8-MZ9nqgxnhNvQMUv7uI6bcZWHPn1F7pNWYszU6DLQEvoafIOhQTJG04/s320/IMG_3650.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake in the Anaconda-Pintlers </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbnTxSejJ6EdE9DqObbktBx9FQLoSz221LthRJErujHYqwtljj3wKMmivhwk-IFHikM66dmMUB5MnJNTJ5zk91Bifm1AJ4DyUzfyjHqPuOq4N18C-lZDsSlak1sRScr5iZIlBoKq0hmGMIHk8AyJp0TcKPVF3rQC1IKtxUrmF2PQZ2VE/s4032/IMG_4220.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbnTxSejJ6EdE9DqObbktBx9FQLoSz221LthRJErujHYqwtljj3wKMmivhwk-IFHikM66dmMUB5MnJNTJ5zk91Bifm1AJ4DyUzfyjHqPuOq4N18C-lZDsSlak1sRScr5iZIlBoKq0hmGMIHk8AyJp0TcKPVF3rQC1IKtxUrmF2PQZ2VE/s320/IMG_4220.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following Id/Mt border near Lima</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1euiS_xAOgzW5q2GWE4SahwUU8jHjCCpCZWbR3Mpr_4HfuSMkRKBnPP1M3mhVd-kiTjRj28MUzzCY8stnQUn3SeDOxuy1NMtDB4h6wUcHok3U4KRREhJp5e6GGL12TowWcBxyZ2bvAGV1uCBhOEXOQIulxXf_suSOsxt301Cldk0GzA/s4032/C9A0EC46-D619-4833-BC36-8DB0879C746F.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1euiS_xAOgzW5q2GWE4SahwUU8jHjCCpCZWbR3Mpr_4HfuSMkRKBnPP1M3mhVd-kiTjRj28MUzzCY8stnQUn3SeDOxuy1NMtDB4h6wUcHok3U4KRREhJp5e6GGL12TowWcBxyZ2bvAGV1uCBhOEXOQIulxXf_suSOsxt301Cldk0GzA/s320/C9A0EC46-D619-4833-BC36-8DB0879C746F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildflowers and butterflies in Southern Montana<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-yk-LV6UVz78O82XHW5FXIW43DlanIYea08vA7gulgJcVI7AD6u1Pc8gh3OtYiwsaqECRp-T3JUdcRuwtuS-VzT9zUz32fSiXTUwPqPNGr7JhZzVG8ov6lkSCJhvGZM-42p4wiyRdQG11LC_NILEwPOCSPBJ8NQu6nVY3Khzl8-anKc/s4032/D89D95E8-0AD8-4394-92BB-4BC2F476C072.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-yk-LV6UVz78O82XHW5FXIW43DlanIYea08vA7gulgJcVI7AD6u1Pc8gh3OtYiwsaqECRp-T3JUdcRuwtuS-VzT9zUz32fSiXTUwPqPNGr7JhZzVG8ov6lkSCJhvGZM-42p4wiyRdQG11LC_NILEwPOCSPBJ8NQu6nVY3Khzl8-anKc/s320/D89D95E8-0AD8-4394-92BB-4BC2F476C072.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt road on my 2nd to last day on trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUsz6z-7linYD0R4-mSD24MYphg8ShGRUCVZplrR51J3sj2mmCFe-3uySKQGeB3qfM5UhHjBvC3wsrSEOaQdLRb282uGrQr6LN98yHJMTYcdqRGn-uRPmjnEACfDjVi6J56zXO2LAfz2y3TCnwMyKSNuehMZwHZFxY5rtIM4qCZkOebU/s4032/07E8CF39-26D4-4D1E-813D-4E0652C8DF97.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUsz6z-7linYD0R4-mSD24MYphg8ShGRUCVZplrR51J3sj2mmCFe-3uySKQGeB3qfM5UhHjBvC3wsrSEOaQdLRb282uGrQr6LN98yHJMTYcdqRGn-uRPmjnEACfDjVi6J56zXO2LAfz2y3TCnwMyKSNuehMZwHZFxY5rtIM4qCZkOebU/s320/07E8CF39-26D4-4D1E-813D-4E0652C8DF97.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storm on my 2nd to last day<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUP3Z4wljrG9XJg-9eORa47diqbRVlHBCPOkFk3vW92XgFvARJvosELaT0fKKwW9v42fl55IsweY_okH7Q-Q59IX2KqQrnRrmihcyaeL9hWXcF0GjAEdBX20bu9Ksod0ca7_Z-fhJSw7LRO-bs4mnwhqkouebv_Lze99fVv60mMgce7Q/s4032/DED24F1D-D39E-4938-9C01-9D0CDB0B677F.jpeg" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUP3Z4wljrG9XJg-9eORa47diqbRVlHBCPOkFk3vW92XgFvARJvosELaT0fKKwW9v42fl55IsweY_okH7Q-Q59IX2KqQrnRrmihcyaeL9hWXcF0GjAEdBX20bu9Ksod0ca7_Z-fhJSw7LRO-bs4mnwhqkouebv_Lze99fVv60mMgce7Q/s320/DED24F1D-D39E-4938-9C01-9D0CDB0B677F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best night’s sleep </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-71894590276753201392022-08-10T19:25:00.009-07:002022-08-10T19:25:00.206-07:00To West Yellowstone Day 4: bailed <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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?</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9enEiOKjtugWrYSaYfaHWes4cU9tSqNqw0a9Jr-JPGrlMNSRm9y1sBsq-C3ssdytR8L4o7qHRdDoBlnt1oLeOKMMCdWu4x9DlVNX2NXz2DH-eh6vdUDbQ-6boAGwQ6NCw0VeU0hWmToCe_I5md13aJjwNNfdW7GTkf1muV9FhII9mhE/s4032/61676DDB-6C7F-4607-B821-A8F7194A295D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9enEiOKjtugWrYSaYfaHWes4cU9tSqNqw0a9Jr-JPGrlMNSRm9y1sBsq-C3ssdytR8L4o7qHRdDoBlnt1oLeOKMMCdWu4x9DlVNX2NXz2DH-eh6vdUDbQ-6boAGwQ6NCw0VeU0hWmToCe_I5md13aJjwNNfdW7GTkf1muV9FhII9mhE/s320/61676DDB-6C7F-4607-B821-A8F7194A295D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZwRhnguhZ5XP1n4mUqYvuOrpUcJ1KAD_5hSs45jlC1GsT1KL4dGZSK1LkG2Fmbo8s5WKAtisms4l3jN79Qhd8RYMzFKI1GkCkL-imzcq5o3TSCUuyop1Tls2lJebeX318eCtwHEsdeFWMVMGc2RcXZNy2jilg7d27-V-0rjv4tsgZcQ/s4032/7F079DEC-BFD6-4EAE-BEB0-6264A383E77B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZwRhnguhZ5XP1n4mUqYvuOrpUcJ1KAD_5hSs45jlC1GsT1KL4dGZSK1LkG2Fmbo8s5WKAtisms4l3jN79Qhd8RYMzFKI1GkCkL-imzcq5o3TSCUuyop1Tls2lJebeX318eCtwHEsdeFWMVMGc2RcXZNy2jilg7d27-V-0rjv4tsgZcQ/s320/7F079DEC-BFD6-4EAE-BEB0-6264A383E77B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_nFHHmOXCOUqm2vImvX6Fl8DTV1dDJ3SIdj6zemnGJ7M8CAXcjv2AolCC59Wi1NBCGmfJgdbFkksDN3beQJSjz9x5QpQk2Zmv62-fHvZBDYOuMjLrDExbns9ms5sCRPPJPXNOvnyZSbLkDzjk95FnX0PVHmIFkGRWIY_inP6xq345Ys/s4032/FE0CE232-E503-4518-B763-BBB3A5C75C25.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_nFHHmOXCOUqm2vImvX6Fl8DTV1dDJ3SIdj6zemnGJ7M8CAXcjv2AolCC59Wi1NBCGmfJgdbFkksDN3beQJSjz9x5QpQk2Zmv62-fHvZBDYOuMjLrDExbns9ms5sCRPPJPXNOvnyZSbLkDzjk95FnX0PVHmIFkGRWIY_inP6xq345Ys/s320/FE0CE232-E503-4518-B763-BBB3A5C75C25.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWNtH29U3h3OteoC5aBQsuC4PlW0ttU1Zgj4hN8kTuMz_zoPpLzaBc3CzRSu2PQFVeduAc8v03oj2_dnyMEpvKXV2PdQiME2X97-xq6xZmntvATuucv1O-YmwqxWbH8LgUvJB2frsRkvJJCKSRZXzxsXswxeSgXf_ET_VorG9W5kr2cs/s4032/9F5D6645-D438-4B22-915E-2348A83FAA9D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWNtH29U3h3OteoC5aBQsuC4PlW0ttU1Zgj4hN8kTuMz_zoPpLzaBc3CzRSu2PQFVeduAc8v03oj2_dnyMEpvKXV2PdQiME2X97-xq6xZmntvATuucv1O-YmwqxWbH8LgUvJB2frsRkvJJCKSRZXzxsXswxeSgXf_ET_VorG9W5kr2cs/s320/9F5D6645-D438-4B22-915E-2348A83FAA9D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">McDonald’s was near the post office so I stopped in for breakfast but I was too late and settled for lunch. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPYuIgsWR_8SPGlRcfNbyijfTxbIBmiiTnsvXqzVc_QqkjYYKtHkieBKnizHjuKq225_7Q5LB7-EBbw1gh9EZjHC9JHYHmKK1fpr0lvNGEw5kTeTRLJLb_UEpR772sXUxlpHK_c-O_QCkYwN_etN1Q7Jz_m4ZhDG4hdIMqQlq_TZMAdk/s4032/1F446554-42B0-43DE-9DEA-A0F870723F6A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPYuIgsWR_8SPGlRcfNbyijfTxbIBmiiTnsvXqzVc_QqkjYYKtHkieBKnizHjuKq225_7Q5LB7-EBbw1gh9EZjHC9JHYHmKK1fpr0lvNGEw5kTeTRLJLb_UEpR772sXUxlpHK_c-O_QCkYwN_etN1Q7Jz_m4ZhDG4hdIMqQlq_TZMAdk/s320/1F446554-42B0-43DE-9DEA-A0F870723F6A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayv7n-0qOY2q9yu9uvN4DqxDkkG-VLgZgHQmUUF4sNT_KSLWUnldaurEGDzNANc6pCbJVVqRDvpGzPuHG_WS0b4-CvkRtrskflA94RgxDChCEC57fAinXe0VHTHPCuyd17_fYUcI_L0c4vF1RF0Rk9i-QhsLsON_9HcgvntTyT8hVWJE/s4032/07A1C593-775C-4BC3-907E-04C9761661F2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayv7n-0qOY2q9yu9uvN4DqxDkkG-VLgZgHQmUUF4sNT_KSLWUnldaurEGDzNANc6pCbJVVqRDvpGzPuHG_WS0b4-CvkRtrskflA94RgxDChCEC57fAinXe0VHTHPCuyd17_fYUcI_L0c4vF1RF0Rk9i-QhsLsON_9HcgvntTyT8hVWJE/s320/07A1C593-775C-4BC3-907E-04C9761661F2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">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. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The day went by quickly. I hope I can sleep. I have such poor sleep I’m afraid to sleep. </div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-10571665460280959152022-08-09T19:03:00.001-07:002022-08-09T19:03:00.210-07:00To West Yellowstone Day 3: there are no amenities on this trail<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><div>I’m starting at mile 889.2. I’m ending at mile 914.7. I hiked 25.5 miles. </div><div><br /></div><div>I ended the day with a full 21 mile day to get to the pass where I can hitch to West Yellowstone.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’ve heard people say that the CDT is a cold trail. I have never been so consistently overheated and unable to properly hydrate than on this trail. I don’t think I can continue. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I got myself packed up and back on trail I walked around the corner and could see a spot where someone had slept. Did they sleep there last night and see my headlamp as I got up to pee three times in the night? I also saw a lot of great campsites another 50 paces down the trail. Too bad. I had been searching for a site for 2 and a half hours and took the first thing I could make work. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I got down to the water source Snickers was there. He’s a young guy who reminds me of Nathan. I met him in Lima. Soon Wanderer arrived. I met him in Lima, too. He started out in the same shuttle as me and he had given me some propel so I would have electrolytes. He wondered how many miles I did yesterday. I guess he had been trying to catch me. </div><div><br /></div><div>The trail climbed and descended through interesting volcanic landscape and cheerful forests and meadows. I crossed numerous streams including one called Hell Roaring Creek. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepMrmLbdBxoKvJNBcS2-YH8ins35j9IUo8Het9o4OhSPz-kEPXcEseVPhh1tGHlZCA44LS2ijgfHm-aJscBeEU1wvsSV5aXzRwlbZ4Kl1JZDWfEQqvlfyJexdHzlnNLlsaQCxREyMfUR_gKFD5tj-amuEkaqSioBTsDuwPJjVqbejWE0/s4032/333CFCD5-5B27-47EA-9261-FFA283D0A71B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepMrmLbdBxoKvJNBcS2-YH8ins35j9IUo8Het9o4OhSPz-kEPXcEseVPhh1tGHlZCA44LS2ijgfHm-aJscBeEU1wvsSV5aXzRwlbZ4Kl1JZDWfEQqvlfyJexdHzlnNLlsaQCxREyMfUR_gKFD5tj-amuEkaqSioBTsDuwPJjVqbejWE0/s320/333CFCD5-5B27-47EA-9261-FFA283D0A71B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQJFBEHId-ucu_qLops6nAdWet0RMJBEqBH5e4nKW3t-nV3zzvIcV67Rh0nLAnVJ4XbPEBGQaX9NGuCkQXSOoJ1wCQnV7NVDTMp9vjTulG0WILR4GYw9mzb4ZQOAJmaa84E4OVOGbP1y9WFUAezQGTevv0eHGN6r9lzWoiSZH88CBGbo/s4032/7A35C9B3-D7BF-424D-BA2F-C373BE9F55FC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQJFBEHId-ucu_qLops6nAdWet0RMJBEqBH5e4nKW3t-nV3zzvIcV67Rh0nLAnVJ4XbPEBGQaX9NGuCkQXSOoJ1wCQnV7NVDTMp9vjTulG0WILR4GYw9mzb4ZQOAJmaa84E4OVOGbP1y9WFUAezQGTevv0eHGN6r9lzWoiSZH88CBGbo/s320/7A35C9B3-D7BF-424D-BA2F-C373BE9F55FC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P1EVv1TzyKBC4zh6KI_OOEI3BZIxAheGdSA0GuwbNqFJmaVn6o9ZIEAXU5V8ro-4H_vg87Wn3-bJWjnLc0d-uAFT6VdWnUoR83swQbuArTWZYc0zeea5griuRtR6mD9naoNVIH7COa1BbJATfhTYTvQiGnppIJWmCzuwn0U_W3Xx1R8/s4032/C29627A4-CD51-42FE-815E-B5C494E0B4C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1P1EVv1TzyKBC4zh6KI_OOEI3BZIxAheGdSA0GuwbNqFJmaVn6o9ZIEAXU5V8ro-4H_vg87Wn3-bJWjnLc0d-uAFT6VdWnUoR83swQbuArTWZYc0zeea5griuRtR6mD9naoNVIH7COa1BbJATfhTYTvQiGnppIJWmCzuwn0U_W3Xx1R8/s320/C29627A4-CD51-42FE-815E-B5C494E0B4C8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After the trail slowly descended out of the forest it followed a dirt road for the majority of the mid-day. It was hot and exposed to the sun. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhyGFgF0XROGOiu4AWQiMMHC7vDqIpKn0vhCZc6M5gjrSTtXRlOrVrmHXRZu_pwTQGGSeRjgorQWwKh3C1zMPEF4oCxMWlO3agjHAHLGm4BZ8s69jMGRvCN4KQCGARSM2q9urXy5jAg0DY8eW1Lx7-CL6-6pyHlqJBbPVsHPKout1CXU/s4032/014A46B2-8CAF-4DD1-9A52-43313DB8DB13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhyGFgF0XROGOiu4AWQiMMHC7vDqIpKn0vhCZc6M5gjrSTtXRlOrVrmHXRZu_pwTQGGSeRjgorQWwKh3C1zMPEF4oCxMWlO3agjHAHLGm4BZ8s69jMGRvCN4KQCGARSM2q9urXy5jAg0DY8eW1Lx7-CL6-6pyHlqJBbPVsHPKout1CXU/s320/014A46B2-8CAF-4DD1-9A52-43313DB8DB13.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaJnLy0p5uWjJ8ygXZPxgjWQo4Bk3ia6EtAum27vEge595wnMnKStxFWntJTZf3wpX-p4ozYbU7WIKiJFmTwlGhIg8ewapkL2eoS5yR30xaZ0HtXPtJiE4_-L79K1lBXhQ5J24Gv8lmoCxgfCuJ66qTOhWRy0gBHtO4vsZQ3tMXBxD0k/s4032/6814A469-33A6-4813-8C3A-FB9E7D6FA179.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaJnLy0p5uWjJ8ygXZPxgjWQo4Bk3ia6EtAum27vEge595wnMnKStxFWntJTZf3wpX-p4ozYbU7WIKiJFmTwlGhIg8ewapkL2eoS5yR30xaZ0HtXPtJiE4_-L79K1lBXhQ5J24Gv8lmoCxgfCuJ66qTOhWRy0gBHtO4vsZQ3tMXBxD0k/s320/6814A469-33A6-4813-8C3A-FB9E7D6FA179.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I felt okay for a while. I was drinking my electrolytes but I was slowly overheating. At the end of the day I felt blasted by the sun and sick to my stomach. I seriously contemplated walking down the hill to a house that had green grass and offering money to sleep in their yard and drink water from their hose. </div><div><br /></div><div>I struggled in the sun to reach a creek on the hillside. I could not go any further. I had felt so sore and tired from the 27 miles yesterday. I did not want to do it again. I figured out a way to sleep on the hillside on a flattish spot in the aspens. A thunderstorm was growling as I tied most of the lines of my tarp to the aspens. It came out loose and the winds blew it around like last night. My bed is lumpy. I hope I can sleep. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWh9iK5CgxTsEFHYlhpDt_HNMUgiXNyWQtJ4UFTSz34VpWnUOrkK3bAv4ezG4-WsdjwOfRx5-Lr0gdRs0CcU01l4zmZL1jfb3ZY1byak3ZiNfqchmXSCRRSeOdnqp_60CkKP5bO1ycodZiH-n3YLenmJtj1I0xt7tpVJ59MlUI2it941M/s4032/5ED39577-B501-47CC-9B38-511FD9F7F79C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWh9iK5CgxTsEFHYlhpDt_HNMUgiXNyWQtJ4UFTSz34VpWnUOrkK3bAv4ezG4-WsdjwOfRx5-Lr0gdRs0CcU01l4zmZL1jfb3ZY1byak3ZiNfqchmXSCRRSeOdnqp_60CkKP5bO1ycodZiH-n3YLenmJtj1I0xt7tpVJ59MlUI2it941M/s320/5ED39577-B501-47CC-9B38-511FD9F7F79C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div>The idea of 21 more miles to town weighs on me. I don’t think I can continue. I texted Tony and asked if he would like to go to Yellowstone. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6dNBGp09vqRpR20BdrmAmtmsnBa7ugjUNej5ym1CVcVxLCXC8TWLz0pF2BPXAik9rCuv92W2SAwKlyEdhFyi9e5QjLKtSLXdR8ZA0XREFOVHab7ZZeq_xt7S_X44E6OKaI6h1GkNELsDgduaJiHDgfqRjWRjrxeolRTL7JDDWiJqTnU/s4032/1BB88435-DF22-4820-98D5-27F8CCFF010D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6dNBGp09vqRpR20BdrmAmtmsnBa7ugjUNej5ym1CVcVxLCXC8TWLz0pF2BPXAik9rCuv92W2SAwKlyEdhFyi9e5QjLKtSLXdR8ZA0XREFOVHab7ZZeq_xt7S_X44E6OKaI6h1GkNELsDgduaJiHDgfqRjWRjrxeolRTL7JDDWiJqTnU/s320/1BB88435-DF22-4820-98D5-27F8CCFF010D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-28414651593460058792022-08-08T18:56:00.009-07:002022-08-08T18:56:00.214-07:00To West Yellowstone Day 2: wet feet morning, long ascent/descent afternoon<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 862.2. Ending at 889.2. I went 27 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I didn’t get into camp until 8. So I don’t have a lot to say. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I probably saw 30 NOBOs and no SOBOs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhnHp9uVHN1hUt-gRlWa6pTdfoW9mZVfGSIox4Nu-vHVJFAwNAqj-iaTf0yBf5ZpzcuBTM1rAnysPuUapQr1JQtVHtHQNZtt3Ps4hxQWxcKdGaXiCGff0-iaVp7gsm0z_8tvyL7cZGvn4MTfUjC1B2F-99bd1pSO9u57y2D6Pag5xht4/s4032/9A874E4F-812F-4300-9AC6-DD497686C929.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhnHp9uVHN1hUt-gRlWa6pTdfoW9mZVfGSIox4Nu-vHVJFAwNAqj-iaTf0yBf5ZpzcuBTM1rAnysPuUapQr1JQtVHtHQNZtt3Ps4hxQWxcKdGaXiCGff0-iaVp7gsm0z_8tvyL7cZGvn4MTfUjC1B2F-99bd1pSO9u57y2D6Pag5xht4/s320/9A874E4F-812F-4300-9AC6-DD497686C929.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit607PeSjxvxqMekKQXGC6tBcdrPRpq6W7GDFTGdxFGquANdHvws-ocJu-AWsPPeSYV8cx_wH1j1YiYkWP9GCUYO6mWSF4rjF4MrMHIpA2vOF9H2VomwhliSbJYTUgmWVny8b7bzH-hwpwNNUJGgMDfAhunXlEoZafYaXe8VdPDl_1nYM/s4032/44A42BF3-0302-40EF-B422-4B76F28F91F0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit607PeSjxvxqMekKQXGC6tBcdrPRpq6W7GDFTGdxFGquANdHvws-ocJu-AWsPPeSYV8cx_wH1j1YiYkWP9GCUYO6mWSF4rjF4MrMHIpA2vOF9H2VomwhliSbJYTUgmWVny8b7bzH-hwpwNNUJGgMDfAhunXlEoZafYaXe8VdPDl_1nYM/s320/44A42BF3-0302-40EF-B422-4B76F28F91F0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">There was a 17 mile stretch without water that had a long climb and descent between me and it. Some of the trail had been rerouted but without tread on either the old or new trail I got a little lost and wandered around a bit. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvX51NfzO1akdU1oTJjBWLqx6Ie6TZ24taO2SLk6-hj0GtVdlHWJ3fhBu7TjxGcDvvjQIq2DqK_pt1fbfhDcVYPfDY-y7zj5rQ3veen-ndz1jrHxdRjclXjBNkKKnd5IO3iSNZFpAN1ViirfsnLnXknXJy0xzWnwJRn9RrPh564P5VXg/s4032/E924E599-8B4F-4C7B-BCF0-F29FF018013F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvX51NfzO1akdU1oTJjBWLqx6Ie6TZ24taO2SLk6-hj0GtVdlHWJ3fhBu7TjxGcDvvjQIq2DqK_pt1fbfhDcVYPfDY-y7zj5rQ3veen-ndz1jrHxdRjclXjBNkKKnd5IO3iSNZFpAN1ViirfsnLnXknXJy0xzWnwJRn9RrPh564P5VXg/s320/E924E599-8B4F-4C7B-BCF0-F29FF018013F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPZUF4s03bqITbTBSSMp5bShpMfOM5W7KSwAgatVNW5h2O2Un3N0FYBnYdZ23aKgUXGvRvQbUBIJ3pyKCsO5zeg4ph4b02jP-oIxTz_XgrBA3bbgtgacPJz2dRI3qYI6EhDQ6LBqcRx3mhK1NrugjpqLA1h9aHwzBRUP7JN94UEEh-SU/s4032/91368820-6E8D-460C-985F-0EDD65450FE4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPZUF4s03bqITbTBSSMp5bShpMfOM5W7KSwAgatVNW5h2O2Un3N0FYBnYdZ23aKgUXGvRvQbUBIJ3pyKCsO5zeg4ph4b02jP-oIxTz_XgrBA3bbgtgacPJz2dRI3qYI6EhDQ6LBqcRx3mhK1NrugjpqLA1h9aHwzBRUP7JN94UEEh-SU/s320/91368820-6E8D-460C-985F-0EDD65450FE4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1U0RFe6wgBybJp1FGnZEJKlW7XwJiNAyvpQgQvmv6_JJc_HQ1YZvSGoEYCC3-Mn_WaC6Fb5pOESARxPG4CktZGe7Mtg5sdydxqpPlJsPGFcDhkVRf2gSJVf5XBy45_BjyjaGp7x3dmT_PjoMTDGmaDzi8BzzGFxBq8pgIMBuT50A1w8/s4032/D5863C70-6ADC-4674-86AC-712A245904E6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1U0RFe6wgBybJp1FGnZEJKlW7XwJiNAyvpQgQvmv6_JJc_HQ1YZvSGoEYCC3-Mn_WaC6Fb5pOESARxPG4CktZGe7Mtg5sdydxqpPlJsPGFcDhkVRf2gSJVf5XBy45_BjyjaGp7x3dmT_PjoMTDGmaDzi8BzzGFxBq8pgIMBuT50A1w8/s320/D5863C70-6ADC-4674-86AC-712A245904E6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">My campsite was the first possible thing I could find and therefore it was windy and bad. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIJAXWhZUzqTr2AN7J8y2J1OvDTc-D0aB24yRHHu-bQUM2sAFA1ISzjq3ZY1NNekK1Srz5U1wwbsRYpnDBi1QglPMSssCM1r3u_Ac5Oo19CLAzLecCmSMtya5lDFUH-mO8k0JnflpE9Xa12n54k7o5VGZWUf-CAZkBWuwcHQFfHnTD7k/s4032/64246BFF-ABE6-4DDA-A17E-7958FF81AB24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIJAXWhZUzqTr2AN7J8y2J1OvDTc-D0aB24yRHHu-bQUM2sAFA1ISzjq3ZY1NNekK1Srz5U1wwbsRYpnDBi1QglPMSssCM1r3u_Ac5Oo19CLAzLecCmSMtya5lDFUH-mO8k0JnflpE9Xa12n54k7o5VGZWUf-CAZkBWuwcHQFfHnTD7k/s320/64246BFF-ABE6-4DDA-A17E-7958FF81AB24.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-52534090001905300742022-08-07T18:55:00.002-07:002022-08-07T18:55:00.209-07:00To West Yellowstone Day 1: kinder trail<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 841.5. Ending at 862.2. I hiked 20.7 miles. </span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I took the first shuttle out of town and was back on trail around 10am. I mentally prepared myself for more grueling inclines. I had not slept well. I got only about 4 hours of sleep. I was twitchy and itchy. I had to pee what seemed like 10 times throughout the night. I felt short of breath. My soles of my feet felt numb. Sominex didn’t make me sleepy. I thought maybe I should not have drunk ice tea in the afternoon and I also thought these could be the symptoms of low potassium and magnesium. These little towns just don’t have electrolytes in their tiny stores.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I had a box with extra Emergenc-C that I was either going to mail ahead or abandon and I noticed that it said it had electrolytes. The percentage of magnesium and potassium seemed pretty low so I decided to keep them and just drink two packets at a time. The internet also said pumpkin seeds and cashews were fairly high in one or the other so I bought some at the gas station. I also yogied a couple packets of Propel. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I decided to mail home my strumstick. I would miss playing it. I just didn’t think I could continue on these steep climbs without trying to shed more weight. I wrapped it in bubble wrap and tape and slapped an address label on it. It survived the Bob and 700+ miles of the CDT, it would survive the mail. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I was still peeing every half hour well into the morning. Where was all this water coming from when I felt so thirsty? I had a headache and felt mildly nauseous. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail began as a road walk. It rose gently. In a few miles there was a stream and I filled up another liter. I had no idea what to expect about my performance so I felt I should be prepared to not make it the 13 miles to the next good water. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">When the road turned to trail and returned to following the ID/MT border fence, I was surprised how good the trail was. It was kind. It was the mild uphill that feels easy. There were some steep climbs but nothing like the last section. The forest looked different and the open areas weren’t the soft rounded folds of the last section. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPvT4cSL1bMdeeTex1wHhwHsbz6PuWcndsiBCsMYkV4Ncy-tOEehzVUL0uNVwnFMFp0oarPP3vFIRrGTJLF_cq_DiDD12Y3b1ASakXIb7sBN12OBR8NAxMFipUZODhF2Uy6Ydu64R2epC2gQTofDA1tTtG2SC4AkIBzh3h0ebFYI0PqM/s4032/D2152835-71AC-4152-B4C5-143E32715B0D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPvT4cSL1bMdeeTex1wHhwHsbz6PuWcndsiBCsMYkV4Ncy-tOEehzVUL0uNVwnFMFp0oarPP3vFIRrGTJLF_cq_DiDD12Y3b1ASakXIb7sBN12OBR8NAxMFipUZODhF2Uy6Ydu64R2epC2gQTofDA1tTtG2SC4AkIBzh3h0ebFYI0PqM/s320/D2152835-71AC-4152-B4C5-143E32715B0D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6aBJxqDbpsq3Ryb6S80vO0np28Io-1WnLG466VYkjEjdjMgOa6vUZRwxRTNQ2PyRaBCvgIBd5bsHt4srB0U0f0ZsYP51yG_YU8C7MPNqNCZ3Mru51oefn1xumYubOma88agjphk3pleuFabNcUaGmR_uv23sRF93QECwmoH6WZUicS8/s4032/ED4BA52C-6CB6-443B-AEC2-F2E56DD4A71E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6aBJxqDbpsq3Ryb6S80vO0np28Io-1WnLG466VYkjEjdjMgOa6vUZRwxRTNQ2PyRaBCvgIBd5bsHt4srB0U0f0ZsYP51yG_YU8C7MPNqNCZ3Mru51oefn1xumYubOma88agjphk3pleuFabNcUaGmR_uv23sRF93QECwmoH6WZUicS8/s320/ED4BA52C-6CB6-443B-AEC2-F2E56DD4A71E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It was cloudy and rained lightly off and on. It was no longer hot. As I rose I walked in a cold wet cloud. The plants on the trail were wet. My feet were wet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__MDbyUGXtHcG4h1z3ayAmP4Vz9OXUEn4Tt-1QBWJ6bU88pNO3_ywXjCGPgv7D5Q7AV5VQUq28wI9T4FALQTc6l-VHz1pP5wzkRM4rBc_k2zmxwXxa3BOoR_HsU53xBmX-p6VTfm4RbYpcdOJQN5NxB-68kmThW-_sss5UAA6uIZ2cwI/s4032/BDB886E3-E325-41F8-BE8B-1C855D1AF32F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__MDbyUGXtHcG4h1z3ayAmP4Vz9OXUEn4Tt-1QBWJ6bU88pNO3_ywXjCGPgv7D5Q7AV5VQUq28wI9T4FALQTc6l-VHz1pP5wzkRM4rBc_k2zmxwXxa3BOoR_HsU53xBmX-p6VTfm4RbYpcdOJQN5NxB-68kmThW-_sss5UAA6uIZ2cwI/s320/BDB886E3-E325-41F8-BE8B-1C855D1AF32F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I met lots of NOBOs. One of them seemed stressed out about the climb he was doing, wondering if he was close. I said he was pretty close I think, but I wasn’t sure how long a climb it had been. As I descended I learned it had been a pretty big climb. Another NOBO told me that this whole section and Yellowstone and most of Wyoming is practically flat and would be a lot easier than it has been for me so far. This was reassuring. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">As the day went on I felt better. The climbs weren’t destroying me. I was feeling pretty good. I had to pee 8 times, which was a lot, but it felt like it was tapering off some. I felt less nauseous. Maybe the pumpkin seeds, cashews, propel and emergen-c helped. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I passed up a good campsite near an abandoned ATV and ended up walking a few miles in wet brush searching hopelessly for a dry spot under a tree for my camp. At long last I found something that would work. A tight squeeze. My flattest campsite in a long time. Turned out to be the best sleep in a long time, too. I was glad to be done by 6:30. That I did more than 20 miles in such a short day was a good sign. I budgeted food for five 20 mile days. With kinder trail I should get to West Yellowstone a little early and have a Nero going into town. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw4H_WahiwYUxqkGj5GRuOXwCvJiQMPm5g3-Myn9vVlOm88ZyP77tKH_ooBxeqkK3NrbpdutwnucnlYVyN4lz9plm5Nok3RT3IhISK1KfUdg9GP4eT4i460po-EoeNBH7MxxWnf2qfeAPzD1Zxpj3EPv1C_Zvq2DBHLvnaFVbNG-8Zds/s4032/7DB4A080-64FE-4D66-B5D6-0C2A983A7FEF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw4H_WahiwYUxqkGj5GRuOXwCvJiQMPm5g3-Myn9vVlOm88ZyP77tKH_ooBxeqkK3NrbpdutwnucnlYVyN4lz9plm5Nok3RT3IhISK1KfUdg9GP4eT4i460po-EoeNBH7MxxWnf2qfeAPzD1Zxpj3EPv1C_Zvq2DBHLvnaFVbNG-8Zds/s320/7DB4A080-64FE-4D66-B5D6-0C2A983A7FEF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-70161294435462497312022-08-06T16:15:00.015-07:002022-08-06T16:15:00.221-07:00Zero day in Lima, August 1<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Not a lot to say about zero days. It was my first one. I ate a big steak at The Peat which was a cool place. Kind of like Pozo Saloon or Cold Spring Tavern. That sort of historic bar and grill. I had a big breakfast of pancakes and pork katsu in the morning at Jan’s. Not sure that was the best thing to eat. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4g0yhfOLuwQfOV4HczgxcNFr79u4dcxSNG8Sx82GdoxclZ7GjSjvB4FfcIjoV_AwMh57t3f2rq07qo7w6N13HYhdb-2wqLtXFh1FZTI9r6ZGh46X2ux6HNEl_zEtNPf_rSPqpyWMpCBRf126SPePrlq3RhZykrnRFdG2s3AVP4bXAdI/s4032/0C928C5B-075C-4EED-9B1F-EBFDD09F6EA7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4g0yhfOLuwQfOV4HczgxcNFr79u4dcxSNG8Sx82GdoxclZ7GjSjvB4FfcIjoV_AwMh57t3f2rq07qo7w6N13HYhdb-2wqLtXFh1FZTI9r6ZGh46X2ux6HNEl_zEtNPf_rSPqpyWMpCBRf126SPePrlq3RhZykrnRFdG2s3AVP4bXAdI/s320/0C928C5B-075C-4EED-9B1F-EBFDD09F6EA7.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD086noGLqrrmVARVDmsd1Zrtc7N3-VgrRUkgjCA_rgye5Xlc29_w0pEqyDIyUNGdwOQW2adOe7ojyofUdDpmS1Wag7BwThkt8Z3osUo9j40YJ86ZEfV-BdVTld1iw8WHWsRx47JS0ha-cySRbJZW5YofecfT9Yvet3qUMHQBiDrmoBOM/s4032/BEEB91F0-2B35-4570-B512-C55DD6E95FB1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD086noGLqrrmVARVDmsd1Zrtc7N3-VgrRUkgjCA_rgye5Xlc29_w0pEqyDIyUNGdwOQW2adOe7ojyofUdDpmS1Wag7BwThkt8Z3osUo9j40YJ86ZEfV-BdVTld1iw8WHWsRx47JS0ha-cySRbJZW5YofecfT9Yvet3qUMHQBiDrmoBOM/s320/BEEB91F0-2B35-4570-B512-C55DD6E95FB1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It was supposedly the last day of a heat wave. There were clouds at times cooling things off a little, even some sprinkles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got my resupply but missed the closing of the post office so I couldn’t send anything home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnICyNatzPRlBMviz_j1GqmDAU6M-uaRsUEsXMkKs_N4U1zUS1Jid6YI6cWPXmv1qq1pHD9oO_stVtZ1BH1tmYOs2BN-YylK14j9P3uo6oxMYZ2By36_QtttgAVG67Z95XGup3StgsKnNL7adIs-hJGFjJKr4BngzVY__h1xpzq1CYQDE/s4032/56E85612-1B07-464A-8B3E-70B32F6483D8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnICyNatzPRlBMviz_j1GqmDAU6M-uaRsUEsXMkKs_N4U1zUS1Jid6YI6cWPXmv1qq1pHD9oO_stVtZ1BH1tmYOs2BN-YylK14j9P3uo6oxMYZ2By36_QtttgAVG67Z95XGup3StgsKnNL7adIs-hJGFjJKr4BngzVY__h1xpzq1CYQDE/s320/56E85612-1B07-464A-8B3E-70B32F6483D8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I met a NOBO lady who said the trail ahead would start with the steep ups and downs, then the climbing around Targhee Pass would be more normal and then going into West Yellowstone the trail is level. This appeals to me. Maybe I can keep my mandolin and puffy jacket and not try to run to the PO tomorrow to send them home. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The scab and super glue on my forehead finally came off. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">One of the hikers asked the locals at the gas station if they knew anyone who would sell him some steaks. They found someone who sold him a huge pile of steaks and other hikers contributed charcoal for the grill, salad, rice, and I contributed garlic bread. We had a feast eating it in the parking lot and common areas of the motel. It was tender and delicious and really revived me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc64bJaBRGVujMHoKZKH1nSVjItGdbseH97HYJMJpGY-wkAMkSdslI5qZitsdTJ1pRj9M2Oa23Y0TAm0f83on9ZpBqVjE-eMsCo4IOH7Fo5lAblwtBPGa9ZmEOJG5cXqS0SRgd0PnEBtWFgTojJFNIaN7bhV4MDvoTxdD_uL2GS5fiaCo/s4032/3FAB898B-6838-4191-8171-7A1253830EDC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc64bJaBRGVujMHoKZKH1nSVjItGdbseH97HYJMJpGY-wkAMkSdslI5qZitsdTJ1pRj9M2Oa23Y0TAm0f83on9ZpBqVjE-eMsCo4IOH7Fo5lAblwtBPGa9ZmEOJG5cXqS0SRgd0PnEBtWFgTojJFNIaN7bhV4MDvoTxdD_uL2GS5fiaCo/s320/3FAB898B-6838-4191-8171-7A1253830EDC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-33479671325363977382022-08-05T20:10:00.008-07:002022-08-05T20:10:00.205-07:00To Lima Day 5: Shuffling slowly to Lima<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 825.9. Ending at mile 841.5. 15.6 miles. I really thought it was only 9.7 but apparently I’ve been in the Bermuda Triangle. </span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I watched a hiker walk the ridge above the spring in the remaining glow after sunset while I was lying in bed. Later I saw movement up there and it was an elk. I watched him for a while and then he descended to some trees below the ridge. In the middle of the night I was awakened by what sounded like big boots crunching up the trail toward my tent. I hoped whoever it was wouldn’t run into me. Then I wondered who hikes at night without a headlamp? I realized it was probably the elk. I heard the footsteps fade away from me and I fell back asleep. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">My alarm didn’t go off so I got the usual 6:30 start time. I trudged up and down the remaining hills until I got to the alternate route which would take Modoc Creek instead of continuing to walk the PUDs along the ridge. It was a steep and difficult road down, filled with round cobbles that were easy to slip on or roll your ankle. It was slow going. The bottom was flat and followed a small stream. There were lots of flowers and butterflies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKBJNKBhT0USDcI3jXDTD8ImnIJczjLB03GwzlYa96FdVBqvbrvIMY_eq1VdX9eyNfedOzm9s3igXho5lSnfkWdo5LeiqC29quQLboMZks6n9GPD152onV-WUVloQOP9TsS1Ed9TG_Tf2RVJP_S27IU1Ld0Ahlv-1Haf_Vodg-ESBq_I/s4032/78D32054-A474-407B-908A-C3673F80450F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKBJNKBhT0USDcI3jXDTD8ImnIJczjLB03GwzlYa96FdVBqvbrvIMY_eq1VdX9eyNfedOzm9s3igXho5lSnfkWdo5LeiqC29quQLboMZks6n9GPD152onV-WUVloQOP9TsS1Ed9TG_Tf2RVJP_S27IU1Ld0Ahlv-1Haf_Vodg-ESBq_I/s320/78D32054-A474-407B-908A-C3673F80450F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkd-qwLzpMMsneaA8ZnlxdZIwfCwxlRqI1huRMKcjtt8twuYioRGigdBtB0km8pgqOIkvvNuJt2oN4RDUwbw_f57GqDwEaUrILZRRxG1lhuj-5SxhnKvLCkS9A6LX9uI6jJH82KEeosLrMRM2QZdL-FJjO6Cp4QLkTwrUI28r84IVLLY/s4032/E9D2E83F-1193-4F48-A0D2-9FA8E8EFA492.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkd-qwLzpMMsneaA8ZnlxdZIwfCwxlRqI1huRMKcjtt8twuYioRGigdBtB0km8pgqOIkvvNuJt2oN4RDUwbw_f57GqDwEaUrILZRRxG1lhuj-5SxhnKvLCkS9A6LX9uI6jJH82KEeosLrMRM2QZdL-FJjO6Cp4QLkTwrUI28r84IVLLY/s320/E9D2E83F-1193-4F48-A0D2-9FA8E8EFA492.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got one bug bite and two stings behind me knees which had me fantasizing of ways I might solve this daily problem without DEET. If I could buy a big bandana I could wear my existing big bandana on the front and another on the back and maybe that would be harder for the flies and whatever stings me from getting at the backs of my knees. If I could get a small bandana maybe I could cut it in half and tie each half around each knee. Or maybe I could find a long sleeved shirt and the sleeves could fit around my knees. I sent the lower legs of my pants home because it was very warm every day and one leg had torn in the Bob. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The hike down the road dragged on and on. I was getting hungry. My water was warm and there was no shade to sit and eat anything that needed water added. I ate some cookies and candy. I was pretty sure I’d be in town for lunch. The hours went on and I looked at the app. I had gone 9 miles but I was nowhere near the end. That’s when I learned the app must have lied about the distance. Now I hoped only for dinner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF6qKs4pzpZIA3S6ouXrfci7O0ghpKDdSKDSTBUFMiWGFopTGlfPwzc162dnxuNdGfqeRKItH-tlQr-N9m6kE_1RsQcEKECuRa1kF9hDZZSO6CfNYkQDq0h30T5j1hSTOtw6tw3N-3EWbC78B-O3UKbvjRKnWY3mV08_wy6CSTmD6EhY/s4032/D7ACC0D2-CA6C-4BBE-894E-C0A70526B5B3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF6qKs4pzpZIA3S6ouXrfci7O0ghpKDdSKDSTBUFMiWGFopTGlfPwzc162dnxuNdGfqeRKItH-tlQr-N9m6kE_1RsQcEKECuRa1kF9hDZZSO6CfNYkQDq0h30T5j1hSTOtw6tw3N-3EWbC78B-O3UKbvjRKnWY3mV08_wy6CSTmD6EhY/s320/D7ACC0D2-CA6C-4BBE-894E-C0A70526B5B3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The heat of the sun was unrelenting. My feet were getting tired. I felt so spent and wasted from all these days. I started getting nauseous. I was thirsty but worried I’d run out of water. I chewed a Nuun tablet while sipping warm water hoping it might revive me. It made me feel worse. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I met a few NOBOs but I didn’t want to talk. Anyone who asked me how I was doing I’d answer “I’m dying”. Or if they’d ask if I’m enjoying the hike I’d say “No”. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I wasn’t enjoying it. I felt like every day I had less energy than the previous. I’d walk slower. Being so alone was bothering me but it was hopeless I’d ever find anyone with a sub-two mile per hour pace, or anyone who quit for the day no later than 7 and who preferred to sleep in the trees rather than fight the wind out in the open. I felt doomed to loneliness and a slow wasting away of my energy. I felt like I’d reached the end of this hike. I felt like a failure. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">At long last I reached the underpass where a shuttle would periodically take hikers to Lima. A couple of section hikers had already called so I didn’t have to wait long. It was a long drive to Lima. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got a real hotel room. I would be able to sleep. The room was so nice, cheap, quiet, cool and comfortable I paid for 2 nights. I would take time to rest, eat, be clean and un-stung and decide if I can go on. My first zero day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwL2yKOsIW-2y3amO3xN-T5lpBS7j_RBEMV69nZGxfGWplMwWocSuDrPR93W4o7Qm9kjsaDjDjAjk6YvbXhmC9vfCqytVLbSICEB3CRvvZyQ3lAXv7bpdXgsQWI4C35l6O8HGQvWjf6FSqysIx4vQTgpih2BecyjtUpquWcA4CehJDCfQ/s4032/461AB51C-44D6-43EF-BE94-AAC6A0E64436.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwL2yKOsIW-2y3amO3xN-T5lpBS7j_RBEMV69nZGxfGWplMwWocSuDrPR93W4o7Qm9kjsaDjDjAjk6YvbXhmC9vfCqytVLbSICEB3CRvvZyQ3lAXv7bpdXgsQWI4C35l6O8HGQvWjf6FSqysIx4vQTgpih2BecyjtUpquWcA4CehJDCfQ/s320/461AB51C-44D6-43EF-BE94-AAC6A0E64436.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQepiYhcMDZoEZ11aH9S3zSfvIRPrmCgfLOQkVA-K4GZN4PMq7z7jfZhfuGt-WOSTonoeEsIPAFrFGL_B0vLVcytkrN43oorywire1DV3RxS67EnZrOFE573e3JJmJEL1mGQJO3JZH1np4NBh917PxUViRgPgmK70KgZJ9IUoUM9aDl3o/s4032/0836AEF9-FEE7-4740-8C74-5754A8FD3D0E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQepiYhcMDZoEZ11aH9S3zSfvIRPrmCgfLOQkVA-K4GZN4PMq7z7jfZhfuGt-WOSTonoeEsIPAFrFGL_B0vLVcytkrN43oorywire1DV3RxS67EnZrOFE573e3JJmJEL1mGQJO3JZH1np4NBh917PxUViRgPgmK70KgZJ9IUoUM9aDl3o/s320/0836AEF9-FEE7-4740-8C74-5754A8FD3D0E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloR-TdSKJm-4sy0DJmD0xQriobvOorBW06F0JAKgmat3NIs4WLpKl3nrPtJk1fg4wVdVtRSPQNHAQ_pzNPv0G-NF3_ljpd5u9l4DuSI-gjRB5S0M_ndEUnHza6sNnDEFkN6cwIIpNDOyW0dzD4Kb6yGLOhIiW8ffS9ij9BvZ0vC1ohas/s4032/13301C6A-98BA-426A-BA32-328AE1727317.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloR-TdSKJm-4sy0DJmD0xQriobvOorBW06F0JAKgmat3NIs4WLpKl3nrPtJk1fg4wVdVtRSPQNHAQ_pzNPv0G-NF3_ljpd5u9l4DuSI-gjRB5S0M_ndEUnHza6sNnDEFkN6cwIIpNDOyW0dzD4Kb6yGLOhIiW8ffS9ij9BvZ0vC1ohas/s320/13301C6A-98BA-426A-BA32-328AE1727317.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-67441893528326479902022-08-04T20:05:00.001-07:002022-08-04T20:05:00.196-07:00To Lima Day 4: pointless ups and downs<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting the day at mile 803. I’m ending at 825.9. About 23 miles of grueling fence walking on the Idaho/Montana border. </span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">My little campsite in the trees was sheltered and safe. The storm eventually died down and it was calm. I set an alarm for 5 am. It’s quite dark at that time. I needed my headlamp to put things away and eat. Soon I was back on the trail. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDPmIOaX-qCeTEx_L46LNAj5fE6sYZB26Y7eprN5S_yA0YksQa5cc5G81j1DmqClOxNBgywLec8vgp7JXq5ujixdNVRj3guzNrRH7QNi9CocGJNjLLuapxDE1d_2XGU6BJcan-l_f7ltlR0si1wmeg0wmC6XFRBLJ7MVY7W2o2as758/s4032/6DA21A20-36B5-4857-83E5-7F03DE5792BB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDPmIOaX-qCeTEx_L46LNAj5fE6sYZB26Y7eprN5S_yA0YksQa5cc5G81j1DmqClOxNBgywLec8vgp7JXq5ujixdNVRj3guzNrRH7QNi9CocGJNjLLuapxDE1d_2XGU6BJcan-l_f7ltlR0si1wmeg0wmC6XFRBLJ7MVY7W2o2as758/s320/6DA21A20-36B5-4857-83E5-7F03DE5792BB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The road turned the corner back into mountains and trees from its long sage scrub traverse. Soon I was hiking on trail again. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail went up and down. There were frequent little streams and at times I was in shaded forest and other times on grassy hills. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T64jVLqC5xnxS1OiU2O8W8YulD7ifhTEIY-d_7nbWIXeRzKLP3mTivSY98moqXV6Om-77xJ_OT_GeRT3dFesCH_-I9N6vM2bnCOQBKg-u2CRnID6ysc5oRZFC4-9I6KuKivF_0iJbIwQmunNOF200hvXhoQ5dZuKJd1OXfDYv7B6TP0/s4032/0B6F5988-57A0-4206-91E3-0C4D4027106C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T64jVLqC5xnxS1OiU2O8W8YulD7ifhTEIY-d_7nbWIXeRzKLP3mTivSY98moqXV6Om-77xJ_OT_GeRT3dFesCH_-I9N6vM2bnCOQBKg-u2CRnID6ysc5oRZFC4-9I6KuKivF_0iJbIwQmunNOF200hvXhoQ5dZuKJd1OXfDYv7B6TP0/s320/0B6F5988-57A0-4206-91E3-0C4D4027106C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Soon, after gaining a couple of summits with views, the trail descended in earnest into cattle country. I got water at a stream near a trailhead where a USFS truck was parked. Then I headed out into what felt to me like close to 90 degrees. I passed a northbound hiker and then found myself walking among cattle, following a stream I had made a mental note to gather water. But this was cow trampled water so I did not gather any. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">At 2 pm I noted it was 5 miles to a spring. At the same time I began a steep climb up to the fence line between Idaho and Montana. I got lost numerous times. Sometimes there was no trail or there was trail going the wrong way. At times FarOut positioned me 50 miles off the trail and I would have to wait a long time for it to position me accurately. The climbs were straight up and straight down. It took me until 5:30 to get to the spring. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I looked at the map and the rest of the day would be more of this fence line. I was exhausted. I had seen a southbound hiker coming up from the spring before I got there. I just couldn’t follow him. I was too tired and frustrated. I did not like all these hills. They are pointless. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">FarOut comments said there was no camping at the spring. They were wrong. I found a tight little spot in some nearby trees. There would be no camping on the ridge and it could be 5 miles or more before I found anything following the trail. Five miles of this ridge walking took me almost 6 hours. So this was the best spot to stop. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I drank water all day and still I am so thirsty. I can drink all I want camped by this spring. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW2UcPmi4MPsoqyyqxozoTNpfxpAZKgaQWqdUScZid4mtaQqk56WzQjyurcMG5NFIDVfPZ6VL4BudwOPYwbzYBFv7VeNju2IN3fh_GQpnY9NasGfp95vHxPz931XApnkXAPx3ECrbxiDqQQlUuEcGa_-ZIox9XbzuNetr-m6eDbyoFAQ/s4032/A1E854D7-50E4-4C1C-A05D-88BC83C609C5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW2UcPmi4MPsoqyyqxozoTNpfxpAZKgaQWqdUScZid4mtaQqk56WzQjyurcMG5NFIDVfPZ6VL4BudwOPYwbzYBFv7VeNju2IN3fh_GQpnY9NasGfp95vHxPz931XApnkXAPx3ECrbxiDqQQlUuEcGa_-ZIox9XbzuNetr-m6eDbyoFAQ/s320/A1E854D7-50E4-4C1C-A05D-88BC83C609C5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It’s about 9.7 miles to I15, according to the app. I’m going to take the Modoc creek alternate and shave off some PUDs (pointless ups and downs).</div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-84042187398331338922022-08-03T18:02:00.005-07:002022-08-03T18:02:00.219-07:00To Lima Day 3: milder hills so the weather had to make up for it<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 776.7. I’m ending at about mile 803. About 27 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I could have done 30 easily but the weather turned to high winds, rain and thunder and lightning at 6 pm. The third thunderstorm I had endured. Miles of barren exposed road stretched out before me. The comments about my goal location said it was grassy and windy. I may have had to go all night before finding trees for shelter. I just didn’t know because I couldn’t see where the trail was going. I had passed up some nice trees already and as the weather suddenly degraded and I crested the hill, there were trees on the other side of the fence. I climbed under the fence and found good shelter. I got my tarp up just in time for the rain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69vIgjm6EBd3l1SgdBzG5wL6zBhxURvOUttYnc2UWcp_864IK-AGVcLTRV3MKi0cLQyIKPMcPKT1ub8tSXHmj_OFW4xq9pzUb_N2zGIA8llrZwGd6CnJlr0eWIr9fAUkF-3RPT4VoxFD5mLCsj8s5g3DQDvRMiK5n492XVz-Kn4njBoU/s4032/13C8B3C6-5E33-42D4-849E-5D1BA651CB89.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69vIgjm6EBd3l1SgdBzG5wL6zBhxURvOUttYnc2UWcp_864IK-AGVcLTRV3MKi0cLQyIKPMcPKT1ub8tSXHmj_OFW4xq9pzUb_N2zGIA8llrZwGd6CnJlr0eWIr9fAUkF-3RPT4VoxFD5mLCsj8s5g3DQDvRMiK5n492XVz-Kn4njBoU/s320/13C8B3C6-5E33-42D4-849E-5D1BA651CB89.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The rest of the day was really nice. The trail had turned kind with reasonable hills and switchbacks. There was open sagebrush interspersed with shaded little forests. There were flowing streams and lakes. The views were grand with wide open vistas and craggy and rounded mountains. I even recognized a view from Sie So’s videos and got a similar picture of my own. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybwguoCzkKMAwFYqfWA1xxdzSUIa4udUWMKz7Bcb-28sTxjADBHwcqEGm5zOvZONm_hWWXVB65jhal3XVmRxhcFAhF0RyyfNChHuPLMM9wSeUowJVKcWsFfq3HJi6SOcarLOdT7nGC4cWBxS-cfNmSPlrf_07BC5sb1tLfYzNG9swJj4/s4032/38E0312D-F168-4D1E-AADD-F58C81B6AFFE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybwguoCzkKMAwFYqfWA1xxdzSUIa4udUWMKz7Bcb-28sTxjADBHwcqEGm5zOvZONm_hWWXVB65jhal3XVmRxhcFAhF0RyyfNChHuPLMM9wSeUowJVKcWsFfq3HJi6SOcarLOdT7nGC4cWBxS-cfNmSPlrf_07BC5sb1tLfYzNG9swJj4/s320/38E0312D-F168-4D1E-AADD-F58C81B6AFFE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It felt good to hike like a normal person. The only bad part of the day were the storms. The first one struck when I reached a ridge and the top of a climb. I figured the ridge was short and on the other side I would be about as tall as the bushes on the sides of the trail so I didn’t worry too much. A guy I met at the last water source said I was braver than him. He had wrapped himself in his tyvek ground sheet and took a nap to wait it out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rmNHo0X2ADsJv039arV4_41XxL8MxhoZCZoiJHg1dUy2-jbllxU8ZI0wgdJaExQbPmEzJNZxbgWErScZoSU-hQq3LuXd1oAgBhuyFmqxUxiEQkI4g0EQ1RQWiMTjzm1befh5qyrYyB84a3MEtXOHNNXbZ3NwaTmqwCkqBu4Fznj3hLs/s4032/9AC78844-29F1-4877-8BA8-CF4A3F87C314.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rmNHo0X2ADsJv039arV4_41XxL8MxhoZCZoiJHg1dUy2-jbllxU8ZI0wgdJaExQbPmEzJNZxbgWErScZoSU-hQq3LuXd1oAgBhuyFmqxUxiEQkI4g0EQ1RQWiMTjzm1befh5qyrYyB84a3MEtXOHNNXbZ3NwaTmqwCkqBu4Fznj3hLs/s320/9AC78844-29F1-4877-8BA8-CF4A3F87C314.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The second storm hit as I was walking a huge long expanse of open sage scrub. It was so windy I could barely stand up. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The third hit when I had 3 miles left to hit my first 30 mile day. My biggest fear is to not be able to keep my shelter up in the wind and rain. So much PTSD from the PCT. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqhIeLlJ578MI3Q06otzsAsTsiHMk6o-FP0ZuZ-b9oxAWrKIu_8Mh3OC5j5r8TK9G0Xw_KKxXUtdlw9u7NUmr-D7uoanOpG0iAw6Ecqf8Yw14ezU5c-nTk6E_oYtWlorVnJd7Gxx83d5PmUXRULQb2kHgCZeY9FlwnnhzTOWaCi3HPIo/s4032/4CD80C37-623C-4624-BFAE-9D89EE8F50D4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqhIeLlJ578MI3Q06otzsAsTsiHMk6o-FP0ZuZ-b9oxAWrKIu_8Mh3OC5j5r8TK9G0Xw_KKxXUtdlw9u7NUmr-D7uoanOpG0iAw6Ecqf8Yw14ezU5c-nTk6E_oYtWlorVnJd7Gxx83d5PmUXRULQb2kHgCZeY9FlwnnhzTOWaCi3HPIo/s320/4CD80C37-623C-4624-BFAE-9D89EE8F50D4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I did a lot of thinking today. I have to take care of myself. Prioritize resting if I’m tired, seeking the sheltered locations to camp that will make me feel safe, maybe getting a hotel room in the next town so obnoxious thru hikers don’t ruin my sleep. I’m not a thru hiker. I don’t feel like one. I’m not planning to go the whole way. I’m not young. I’m slower than everyone. I’m alone and lonely. I’m just me by myself with nobody to help me. I have to take care of myself and let all the thru hikers go.</div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-43365433588348938062022-08-02T16:17:00.001-07:002022-08-02T16:17:00.223-07:00To Lima Day 2: steep hills all day sometimes without trails<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 754.6. Ending at 776.7. That makes it 21.9 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I learned that the rude people who woke everyone up were the crew that Wrecking Ball hikes with.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m not sure I’m a thru-hiker. I mean, I am a section hiker because I’m not going the whole way, and I didn’t hike the pct all in one go. So I’ve never been one to geographically be a thru-hiker. As far as the culture goes I’m not a thru-hiker either. I’m glad I came out to hike the cdt but I’m not sure I’ll do this again. I just don’t have a tribe I belong with out here. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I did not get an early start. I did not sleep well. My bag was too hot and my spot wasn’t level enough. My legs were twitchy and itchy and sticky. The benedryl didn’t work. I should fix the time on my watch so the alarm goes off in this time zone. I was only 15 minutes late. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail continued the straight up climbs. Then it gradually descended and was fairly level and much easier. It went by lakes and trees and creeks in between periods of barren sage scrub. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVr0PyriTiMKwUl-0V-iq8V83zH2IB9SfbLejkw7ztj_a31HrSlKTWAj60pSl0GEx3qttmiYdHeeRhMfniqt9SfS2PNCG7LRetl7jagTaNNIYoclE5XVhzXx3J0c4466YCvlfYgO6VVktAYFabhIveX4TyQgl1ey_lQ9KhUyFWOFcvqc/s4032/FDE1809D-F153-4EEB-AC4C-B485C0583C7C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVr0PyriTiMKwUl-0V-iq8V83zH2IB9SfbLejkw7ztj_a31HrSlKTWAj60pSl0GEx3qttmiYdHeeRhMfniqt9SfS2PNCG7LRetl7jagTaNNIYoclE5XVhzXx3J0c4466YCvlfYgO6VVktAYFabhIveX4TyQgl1ey_lQ9KhUyFWOFcvqc/s320/FDE1809D-F153-4EEB-AC4C-B485C0583C7C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Then the trail began a series of big climbs with and without trail. There were places where you had to follow posts and large cairn markers. Sometimes I could not see the next one so I had to use the app to find the way. Without trail, it was hard going up, down or flat. The ground had lumpy tufts of grass, rocks and animal holes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6k2iK8JS-S0dzXShaf5eqFaedVkl6NXmos84BLQjbpnkv9t6huudpsJVgXnvLPOJQjSXJ1qem0fUHdidkh_eKtlsYrOydFgjuBEK8F_j5zFP1Wby0HmfJuzMkQnS2hYfZdaWjrDC4XlX9B011ZHCCEGtz2c5NRThVppVjdbKs8Vq9dY/s4032/0EC998E9-2692-4029-8168-B2303EE1F47C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6k2iK8JS-S0dzXShaf5eqFaedVkl6NXmos84BLQjbpnkv9t6huudpsJVgXnvLPOJQjSXJ1qem0fUHdidkh_eKtlsYrOydFgjuBEK8F_j5zFP1Wby0HmfJuzMkQnS2hYfZdaWjrDC4XlX9B011ZHCCEGtz2c5NRThVppVjdbKs8Vq9dY/s320/0EC998E9-2692-4029-8168-B2303EE1F47C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2cHFjMGqn-1okKzkzRJ4XrXXNhFmZwUt3BLrZYjXRUzoD1t1Dl_Pzsluq1dL7Cd0it9BxhpFPDiFk0qX80zcOWo8XzdArATkV5ZISBy3K9erF69QnhEaiqrZ8tRN161fesGIm7I5pEWID7uiyEklfJ1z2TVbGOqkuqRGRUaRsNdXeyg/s4032/14F500A5-5EDD-43A2-86BE-7C24394B694E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2cHFjMGqn-1okKzkzRJ4XrXXNhFmZwUt3BLrZYjXRUzoD1t1Dl_Pzsluq1dL7Cd0it9BxhpFPDiFk0qX80zcOWo8XzdArATkV5ZISBy3K9erF69QnhEaiqrZ8tRN161fesGIm7I5pEWID7uiyEklfJ1z2TVbGOqkuqRGRUaRsNdXeyg/s320/14F500A5-5EDD-43A2-86BE-7C24394B694E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqxfJ1Csyk6vw95HzOt5lfmx2e0UFl_Y5nuIjrZip8DQxXMQTrUGvs-QgZV9rhrDF4R0TkQhIxDQg2WlBaxOmDqXIjsc3-YW3uE46cvAgi_jU1y9RleBn1VLazVwHqUbZAX9RPt7BbmR7-S4mYmAoaZfbWpZgKPhAs-Grao1fAgGudT4/s4032/56A58278-6211-4A13-89AD-A63C722EA252.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqxfJ1Csyk6vw95HzOt5lfmx2e0UFl_Y5nuIjrZip8DQxXMQTrUGvs-QgZV9rhrDF4R0TkQhIxDQg2WlBaxOmDqXIjsc3-YW3uE46cvAgi_jU1y9RleBn1VLazVwHqUbZAX9RPt7BbmR7-S4mYmAoaZfbWpZgKPhAs-Grao1fAgGudT4/s320/56A58278-6211-4A13-89AD-A63C722EA252.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">On the last big hill I had a little cell service and I tried again to download topo maps for Gaia. I wasn’t successful. There is a short-cut coming up but without the maps I can’t see the roads to follow. I have no friends who would help me, show me the way and wait if I fall behind. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">After a long day of hard work I decided I would stop after 12 hours. I found a nice spot in the trees within hearing distance of the creek. I watched all the SOBOs I saw in Leadore go by to do a big hill while I ate my dinner. I heard hikers go by for hours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjEIZJt_IShwZUd1poFhbYjrgJ5odVHD-eGMJY-_uZ5scNYyxBWZRoft8pIILU5wMCu05R0vgJvhDoPCNMqE8bYbvKiQtSIJfkizr0mPUsRhLMoDb9xcIqgBcC_ayzyJJwHcsLJos6FWu3EgG3jUFrhFvq_-LKoIdRqkHKHgO_ib9Bvo/s4032/D6F17DB8-60B5-4675-BAF3-C73EA3D9D5FD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjEIZJt_IShwZUd1poFhbYjrgJ5odVHD-eGMJY-_uZ5scNYyxBWZRoft8pIILU5wMCu05R0vgJvhDoPCNMqE8bYbvKiQtSIJfkizr0mPUsRhLMoDb9xcIqgBcC_ayzyJJwHcsLJos6FWu3EgG3jUFrhFvq_-LKoIdRqkHKHgO_ib9Bvo/s320/D6F17DB8-60B5-4675-BAF3-C73EA3D9D5FD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-39488145273364901392022-08-01T15:49:00.002-07:002022-08-01T15:49:00.212-07:00To Lima Day 1: steep!<h3 style="text-align: left;">Waking up in the park</h3><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I had a hard time falling asleep. I had ice tea with my burger and it kept me awake. Some time after midnight a bunch of hikers were dropped off and the entitlement ran high. They yelled and spoke loudly as if nobody else mattered. They were noisy for a long time. The car they came in idled nearby for a long time. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFQQCUaN2_xb5ayqFq9WSmB2GldBDDAoor0kF1EnDLSN-8jaRVk-uT1KQStdGVUr8AarOua3UfWHrhrdfSJPAW23Rp5VpummaKyZrPk5W0FXMySRABCrsF6rB2RZfIRtDaVUzk88q5lIkSXHeONyh_vOKoe1oUeUL5PJKkL1CKo_P0LI/s4032/66E63A6E-A89F-4622-B2CF-5A6FBF79C9BC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFQQCUaN2_xb5ayqFq9WSmB2GldBDDAoor0kF1EnDLSN-8jaRVk-uT1KQStdGVUr8AarOua3UfWHrhrdfSJPAW23Rp5VpummaKyZrPk5W0FXMySRABCrsF6rB2RZfIRtDaVUzk88q5lIkSXHeONyh_vOKoe1oUeUL5PJKkL1CKo_P0LI/s320/66E63A6E-A89F-4622-B2CF-5A6FBF79C9BC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I woke with a splitting headache. I felt very thirsty. I got up to use the restroom at dawn with fantasies of yelling to wake the entitled hikers up. My charger still was not charged. I felt horror at the thought of zeroing here. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">This place is sort of horrible. The people are very nice but the park is far away from town and the heat of the day and bright sun is oppressive. The huge climb looming before me hangs over me like the smoke from far away fires. I wanted rest here and did not get it. </div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Back on trail: pummeled with steep climbs</h3><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><div>Fortunately the morning was cool so the walk to town was comfortable. I went over to get breakfast but nothing was open yet. All the businesses had rather lenient opening times. </div><div><br /></div><div>I used the Wi-Fi in the library to try to download the Wyoming maps and delete the northern Montana maps. I’m not sure I was successful. I did have to download southern Montana’s maps all over again. </div><div><br /></div><div>There were other hikers around waiting for some kind of breakfast. In the end the only breakfast we could reasonably get was from the little general store. They had delicious cinnamon rolls and coffee. I also got a frozen burrito and a Gatorade. </div><div><br /></div><div>I ate and drank it all and then fought off the urge to vomit. The owner of the hotel came by in a truck and picked us all up to take us to the trailhead. Everyone in Leadore was so helpful and generous. It’s a shame the heat, smoke and general broken down look of the place is so repellent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once up on the pass there were hikers there needing a ride to town, including Lotus and Mushka, a young lady from Reddit who wanted to meet me. She took a selfie with me and hopped in the truck and that was the extent of our meeting. </div><div><br /></div><div>I started up the trail with a young man named Peaches. He had worked out an alternate route to shave off 37 miles and a lot of hills. While we climbed hills he tried to figure out how to give me the route. He finally was able to email it. But I did not have a topo map with enough resolution to see where the route would have water. So in the end I stuck to the red line. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYpk6sMoN-evWc4OrpM7LyEJXr-ooiRbTho5-T120MGt1RxO-_DUveyZdQK6HmvVg22iCPWF9UN1OFZtLPdmG4Iv9kSnLt0j7xkTTgioKRf5ZbXM2fKvXRI2FflbfUQbfvBM3PAzKiIeoVAcPQ8sYUrEYLRt_3QwRSw2bcRN0r0LlCo4/s4032/D2D78256-AADE-45DB-B1C4-1B1F84616F81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYpk6sMoN-evWc4OrpM7LyEJXr-ooiRbTho5-T120MGt1RxO-_DUveyZdQK6HmvVg22iCPWF9UN1OFZtLPdmG4Iv9kSnLt0j7xkTTgioKRf5ZbXM2fKvXRI2FflbfUQbfvBM3PAzKiIeoVAcPQ8sYUrEYLRt_3QwRSw2bcRN0r0LlCo4/s320/D2D78256-AADE-45DB-B1C4-1B1F84616F81.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We climbed to 10,000 feet. There were numerous hikers resting at a spring on the other side of the climb. Wrecking Ball was struggling with shin splints. There would be another spring in 4 miles and at 4pm I figured I could get there by 6 or 6:30, thus avoiding carrying a lot of water from this spring. </div><div><br /></div><div>I labored up and down several straight up hills before arriving at the spring, which was a quarter mile off trail and down the side of the mountain. I got water and made camp in the trees below the ridge line. The trail itself was in barren, exposed, treeless terrain. It seemed cozy but not super flat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rf7CgvHp9InR27VBYtCPxyEYb9LmFFewnBNUBG7xmSg5W0lvW1BS-pbdl-BOWiKwpLrPtnXcNz7-e8WnBUXdOr0pTNVNy0HO3yO5FSQJ7H-GBptthb1F-eiS8MzDDqBK1A2g2OvCPafcumVXqk7CdCjN-FVNtPk4U4jMtZRX3YBiQAg/s4032/09634270-2E0B-4CED-99E7-229463041DD8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rf7CgvHp9InR27VBYtCPxyEYb9LmFFewnBNUBG7xmSg5W0lvW1BS-pbdl-BOWiKwpLrPtnXcNz7-e8WnBUXdOr0pTNVNy0HO3yO5FSQJ7H-GBptthb1F-eiS8MzDDqBK1A2g2OvCPafcumVXqk7CdCjN-FVNtPk4U4jMtZRX3YBiQAg/s320/09634270-2E0B-4CED-99E7-229463041DD8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jHcaDFdXpShUkNooz2THyq8CDDPdPMAMqw_Sr4SLE7p0xDeXlnBe46C6Afg5rU2hcpz14qSJ7j0qYu0yKwFDJxt6_hBc3GAvl7aepQGj3r5jzr5NTKq_-IYujJtYGKvaOkgcUpFehSMpZ2xNzO7nX4lJ3Eb2dTf1Mu8NCI_uV3Q6_bY/s4032/FB359EB9-55C5-473E-96BF-30131F79D35D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jHcaDFdXpShUkNooz2THyq8CDDPdPMAMqw_Sr4SLE7p0xDeXlnBe46C6Afg5rU2hcpz14qSJ7j0qYu0yKwFDJxt6_hBc3GAvl7aepQGj3r5jzr5NTKq_-IYujJtYGKvaOkgcUpFehSMpZ2xNzO7nX4lJ3Eb2dTf1Mu8NCI_uV3Q6_bY/s320/FB359EB9-55C5-473E-96BF-30131F79D35D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I had become quite frustrated by the difficulty of the hills. Would this trail ever be more normal? I shared my frustration with Tony before losing cell service, and then with a NOBO. I felt bad about my negative attitude. I really just wanted rest in Leadore. I wanted to try to feel strong like everyone else seems. And I’m jealous that Wrecking Ball has people willing to wait for her to keep the group together. I probably will never have that kind of community. I feel lonely and I’m starting to want to go home. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hiked 11.4 miles today. </div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-67388445035245089472022-07-31T22:47:00.007-07:002022-07-31T22:47:00.215-07:00To Leadore Day 6: Getting to Leadore <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I woke with 17.6 miles to get to the road to Leadore. <br /><div><br /></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I felt so slow and tired on any uphill no matter how mild. I grinded away slowly at the hills. It was mostly trending downhill, but if the downhill was steep, I went slow so I wouldn’t fall. When it was flat or not too steeply downhill I could walk faster. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The forest was cool and shady. There were periods of grassy hills. There was a large stretch of open sage brush with cattle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9A-unjnpfvmtK10455In0G_ZvUGMvL8zK0OucANaAXK48odzZl59Ea0WJH47F5oSF0RlZ0ytjrLjZPgFvsuM_6hzGsZHDDlMxdnnlRZaREorNI2dAn68mNtJBCdmDmdQXaj179StuTaFgNBV_qgUDoSjjMOATEL1nqGCrFsuzx-C7kE/s4032/67E25427-B8F8-4933-AADC-2D4D08F71103.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9A-unjnpfvmtK10455In0G_ZvUGMvL8zK0OucANaAXK48odzZl59Ea0WJH47F5oSF0RlZ0ytjrLjZPgFvsuM_6hzGsZHDDlMxdnnlRZaREorNI2dAn68mNtJBCdmDmdQXaj179StuTaFgNBV_qgUDoSjjMOATEL1nqGCrFsuzx-C7kE/s320/67E25427-B8F8-4933-AADC-2D4D08F71103.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxXZTcOep_ZMZs1fd-wx0rbUwFHMPQn7M6zopxTRbFG6SEJp7Jya3qnbzoK7rrzrg_tzyygcTxBgrDwdy6BofsvnMn8NB-4K9zT_vYJz_vxykByJTJ7HfycORLVxcQYtS2hurm6n1ZDbmG1LZGtKnt9S9kY7_HtMWFBOm5oCcloml6Zk/s4032/92C455DA-F9D0-4467-ADE1-55DEF241836F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxXZTcOep_ZMZs1fd-wx0rbUwFHMPQn7M6zopxTRbFG6SEJp7Jya3qnbzoK7rrzrg_tzyygcTxBgrDwdy6BofsvnMn8NB-4K9zT_vYJz_vxykByJTJ7HfycORLVxcQYtS2hurm6n1ZDbmG1LZGtKnt9S9kY7_HtMWFBOm5oCcloml6Zk/s320/92C455DA-F9D0-4467-ADE1-55DEF241836F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wqp-dFRfL6gBwRaeOK9U0VlYcC5jQ1yHFtmVKlOdNNBLd_tet_TceqBCJeezvCTDuc2BrSP7g-gkezaHma8kOQaKufiH_wBE4Wcu6bO8Pn9-xYSKW9W9FZYMBUOzHloOvjODEBLY4Tnw__5qnTnO0U_EW5G0UjrS-q9Fo84KH_XCQm0/s4032/EF42D38F-F01E-4746-B934-6F2A940033A0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wqp-dFRfL6gBwRaeOK9U0VlYcC5jQ1yHFtmVKlOdNNBLd_tet_TceqBCJeezvCTDuc2BrSP7g-gkezaHma8kOQaKufiH_wBE4Wcu6bO8Pn9-xYSKW9W9FZYMBUOzHloOvjODEBLY4Tnw__5qnTnO0U_EW5G0UjrS-q9Fo84KH_XCQm0/s320/EF42D38F-F01E-4746-B934-6F2A940033A0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I continued my streak of seeing not a single SOBO hiker, but I did see three NOBO hikers. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got water at a cistern about halfway through the day because I feared not being able to get a ride to Leadore right away. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQXY7E2RFU-aW4L-EhPDEkY1Lx9ovUbdPqsmNypQu0pywPXdlnQcPG7IhSc417UlJe5wu6qabG8XnCwenBj5-JnGFVBDMKyszMb9j7-vNmd0bMTVwh6KrNQtx-KDBt85B_v6EWm5GAeQ_QBJDGQKDDivnQmq7LuI3QWWtjBTU96iW-LY/s4032/30D4C885-5394-4763-AAE7-0C38B880DA45.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQXY7E2RFU-aW4L-EhPDEkY1Lx9ovUbdPqsmNypQu0pywPXdlnQcPG7IhSc417UlJe5wu6qabG8XnCwenBj5-JnGFVBDMKyszMb9j7-vNmd0bMTVwh6KrNQtx-KDBt85B_v6EWm5GAeQ_QBJDGQKDDivnQmq7LuI3QWWtjBTU96iW-LY/s320/30D4C885-5394-4763-AAE7-0C38B880DA45.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I met an older couple backpacking to the Sacagewhea campground. That was where I got the water after the long dry stretch. They told me the fence the trail was following was the state line and that I’d been in Idaho for the last 50 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">When the road came into view I watched it for an hour and saw no traffic. There was no shade in the parking area or anywhere nearby. As I approached the parking area a truck pulled up and All-in and another hiker jumped out. They said jump in, the guy driving the truck was going back to Leadore. What a lucky break!</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">He dropped me off at the store where my package awaited. Wallaby, Mango and FastCash were sorting their resupply. It was nice to see them and also clear I’m a day or more behind the people I used to hike with. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got my box at the store, sorted my resupply and then went to the library next door where there was air conditioning. I wanted to wait a bit and then go get a burger at the restaurant across the street before the long almost mile walk to the park. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">In the restaurant I met a Canadian couple who gave me a ride to the “city park” after we ate. I felt no hunger and food didn’t taste like much. At the park were lots of hikers, some I recognized and some I didn’t. Everyone sat in the shade hiding from the blaring heat of this almost desert place. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I took a shower and felt a lot better. I laid in the shade waiting for my charger to charge. It was nice to rest. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I worry I cannot make it to Lima. I just have no energy. I should get stronger but I feel weaker every day. It’s 103 miles to Lima and first thing is a climb from 7700 feet to 10,000 feet. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqbxLH9P5b9mAq5OUB9eYXvOqZRBNiqji_wU3OEPNdQKUOl_d0i4s0nOmzwFd1UJUMBvRxlZ3TgArB6z1EVI9yvd95FYCK_0-Jn9kWXU93uKM8idxB_av1ujnRNr_SudLHitN4c3PeV95xXPllbY3zro-Q3kLcHJzLrOYW9g9GvPFiXk/s4032/E469B6EA-AE76-40FB-9C2E-24E82A66B345.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqbxLH9P5b9mAq5OUB9eYXvOqZRBNiqji_wU3OEPNdQKUOl_d0i4s0nOmzwFd1UJUMBvRxlZ3TgArB6z1EVI9yvd95FYCK_0-Jn9kWXU93uKM8idxB_av1ujnRNr_SudLHitN4c3PeV95xXPllbY3zro-Q3kLcHJzLrOYW9g9GvPFiXk/s320/E469B6EA-AE76-40FB-9C2E-24E82A66B345.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1vee2woxokniZ7rlHVEdKsVxqbusdKI_lfCh4BhaAMN9wCQTSs9BnU2LS-S0C6kYpnYEqtt14AuW3cHC2T-1WRrMXooM4TTBi9F5faOGGVgCR69w63b2PYxTg3kVBAtUGHF2uCs8XZFFXnQ5tetS3erOCH3WW00FQ7LEEyGb434TNZs/s4032/29FE665C-BEB8-4958-859F-4229C12501BF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1vee2woxokniZ7rlHVEdKsVxqbusdKI_lfCh4BhaAMN9wCQTSs9BnU2LS-S0C6kYpnYEqtt14AuW3cHC2T-1WRrMXooM4TTBi9F5faOGGVgCR69w63b2PYxTg3kVBAtUGHF2uCs8XZFFXnQ5tetS3erOCH3WW00FQ7LEEyGb434TNZs/s320/29FE665C-BEB8-4958-859F-4229C12501BF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-78535093146429236462022-07-31T22:43:00.003-07:002022-07-31T22:43:00.219-07:00To Leadore Day 5: Another day that starts easy and ends in hills. <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting the day at mile 694.7. I’m ending at 721.3. I hiked 26.6 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The day started downhill and flat through shaded forest. It was nice to cruise along. But any time there was a noticeable incline it felt a lot harder than it should. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I met 5 NOBO hikers, real ones who had started in New Mexico and were not flipping around. They looked so healthy and fast. Unlike me. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">In 17.5 miles I reached the water source. It was a spring off trail. It was in some kind of little historical park or something. The water was considered to possibly be the headwaters of the Missouri River. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qr0ZxHCb6LzW55BCzkBeGk2-LFni4N8eRI3xzzBXGfrxKeRlEUAVmwNtW-ShW1KVSgvFHKHOyJOjIke1ykYuIxjuDHC9lGfVEvOfjXWMa3Tx26xkAyHLTdZFGf1_CLeXiR-UYcMUpP6TkKi-2WWFtxEXBwvEVC2tUN4tqKNCd006jQM/s4032/19DC249C-94D6-4B0A-B944-76A834641A67.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qr0ZxHCb6LzW55BCzkBeGk2-LFni4N8eRI3xzzBXGfrxKeRlEUAVmwNtW-ShW1KVSgvFHKHOyJOjIke1ykYuIxjuDHC9lGfVEvOfjXWMa3Tx26xkAyHLTdZFGf1_CLeXiR-UYcMUpP6TkKi-2WWFtxEXBwvEVC2tUN4tqKNCd006jQM/s320/19DC249C-94D6-4B0A-B944-76A834641A67.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Rather than walk all the way back along the dirt road back to the trail I went cross country and found the trail. The trail was now a dirt road and would remain that way for the rest of the day. I was not sure of this at first though, so I watched the app and my surroundings so that I wouldn’t miss anywhere the trail might reappear like I did the last time. I also watched the footprints in the road. If they disappeared I would know I missed a junction. But they never disappeared and once the road became a grueling uphill I knew this was the trail for the rest of the day. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Around 6:30 I reached the junction to a spring. This was my goal for the day. Clean cold water came out of a pipe surrounded by pink monkey flowers and other colorful flowers. After I got water I looked for a campsite and found one that even had Altra shoe patterns in the dirt. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-mo2A6U65z3su09Dtd5LV7111z2L-Y416BbdoqT4CuCCgNoAA2smD5l02myo6DK4aUmEXJ3_9hiqyeqFG124fQ-j7b8cnwvlnDofgDz-QyXmtDG3keQRoDurYtV8EcohZsSFLrnPQwEV-Gs3-qEjSiC87zHI1_LYuZ5td1c8AOicKwU/s4032/64C24014-3E9B-49A1-AFC0-4531A8CB7714.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-mo2A6U65z3su09Dtd5LV7111z2L-Y416BbdoqT4CuCCgNoAA2smD5l02myo6DK4aUmEXJ3_9hiqyeqFG124fQ-j7b8cnwvlnDofgDz-QyXmtDG3keQRoDurYtV8EcohZsSFLrnPQwEV-Gs3-qEjSiC87zHI1_LYuZ5td1c8AOicKwU/s320/64C24014-3E9B-49A1-AFC0-4531A8CB7714.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I set up camp and ate my dinner cold since it had been so hot in the afternoon. I think I might be camped be in Idaho. I am going to Leadore Idaho tomorrow. I have 17.6 miles to go to the road to Leadore. I am running out of food. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcgHyLoH39HK0ebdTunMepDUhweuePaHHZKkY5477eNIrxcUP6-GdZyCqbpSfJTmvaWPeoT1sGX3cI9S70ERgaDrP6uQ3_fyYAOiXcEKZ82uqp95Tba7lrSr4yz-3x2lGbrNi0r5-oWLF-J5KFA6LeqRqyADuRXBjDWEAsfl0LQpOq8I/s4032/FA9E8BCC-9F9C-43B0-85F3-0A4244EF4409.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcgHyLoH39HK0ebdTunMepDUhweuePaHHZKkY5477eNIrxcUP6-GdZyCqbpSfJTmvaWPeoT1sGX3cI9S70ERgaDrP6uQ3_fyYAOiXcEKZ82uqp95Tba7lrSr4yz-3x2lGbrNi0r5-oWLF-J5KFA6LeqRqyADuRXBjDWEAsfl0LQpOq8I/s320/FA9E8BCC-9F9C-43B0-85F3-0A4244EF4409.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-19397385584994961602022-07-30T22:37:00.004-07:002022-07-30T22:37:00.204-07:00To Leadore Day 4: cruiser in the morning, straight up in the afternoon <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I started the day at mile 668.7 and ended at mile 694.7. 26 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I woke up really early and decided to just get up and go. I was 45 minutes earlier than usual. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail started out uphill on decent switchbacks. Then it leveled off and stayed that way for a long time. I got a lot of miles in early. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">There was lots of water on the trail so I didn’t have to worry about water. I walked in forest most of the time and there were some sage brush meadows with lots of yellow flowers. There was a pond with lily pads. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMnSggrRFFY_JuY3czysHM_8pMfCj6iENVunUvxtj4BGR9pi5pwpCfSUIfXJEgNNPjbzTV3v1ZU_7mzXbGvRowyVPrMfYmaR2Hob4rIXvHTVbSmQFtWO3Idokc9YjFDGuYbIG57X0bheSWmk5JKUWw51xf6hvnSMLEO_QuSMhoNanUbY/s4032/97BEF84D-C31B-417F-88BE-B7128840E0DE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMnSggrRFFY_JuY3czysHM_8pMfCj6iENVunUvxtj4BGR9pi5pwpCfSUIfXJEgNNPjbzTV3v1ZU_7mzXbGvRowyVPrMfYmaR2Hob4rIXvHTVbSmQFtWO3Idokc9YjFDGuYbIG57X0bheSWmk5JKUWw51xf6hvnSMLEO_QuSMhoNanUbY/s320/97BEF84D-C31B-417F-88BE-B7128840E0DE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCVuWFPyLiEyW_pjf0wa-5Rfqwq97Hh_w761Wzg-TLbkoJA2f2rmw-gG6kNq0J-HW6xnwA5FJeLqp1PCL2a-tJyGU75_zuGqCbTz5BjY9Oy6Ro54w7awbG0ZHZgj6g596MpfDyp2FXDxwgWTmuCsmvcOHozslpFl5GGxdFbhkK0EHjk8/s4032/BEE4A0B0-FBFA-47FF-9C50-54DEE60A54AD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCVuWFPyLiEyW_pjf0wa-5Rfqwq97Hh_w761Wzg-TLbkoJA2f2rmw-gG6kNq0J-HW6xnwA5FJeLqp1PCL2a-tJyGU75_zuGqCbTz5BjY9Oy6Ro54w7awbG0ZHZgj6g596MpfDyp2FXDxwgWTmuCsmvcOHozslpFl5GGxdFbhkK0EHjk8/s320/BEE4A0B0-FBFA-47FF-9C50-54DEE60A54AD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">In the afternoon the trail began a climb to an overlook. At least that’s what the FarOut app called it. It was just the usual pass. I saw a pika on the way up. There wasn’t much of a view so I didn’t know why it was called an overlook. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail dropped a little and then climbed up more of a mountain. It was very steep and exposed. I was afraid to look down to my right so I didn’t and I didn’t take a picture. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Then around 5pm I reached the last water source for 19 miles. It was off trail. I filled up all my water. I still have a bit of water anxiety from two nights ago when I was not quite up the big climb and camped with just slightly less water than I needed for how thirsty I felt. So I set off for another straight up climb with ten pounds of water. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I passed up a really nice campsite early in the climb. I should have taken it but it was too early to stop. The climb was tough and the app really should have labeled the top of this one “overlook” because there were 360 degree views. It felt a little like the Goat Rocks up there. There was a saddle and another climb. I hoped to find camping in the saddle but it was cold and windy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpLzn6hQo5xQwgpugdpD8WsuwcIirmWYtnfjMNc8kdaKev1bnc8_Y5lTn2ge480_qNGTDqUqW8EBJpIUEIAIWdk_-oZ-1agvZSQcHxBmJYIylGqxfba0wSYIwV9xphyOZbVKvfphVtypJYsy7GnftxDtJr1uSGc4QQYAsFVhBHx4hpEU/s3088/CFDE4891-0C21-4C5F-92B3-FFFEC0BDF045.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpLzn6hQo5xQwgpugdpD8WsuwcIirmWYtnfjMNc8kdaKev1bnc8_Y5lTn2ge480_qNGTDqUqW8EBJpIUEIAIWdk_-oZ-1agvZSQcHxBmJYIylGqxfba0wSYIwV9xphyOZbVKvfphVtypJYsy7GnftxDtJr1uSGc4QQYAsFVhBHx4hpEU/s320/CFDE4891-0C21-4C5F-92B3-FFFEC0BDF045.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I did the second climb and it was still windy but slightly less so. Having learned from the windy night at the lake, I pitched my tarp between some small trees that I was able to tie some of the lines to. I pitched the corners all the way to the ground. I piled a lot of rocks on the stakes. I put my pack as a wind shield at one end. It held. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Today was Sunday, July 24. I saw not a single other person today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5wWz8eRWnCFAfCA0Uv8Ev_-kua-Cd9CHHrRRSZHjcU9s_MDcynlVwcr852Up75693D7yWKUhtsDKqXvT8diwwGalHx5o5DLTU0jtZjyhHPQxIGWPfHhKllz_M7sUWm_HsCn284gw3B-yxEZbKH1z55TflJV9AnO0AS0ta2uEa3MllrI/s4032/F055AEE2-7EF7-44AD-8964-CE5684561FE0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5wWz8eRWnCFAfCA0Uv8Ev_-kua-Cd9CHHrRRSZHjcU9s_MDcynlVwcr852Up75693D7yWKUhtsDKqXvT8diwwGalHx5o5DLTU0jtZjyhHPQxIGWPfHhKllz_M7sUWm_HsCn284gw3B-yxEZbKH1z55TflJV9AnO0AS0ta2uEa3MllrI/s320/F055AEE2-7EF7-44AD-8964-CE5684561FE0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-17008411865033291222022-07-29T22:32:00.001-07:002022-07-29T22:32:00.215-07:00To Leadore Day 3: Lots of hills and lakes<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 644.5. I’m ending at mile 668.7. I hiked 24.2 miles today. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I made it my goal to get 24 miles in. It took me 11.5 hours to do it. The hills, and there were many of them, are so steep I cannot walk very fast up or down them. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I finished off the big climb from yesterday first off. It was much better fresh after resting and sleeping. I was a little sore and still slow but it didn’t crush my soul. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail then traversed some and stayed pretty high for a while before doing the usual drop down and climb up again. The highest of the climbs brought me to 9100 feet. After that the trail was all downhill and with 3 hours to go before 7pm I made it my goal to reach the bottom at 7200 feet and 24 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">There was a lot of interesting scenery that is best shown in pictures. Other than a northbound hiker who had no interest in stopping to talk, I saw no other hikers. I did see a group of girls trail running with their coach. He gave me some fruit gummies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uPkeUj7GXexjvhxS8E2sc3hOPgrO0Zz1p_wm3pXPNVYi4NMuIy5ZLV3T5ybEFSKYsZ0RU23U0u2FoY3DY-vnqEm3OCqDmN-1VWJ9LZaBUHz1CT6PMvolIsLoV97lE0qGHCXKJOXyuCMbX80mibfciv-AlTHZuxAFauWr4tdnbYE--S4/s4032/8E70F621-EFBB-4BC1-91FB-B9D43EEC7630.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uPkeUj7GXexjvhxS8E2sc3hOPgrO0Zz1p_wm3pXPNVYi4NMuIy5ZLV3T5ybEFSKYsZ0RU23U0u2FoY3DY-vnqEm3OCqDmN-1VWJ9LZaBUHz1CT6PMvolIsLoV97lE0qGHCXKJOXyuCMbX80mibfciv-AlTHZuxAFauWr4tdnbYE--S4/s320/8E70F621-EFBB-4BC1-91FB-B9D43EEC7630.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3pfox4iNnV0jZt_PzGOMDwouEUf2ZclAN_mM45xQ231wrpfOJIXAJZm5Z0xzAWVddxNtBbtzo1gq5nNO9CmuHfKjlyESN3BTVB_7mNYKtQZIEPbSQgQzMIkpGZzFBAAFotPR2tzDSD2OGyjm1yZgXSQ4IDIv60wlh0JcDS8Fn-BF3WQ/s4032/BDE3787D-7E39-49CE-A002-D4B3225202AA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3pfox4iNnV0jZt_PzGOMDwouEUf2ZclAN_mM45xQ231wrpfOJIXAJZm5Z0xzAWVddxNtBbtzo1gq5nNO9CmuHfKjlyESN3BTVB_7mNYKtQZIEPbSQgQzMIkpGZzFBAAFotPR2tzDSD2OGyjm1yZgXSQ4IDIv60wlh0JcDS8Fn-BF3WQ/s320/BDE3787D-7E39-49CE-A002-D4B3225202AA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I camped in a little nook by a noisy creek. It was a warm night and the thick forest and solitude reminded me of Oregon and Washington. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h-rrgi4o4lJB1m_fM9FqTBmQpUgu-jDcuZpOBq18GlpDCUCv7asP6-wdRCOwlZ7Z35KkZTmAg-iHXcbNcH47Z2h66GjF3Gym-XXuBtNwJZE6VfmuKqYXrrPbxRjAq0bffV400wUQu3Ebi7GVI8ru_teK2iIGFYZXRSUcU0Ac1qJ6Klc/s4032/F1B62805-E0C4-42E3-BABB-78EAF7D29B65.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h-rrgi4o4lJB1m_fM9FqTBmQpUgu-jDcuZpOBq18GlpDCUCv7asP6-wdRCOwlZ7Z35KkZTmAg-iHXcbNcH47Z2h66GjF3Gym-XXuBtNwJZE6VfmuKqYXrrPbxRjAq0bffV400wUQu3Ebi7GVI8ru_teK2iIGFYZXRSUcU0Ac1qJ6Klc/s320/F1B62805-E0C4-42E3-BABB-78EAF7D29B65.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfX7ldZPcC8h9UoD-YkgvGSrd9jE4aSwaGun-TlxEq5VScunqaXKJ4LM2T2T4miB1MLhLedE62xCI7yN5HKejZHzQD3E_It77i1jHWGQCvALqZGyIoTRwelYMIGqND1g_Xc2PWB4R-t8SZZIq7yWUI9_Gwn3pSa536imooyz2gMRf0Jg/s4032/92766865-D518-420E-89FB-C1B9E679FD73.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfX7ldZPcC8h9UoD-YkgvGSrd9jE4aSwaGun-TlxEq5VScunqaXKJ4LM2T2T4miB1MLhLedE62xCI7yN5HKejZHzQD3E_It77i1jHWGQCvALqZGyIoTRwelYMIGqND1g_Xc2PWB4R-t8SZZIq7yWUI9_Gwn3pSa536imooyz2gMRf0Jg/s320/92766865-D518-420E-89FB-C1B9E679FD73.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-18876378865328898982022-07-28T22:27:00.001-07:002022-07-28T22:27:00.218-07:00To Leadore Day 2: the big hill<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting the day at mile 622.6. Ending at 644.5. 22 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Everyone started at the same time as me which was around 6:30am. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It did not take long for me to not see anyone else all day. First I missed a junction and went at least a mile round trip the wrong way. Then the hills became very steep and my pace slowed way down. First there was a drop down to 5700 feet. It was very warm down there. Then the big climb to 9100 feet began in earnest. There was a loss of altitude to cross a stream early on. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqBvFuVnrHulliQhQERXei53u_3dG1wqvpHjlsu58lDiHsR_1ct0ZmEqTXdYK362A2_kqSC98obAe9XKzpVbjLaeXdjRD2T4rrcAE8YXlb1F0CXw7xQ-e3vJMyhKmPrC6oob_8BSMnvEYiLOnjyG_LlXSZ_s_LMFc_OO6yC-nGS57a0U/s4032/B2DF319F-4AEF-4877-AD0C-E0866052DD18.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqBvFuVnrHulliQhQERXei53u_3dG1wqvpHjlsu58lDiHsR_1ct0ZmEqTXdYK362A2_kqSC98obAe9XKzpVbjLaeXdjRD2T4rrcAE8YXlb1F0CXw7xQ-e3vJMyhKmPrC6oob_8BSMnvEYiLOnjyG_LlXSZ_s_LMFc_OO6yC-nGS57a0U/s320/B2DF319F-4AEF-4877-AD0C-E0866052DD18.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I labored slowly for the afternoon then chose to get water for camping at about 5:30 and be on the lookout for some flat spots mentioned in the comments. I did not find them so I found my own small flat spot. At 6pm my tarp was set up and my dinner was cooking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRCCBvffMsd3EBv_kF1cg15z3Wa6TKn4yUi1n3wrEtZwWbksuWyIofLmhDix5DzgeDJzjkpuZfSSP5pMNNKenMIs1_n74VJ2Xf2E5KTLMH-lLzVUry_7Buh1uFno52NvVMSy030CkYSR8j_wVd7rgozJqSEQ1qMnAdFD3lMS1cQ4ekmo/s4032/F4C4BBA7-9F1F-4B79-99C8-FB6A4C8688D2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRCCBvffMsd3EBv_kF1cg15z3Wa6TKn4yUi1n3wrEtZwWbksuWyIofLmhDix5DzgeDJzjkpuZfSSP5pMNNKenMIs1_n74VJ2Xf2E5KTLMH-lLzVUry_7Buh1uFno52NvVMSy030CkYSR8j_wVd7rgozJqSEQ1qMnAdFD3lMS1cQ4ekmo/s320/F4C4BBA7-9F1F-4B79-99C8-FB6A4C8688D2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Twenty-two miles isn’t bad. There are a couple more miles to a sort of top. I’ll do them tomorrow. After that the day should be milder hiking, kind of level for a while then some ups and downs taking me to 9100 feet. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m grateful to have my big tarp. As long as there’s a flat spot big enough for me, the rest of the area covered by my tarp can be rocky, have bushes or logs and it doesn’t matter. I’m also grateful the high winds never came. </div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-17651769820579988052022-07-27T22:23:00.001-07:002022-07-27T22:23:00.243-07:00To Leadore Day 1: Nero to a tent site. <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I hiked 5.7 miles to a tent site. It was dirt road all the way. My pack was heavy. There was a nice spring to get water before the tent site and there wasn’t a chance for water again for 5 miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I got a late start leaving town. There was a lot of dithering about the fire ahead and the bad wind coming tomorrow and whether or not we should proceed. It was really hot in Darby and that made the idea of hiking unappealing. In the end I decided I would just go. I saw a few had also decided the same. Lotus was going to skip this section but as I was leaving she was running to the grocery store to buy her resupply. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It took me three hitches to get back to the trail. The first one left me at Connor. The guy was goofy and told me lies. Said he was a firefighter but he had no muscle and his skin looked like he never went outside.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The second was a more normal guy. He left me in front of a campground. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">As I stood in the blazing sun trying to get a ride I watched a couple in their motor home struggle with mechanical problems. They backed it down the hill and then somehow stopped it partially in the roadway. Cars would veer around it. I felt a little nervous being right there. The man finally got out to push it out of traffic then tried to start it but it would not start. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The sun was hot and I did not feel well. I walked into the forest service campground and found a bathroom. I felt a little better after. I should have written down the name of the campground because it was a nice one. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Back on the road I soon got a ride from a really cool guy who was going mushroom hunting and was going to the same parking area where the trail is. He was really nice and finally someone not on drugs or political or weird. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I ended my day in the tent site with Lotus and two guys. My stomach was not right so I just had a little snack and some emergence-C which was unfortunate because now my food wouldn’t be any lighter tomorrow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68qk5iJgdz4iWvlt-wpbSFCuEUOpfd_ODlp4R3bqhFqPJwUg0OuFE1RhZvFIXM8r2Pq18leBHUlwy2uPa7d80RlCpdbGlKB4VkbTI9QfaRclQXfyRrrEBERS4sx220wcz-oYeYPiBnqYzJmehWMY8niFSO0Jiyst9nv9ph96psTlC4K4/s4032/75C6DB22-4125-4998-AE42-218CEDCEB58B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68qk5iJgdz4iWvlt-wpbSFCuEUOpfd_ODlp4R3bqhFqPJwUg0OuFE1RhZvFIXM8r2Pq18leBHUlwy2uPa7d80RlCpdbGlKB4VkbTI9QfaRclQXfyRrrEBERS4sx220wcz-oYeYPiBnqYzJmehWMY8niFSO0Jiyst9nv9ph96psTlC4K4/s320/75C6DB22-4125-4998-AE42-218CEDCEB58B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-19250042224195530372022-07-26T18:34:00.001-07:002022-07-26T22:22:57.419-07:00Made it to Leadore, Idaho<p>It took me 6 hiking days, the first day only 5 miles, to get to Bannock Pass at mile 738.9. Bannock Pass was the access point for Leadore. If I can, I’ll try to do individual days’ posts with pictures but I may not be able to.</p><p>This last section was very hard. I felt weaker and weaker every day. I rest stepped up every hill. They don’t ever feel easier, only harder. I may have been suffering a lack of electrolytes. I don’t really have hiker hunger. It’s hard to sleep some nights because my legs and feet hurt and won’t relax </p><p>I fear the next section which starts in barren sage scrub with no shade and takes you to 10,000 feet in 10 miles. Will I make it?</p><p>The trouble with the trail towns and places I’ve stayed is a lack of WIFi. I either have none at all or it is weak or insecure and so it makes it hard to upload pictures or video. I don’t expect things to improve. </p><p>Here are a few pictures. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggryy2dQMW8zxMkmPdeY4hc5iuzd0hayR2IfDG-ly8QsyKArpooSl9TiRHk1sOmqVkoBRudH-fYduvzLS3gh492WM8cnIJ-zSr1dWdek5RDuq388fkn9icRD17paNI2K52VdQRB-q8u_80SluNzO03WI-JHKteEwVE1_I2zhbVnjvYFlA/s4032/5E84A6A6-58C4-43B9-8E14-77D8C3E54EB5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggryy2dQMW8zxMkmPdeY4hc5iuzd0hayR2IfDG-ly8QsyKArpooSl9TiRHk1sOmqVkoBRudH-fYduvzLS3gh492WM8cnIJ-zSr1dWdek5RDuq388fkn9icRD17paNI2K52VdQRB-q8u_80SluNzO03WI-JHKteEwVE1_I2zhbVnjvYFlA/s320/5E84A6A6-58C4-43B9-8E14-77D8C3E54EB5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gg6Hk4TBJC8kBXHXWoCPnKXEjnV9zzJ-W9PhR37Rj6OWN0IALtr1h7FwxHsF_tllCH85lE_-s0-J1vMJ1hl88dhBpgJ8UzTvBI8mickDO5vurfZHrVhcjZIcNC07Wgx3StovgF1ixmzShY7lphZoJO7mKR1MDZD_iEO2HVFYW-mxDO8/s4032/9C4A9ECE-9A60-49EB-91A9-C1503C0DAFA4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gg6Hk4TBJC8kBXHXWoCPnKXEjnV9zzJ-W9PhR37Rj6OWN0IALtr1h7FwxHsF_tllCH85lE_-s0-J1vMJ1hl88dhBpgJ8UzTvBI8mickDO5vurfZHrVhcjZIcNC07Wgx3StovgF1ixmzShY7lphZoJO7mKR1MDZD_iEO2HVFYW-mxDO8/s320/9C4A9ECE-9A60-49EB-91A9-C1503C0DAFA4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdS-dyP3ZS3e0FYytUPpBJn8DT1_SETynGuHP9IW7J29Pjt9FsqBADb9AMjT9tevZpoGCIx37GqFkY90RHsQhscSwArzoSSSnaPWkbmMdq7krTn6Uz7uw6UNKhNDT7OSJXiIw3VQASqmv586fzrE5v9Q9_d-ctXEt_p3_HUvh6ZrYM40/s4032/2089AC38-159B-4886-BFEF-D103E878DBE1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdS-dyP3ZS3e0FYytUPpBJn8DT1_SETynGuHP9IW7J29Pjt9FsqBADb9AMjT9tevZpoGCIx37GqFkY90RHsQhscSwArzoSSSnaPWkbmMdq7krTn6Uz7uw6UNKhNDT7OSJXiIw3VQASqmv586fzrE5v9Q9_d-ctXEt_p3_HUvh6ZrYM40/s320/2089AC38-159B-4886-BFEF-D103E878DBE1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsZD8zpCG93DxEhVLizICX-XABfqAiPMMw2y_wwcJ7L_JtZPZ2r6asUCofkxIfJyjclqsneDDHxUKxLWSl9VIA3WOV6ZjyxKoBz1WWZcdOlKuKkHMoo7FP2caBtMNj6moGTVaVpVbR4G7KcyStVfexhyCqwW1Xo8SgGKtnxlj6ALbHSY/s4032/BB58AFD1-71E0-43A7-9AA9-E1BE8D10F06B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsZD8zpCG93DxEhVLizICX-XABfqAiPMMw2y_wwcJ7L_JtZPZ2r6asUCofkxIfJyjclqsneDDHxUKxLWSl9VIA3WOV6ZjyxKoBz1WWZcdOlKuKkHMoo7FP2caBtMNj6moGTVaVpVbR4G7KcyStVfexhyCqwW1Xo8SgGKtnxlj6ALbHSY/s320/BB58AFD1-71E0-43A7-9AA9-E1BE8D10F06B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuAo1-ttW6Cibocbc7aLP6AREMzF_LKMSK3IQmdStsEh8Dv-Ysg0Wx2Dxn94b_sDkPRu8u7HGjUOX8SUztYPz0HDcW20aajd4hnE6NuhEoE7DOBg1HWrjqvtT0dx06zoUbgvS9zxMIGrIkQ9bNTdYgwPiEyKBJ4LuCngW5Txgb4zTwfU/s4032/E3CEF95F-0D72-45B0-92F5-F1360B4D5681.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuAo1-ttW6Cibocbc7aLP6AREMzF_LKMSK3IQmdStsEh8Dv-Ysg0Wx2Dxn94b_sDkPRu8u7HGjUOX8SUztYPz0HDcW20aajd4hnE6NuhEoE7DOBg1HWrjqvtT0dx06zoUbgvS9zxMIGrIkQ9bNTdYgwPiEyKBJ4LuCngW5Txgb4zTwfU/s320/E3CEF95F-0D72-45B0-92F5-F1360B4D5681.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-36178268567694129322022-07-21T12:31:00.002-07:002022-08-10T09:53:23.660-07:00To Darby Day 5: Hospital <p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">With only 2 miles left to the highway I tripped fell and cut my forehead. </span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_DBAfqA25G1U7nuzPctrGgqgmoWOCJ9s_t8lwjNPmcpuOZel2Xf5LvqQTHlcmPBgHJGTZdrmJEQSn6X5v8sngI7Z0MHk4DZXpmqkNrk-bYOyqEq0m4SRwMZ3lj677vIp-ZDpybhXlZ94uaCWKvlxxM2wTRJsa9mRdQWVmVps7ULI9fE/s3088/CD0D2CDC-AA8E-45CE-BF32-A01A9BFCF3FF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_DBAfqA25G1U7nuzPctrGgqgmoWOCJ9s_t8lwjNPmcpuOZel2Xf5LvqQTHlcmPBgHJGTZdrmJEQSn6X5v8sngI7Z0MHk4DZXpmqkNrk-bYOyqEq0m4SRwMZ3lj677vIp-ZDpybhXlZ94uaCWKvlxxM2wTRJsa9mRdQWVmVps7ULI9fE/s320/CD0D2CDC-AA8E-45CE-BF32-A01A9BFCF3FF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I landed on my forehead. Nothing broke my fall. It bled profusely and I put a bandaid on it and kept going. <p></p><p><span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 21px;">I got a ride from highway 43 to highway 93 from the guy who camped near me. He said he enjoyed my mandolin playing last night. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 21px;">I got a second hitch from a sort of scary guy all the way to Darby. He turned out to be very kind. He had actually passed by and turned around to offer the ride. He thought I needed help. It was 31 miles to Darby and he wouldn’t accept any gas money. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 21px;">I went to the grocery store after having breakfast to get something for my wound. It began bleeding again so I decided I should go to the health clinic instead. But the clinic was closed. So I hitchhiked to the hospital in Hamilton. I got a ride by a nice middle class couple. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ux0Au6TtYf3kWa3aY8xMcb99EcJqbWYPu3O6S9MPXH8MvraMinVHnXL0UrVPhsxxW5FSxUh19sz51mPL8qx_SBI6CEevjfYY-ixndhiefXtl-pY3LbJOQ-WYkul23m-lDHXd4KLS47kTLRteo9CkHDccYQMdPI3FCoVvl_fHAkMUuf0/s4032/89F3E11B-9308-465E-9222-80ABA05E7519.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ux0Au6TtYf3kWa3aY8xMcb99EcJqbWYPu3O6S9MPXH8MvraMinVHnXL0UrVPhsxxW5FSxUh19sz51mPL8qx_SBI6CEevjfYY-ixndhiefXtl-pY3LbJOQ-WYkul23m-lDHXd4KLS47kTLRteo9CkHDccYQMdPI3FCoVvl_fHAkMUuf0/s320/89F3E11B-9308-465E-9222-80ABA05E7519.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvcnX2vg6g3VZ8fFN5BlVGRLRgXGLMSDVYB5VHkXR8Sj1kOB3K5-CoSO62v50cmy-3OPCZEmZbzbT_3uOr5KqtSyfU3eY446L2n6cZC5L3ZQEGB0KtHNpEL6IX709vhVLm9W6CJs3tazJqqh7SJQQn8RDftsZx8aSy9sEr5XCpSHoWo/s3088/EE47E573-49DF-48F9-9DFF-1EC15442C121.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvcnX2vg6g3VZ8fFN5BlVGRLRgXGLMSDVYB5VHkXR8Sj1kOB3K5-CoSO62v50cmy-3OPCZEmZbzbT_3uOr5KqtSyfU3eY446L2n6cZC5L3ZQEGB0KtHNpEL6IX709vhVLm9W6CJs3tazJqqh7SJQQn8RDftsZx8aSy9sEr5XCpSHoWo/s320/EE47E573-49DF-48F9-9DFF-1EC15442C121.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>They glued my forehead back together after properly washing it clean. Then I hitchhiked back to Darby and stayed at the RV park. Darby was a nice town to stay at. I only stayed one night but I lingered and did not head back to the trail until the afternoon. </p>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-49614629860327312942022-07-21T12:18:00.003-07:002022-07-21T12:18:52.625-07:00To Darby Day 4: Transition zone<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting at mile 590. Ending at mile 614. 24 miles. There are 2 miles left to the highway to Darby. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The day’s hikes had the feeling of a transition zone. Like how the PCT will have dull stretches in between the more interesting higher places. There wasn’t much to say about it. There were a few spots with nice views but most of it was dry and boring and in various states of regrowth after fires. At least the weather was mild and the grade gentle. I made good time. I saw nobody else for the entire day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmT_JA71sD3YpP3Vd-U6OS1Sx6hLcJuTc7g4OCQ2GBrlK-eEHfTjuURVRBv4UgZH7oh93nc_rbaBzQqyQmz7-KMXIn6Ov50CKZdyTLuUdA5pFtWWHy8FcbFlC4RrGRJcGUw-clvLg2N__CqVToTnYYE3EVPt1w6Rb53k-GB1i6UbiaNs/s4032/4A6FE3CA-D67F-46EF-BE94-80F23F95D3F3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmT_JA71sD3YpP3Vd-U6OS1Sx6hLcJuTc7g4OCQ2GBrlK-eEHfTjuURVRBv4UgZH7oh93nc_rbaBzQqyQmz7-KMXIn6Ov50CKZdyTLuUdA5pFtWWHy8FcbFlC4RrGRJcGUw-clvLg2N__CqVToTnYYE3EVPt1w6Rb53k-GB1i6UbiaNs/s320/4A6FE3CA-D67F-46EF-BE94-80F23F95D3F3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">There was a 17 mile water carry. I took about 4 liters from the last reliable source to last the rest of the way to Chief Joseph Pass. I made some pudding to eat later, which I did at 2:30 while sitting in the shade cooling my feet. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I had cell service and called Tony. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I pretty much just put my head down and put in miles until about 6:30 when I stopped at a tent site listed in the app 2.2 miles from the Chief Joseph Pass exit. There was a truck and small RV nearby. I hoped someone would come out and offer me a cold drink but they didn’t. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4iIcgbieoG3hKEtGEjEFkNRpH0SSzG8uZGY5yu0mwU5_eLcjyaIi2lj1mGIZ95qC0ENDAlBbU7QhlyKenyeS3jyH25hXnJO32HEGW94r6hJfPfzUpOUD5fawAGCt14HGADnKLjQ3iOck2a0s2np-0z6isaPTzLcE3xiP9CohNgDNOAw/s4032/804DF364-6B38-446C-AA7C-2D8BC0BE8F50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4iIcgbieoG3hKEtGEjEFkNRpH0SSzG8uZGY5yu0mwU5_eLcjyaIi2lj1mGIZ95qC0ENDAlBbU7QhlyKenyeS3jyH25hXnJO32HEGW94r6hJfPfzUpOUD5fawAGCt14HGADnKLjQ3iOck2a0s2np-0z6isaPTzLcE3xiP9CohNgDNOAw/s320/804DF364-6B38-446C-AA7C-2D8BC0BE8F50.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuI9o_YXZV1nSibxNeaycRqnyWp3ZHd7b1bKgGpjscEYJxMEpR-JaxlfbA1VrD-uVyx3HBX9hVLMG5hZ4ay_eZHBnUhvm4QfuDG-N2hTjdr8Lejtz5hIJLZMi66DincdzLKYOMf8TJBH3UGSVI71QIBENNSJHkS4OB4cYK3IOnFI0i7s/s4032/D3872008-C417-4415-AEF9-0B23DA4B4452.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuI9o_YXZV1nSibxNeaycRqnyWp3ZHd7b1bKgGpjscEYJxMEpR-JaxlfbA1VrD-uVyx3HBX9hVLMG5hZ4ay_eZHBnUhvm4QfuDG-N2hTjdr8Lejtz5hIJLZMi66DincdzLKYOMf8TJBH3UGSVI71QIBENNSJHkS4OB4cYK3IOnFI0i7s/s320/D3872008-C417-4415-AEF9-0B23DA4B4452.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-4365378433700128052022-07-21T12:16:00.001-07:002022-07-21T12:16:05.634-07:00To Darby Day 3: Howling wind, crashing trees and forest fires<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I’m starting the day at mile 565 and ending it at 590. A grueling 25 mile day. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I was still exhausted from all the climbing yesterday. There were two more up and down passes to do. I fell in the creek between them and lost the drinking cap to my water bottle. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">Then the hills were less intense but I entered a very long burn zone with many blowdowns. The wind howled and I listened to trees fall. There was a forest fire burning in front of me. I wondered if it was on the trail. A few hours later I could see another forest fire burning on the other side of me. It was like being in hell. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPHhEVCg1dRg0gYgK_wTxyVJhU7pMOsyXt12o0pFfLWifJJyQf2qUf8FWIhzYlf9z76hwDpDsD3DD9sZJPk8tixI82XK44B1TReCW9X40Td31Srb3u6twrAM5hPnpI4wY30O4KwVvwsgyGqVeeLwfUWrQT42PKvX0oG5nrmlgL7JE6m0/s4032/129BD7F1-399C-42EA-A4FA-57FD4094BE3B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPHhEVCg1dRg0gYgK_wTxyVJhU7pMOsyXt12o0pFfLWifJJyQf2qUf8FWIhzYlf9z76hwDpDsD3DD9sZJPk8tixI82XK44B1TReCW9X40Td31Srb3u6twrAM5hPnpI4wY30O4KwVvwsgyGqVeeLwfUWrQT42PKvX0oG5nrmlgL7JE6m0/s320/129BD7F1-399C-42EA-A4FA-57FD4094BE3B.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9693ASNJDZMWZ0kIJ2p2SwVA9yxkNqUIHd1olCV36FH-3G8gj9jk8fnjXdb2nD6zxP3cuGp8CdpsTdi2P1qIhV1y9MyN7vMdNTfHWWhy2nFenRJOMGc8K-q5c1LNt3F8kVAXnDDKT4dkOTFJpLzFaL7H81IhALsRI-_G7g994Z79ydII/s4032/6122F846-22B3-4E93-8774-14A6E1A4F2EB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9693ASNJDZMWZ0kIJ2p2SwVA9yxkNqUIHd1olCV36FH-3G8gj9jk8fnjXdb2nD6zxP3cuGp8CdpsTdi2P1qIhV1y9MyN7vMdNTfHWWhy2nFenRJOMGc8K-q5c1LNt3F8kVAXnDDKT4dkOTFJpLzFaL7H81IhALsRI-_G7g994Z79ydII/s320/6122F846-22B3-4E93-8774-14A6E1A4F2EB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">There was a long water carry through miles of burned forest and blowdowns because comments in the app said they couldn’t find a spring. A helpful northbound section hiker told everyone how to find it. When I got there the men from last night and the Canadians were there. The Canadian man gave me a liter of water. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail climbed through more burned forest with more blowdowns. As I labored the Canadian woman’s pack appeared on the trail. I assumed she was pooping but I looked up and saw her hiking without it. The trail finally leveled off in unburned forest and the Canadian man appeared without his pack headed back down to retrieve hers. Everyone today had come up to me from behind and essentially blasted me out of their way, including the men and the Canadians. At times I wanted to cry at how rudely I would be forced to jump out of the way. But nobody carried my pack. I was doing all the same miles on my own at my own pace. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">As I crested the summit into reasonably healthy forest it appeared I might make it to the next water source without dry camping. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I plodded along, passing some nice dry campsites battling in my head which mattered more: to not exhaust myself with too many miles and get adequate rest or to camp among other people? Suddenly the creek appeared and there were no campsites nearby so I grabbed some water and went searching for a place to camp. Soon I was at Surprise lake and there were the German Belgians in their tent. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I tried to set up my tarp but it was just too windy. I packed up and went further. There were the men from yesterday. It seemed a little calmer on their side of the lake. I found a spot somewhat far from them and managed to set up my tarp partially tied to trees which seemed more secure. The cold wind was still blowing. It didn’t look promising but my tarp held while I made and ate my dinner and wrote in my journal. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzc3S6yeeMTLKaT6WakYEs0z9kk6UqWVey7ZyVLW8yhBJo01V6To0S73Y56Cu6fJbKG6eU78Xua6ZGj8tbhsvNf4iiew3mms4PtpvTeyqdQByAZihmAxBi_mO29zMX2VRxUC5vX88XNfb3pkslacpPAN-L04XfJIz3JTeDVQbnoTWV1s/s4032/E7D537BD-D332-49F5-B067-E19A606F01F8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzc3S6yeeMTLKaT6WakYEs0z9kk6UqWVey7ZyVLW8yhBJo01V6To0S73Y56Cu6fJbKG6eU78Xua6ZGj8tbhsvNf4iiew3mms4PtpvTeyqdQByAZihmAxBi_mO29zMX2VRxUC5vX88XNfb3pkslacpPAN-L04XfJIz3JTeDVQbnoTWV1s/s320/E7D537BD-D332-49F5-B067-E19A606F01F8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">It was such a long and brutal day. This is the Cruelty Delivery Trail. But on the bright side I carried my own weight and did as many miles as anyone else and I even managed to set up a tarp shelter in wind and it did not fall down. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh493qz7akvaJJ_Q0Kna0zMaWC8VAjd4RyVkUeX_5swyPoIVYQbeJEQITLSgBCn_byppUcO4BDTAEC_AGwUxja0AjlV5OYhAztnJcAY3HXIZnS074vhphFRKOKEmofzpdaKwLbZrOTsDYGXtmlUgLZmP1h8OQ_9z9MgPORunmwsRtAx5A0/s4032/8946404F-5A9F-4F96-BF3A-D093FE4A6A63.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh493qz7akvaJJ_Q0Kna0zMaWC8VAjd4RyVkUeX_5swyPoIVYQbeJEQITLSgBCn_byppUcO4BDTAEC_AGwUxja0AjlV5OYhAztnJcAY3HXIZnS074vhphFRKOKEmofzpdaKwLbZrOTsDYGXtmlUgLZmP1h8OQ_9z9MgPORunmwsRtAx5A0/s320/8946404F-5A9F-4F96-BF3A-D093FE4A6A63.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38912149.post-75052827704550671962022-07-21T12:10:00.003-07:002022-07-21T12:10:14.503-07:00To Darby Day 2: Lakes and passes <div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I tried to get an early start. I got up with the first bird I heard. It was still dark enough it was hard to see. I made hot oatmeal and cold coffee mixed up in a breakfast essentials drink. It was too much. I had a hard time hiking at first. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">This mountain lake actually had a dam on it. I walked over the dam to resume the trail. I had about 3 and a half miles to get back on the official CDT, the “red line” for the color of the trail on the FarOut app. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail climbed humanely to Storm Lake Pass. Then it traversed over to a cool alpine area called Goat Flat. That’s where I rejoined the CDT. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxA5cLcYUymQaMoa_VHex7bTmAZ0hVfevtdati8rP9zeIA0cnEYJ0Lb84QOKsMgOb0QysZQ1_tQjjceq5q77dcGntWEvrv4imfopLa3sLVZzLJCI95jrz_9EO73ST3C6jV5QOttbMx1-hwA9IfzBnJKTp857FeB68aNZ6L5IoIptgiY8/s4032/85D3B499-31CD-4DB8-B03C-DC36EF0CF9EB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxA5cLcYUymQaMoa_VHex7bTmAZ0hVfevtdati8rP9zeIA0cnEYJ0Lb84QOKsMgOb0QysZQ1_tQjjceq5q77dcGntWEvrv4imfopLa3sLVZzLJCI95jrz_9EO73ST3C6jV5QOttbMx1-hwA9IfzBnJKTp857FeB68aNZ6L5IoIptgiY8/s320/85D3B499-31CD-4DB8-B03C-DC36EF0CF9EB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDr43fvWrilw6V4g5T5mzhbJsBtKL1v4op-wi7mfNcG2M3BYB0I93N3g8i-lWyRIGi_JYS9HCoK9JVO1s65jpQNGm1rA0gmH8MMXOoTP5Uw0cDZIC32U3EFmpOdi3Yc1q5Idf76eBAtEBJPIxdEAlLzJHffS4pe_gquOyyl7J5VRL0B8/s3088/27074C26-AA86-4E22-B8B4-F782DC1F6F1D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDr43fvWrilw6V4g5T5mzhbJsBtKL1v4op-wi7mfNcG2M3BYB0I93N3g8i-lWyRIGi_JYS9HCoK9JVO1s65jpQNGm1rA0gmH8MMXOoTP5Uw0cDZIC32U3EFmpOdi3Yc1q5Idf76eBAtEBJPIxdEAlLzJHffS4pe_gquOyyl7J5VRL0B8/s320/27074C26-AA86-4E22-B8B4-F782DC1F6F1D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The trail then entered a really beautiful forest of larches. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z3oR69fkquOt-x6vvS9dqz0hdPcrWf-Hc_uzkeb1mDqtosG6Qa5ky-MROevfrHkkX0kwOB3hepgtcEtxUpy4rHNuiMV1orhlcpeCFW8ZhwU8yMCVLHSyc7TPr3HMq5pYTuK0IQMhMkXq-WWFnCy2A-9NbP3eKRIsXVV6f5AT1wRoTzw/s4032/20782422-7D54-408F-AD8D-EFE885E37459.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z3oR69fkquOt-x6vvS9dqz0hdPcrWf-Hc_uzkeb1mDqtosG6Qa5ky-MROevfrHkkX0kwOB3hepgtcEtxUpy4rHNuiMV1orhlcpeCFW8ZhwU8yMCVLHSyc7TPr3HMq5pYTuK0IQMhMkXq-WWFnCy2A-9NbP3eKRIsXVV6f5AT1wRoTzw/s320/20782422-7D54-408F-AD8D-EFE885E37459.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Shoy3MW2How3S9orA0nbkV4cExd_FXbg80tlp2SuFl-pqIPgl6--GNFNLcdm5g18FEO_9Unh43MRy3DHwxeKR72TKfav80f_ty2dnRgMVejGTN_pMRaGLwF7dCZOBmxOG5isKt8szmkO451v5zzV-FY-MDGCKrHR9dswD7OjD7QtRMc/s4032/F131A3DD-ACBE-434F-98ED-E3D3D2794839.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Shoy3MW2How3S9orA0nbkV4cExd_FXbg80tlp2SuFl-pqIPgl6--GNFNLcdm5g18FEO_9Unh43MRy3DHwxeKR72TKfav80f_ty2dnRgMVejGTN_pMRaGLwF7dCZOBmxOG5isKt8szmkO451v5zzV-FY-MDGCKrHR9dswD7OjD7QtRMc/s320/F131A3DD-ACBE-434F-98ED-E3D3D2794839.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">All day I climbed passes and then descended into valleys and climbed more passes. I think there were at least four or five. Many of them were very steep. The second to last, the one that went by Warren Lake, was the steepest of all. The downhill on the other side was just as steep. When it was done I had nothing left but I still had 3 and a half more miles. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">The last miles were slow. I felt like every rock and root conspired against me. My goal was Rainbow Lake and when the lake came into view I cried. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I took a little refreshing skinny dip in the lake. I did not swim, just sat on a submerged rock and washed my skin. I hoped it would help me sleep better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oPFSaTqNydWuZODJ4iSO-zdEt-BVxB4uVEPUjux2Uc5r8Kaj-kiZIVwA7pOskx-ArZcPFLFhjJXkoB9NNu1qZFRFOD8AHfnruKTPDUP_pRqTJ6PdlFry24KjDhvCd-OyTdicxO1LkAF6CUHlMz1kIC35O5I6WvAvI-jA78mk_zIq2s4/s4032/E9336135-BD07-4270-ACAB-0EC346025D77.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oPFSaTqNydWuZODJ4iSO-zdEt-BVxB4uVEPUjux2Uc5r8Kaj-kiZIVwA7pOskx-ArZcPFLFhjJXkoB9NNu1qZFRFOD8AHfnruKTPDUP_pRqTJ6PdlFry24KjDhvCd-OyTdicxO1LkAF6CUHlMz1kIC35O5I6WvAvI-jA78mk_zIq2s4/s320/E9336135-BD07-4270-ACAB-0EC346025D77.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I ate mashed potatoes with real butter and real cheese and tuna in sunflower oil for dinner sitting around a campfire ring with no fire with three guys who I had seen a number of times throughout the day. They told me they saw Mowgli when they arrived at the lake and that I arrived not very long after. I would have thought Mowgli would have gotten much further faster than that. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">For as hard as this day felt and for as much as I struggled and rest stepped maybe I’m not in as bad shape as I think.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 21px;">I pitched my tarp only feet from the lake. That’s not very leave no trace. People in Montana kinda do whatever but the nature doesn’t seem destroyed here at all. Maybe the short summers contain the damage. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAiZYCGiSVRq8f9cS7FK_Epg1_sV6RHD-OuyKdFnZH_BdvYLafDEdW4NJIf_PIAEQ5_ssyErjm6E5alVOY-Ud0HS0f1qsVMh7FYeaaR30zM77mrf36Rcjm13mFgGGjo11W1QZnD8Edfln4eI3RPqv_8-t0wKSk2jWVWV7xdEq23tnZHM/s4032/C38A7021-9315-4AF5-8126-7A31D30ADF84.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAiZYCGiSVRq8f9cS7FK_Epg1_sV6RHD-OuyKdFnZH_BdvYLafDEdW4NJIf_PIAEQ5_ssyErjm6E5alVOY-Ud0HS0f1qsVMh7FYeaaR30zM77mrf36Rcjm13mFgGGjo11W1QZnD8Edfln4eI3RPqv_8-t0wKSk2jWVWV7xdEq23tnZHM/s320/C38A7021-9315-4AF5-8126-7A31D30ADF84.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Piperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884645686976359244noreply@blogger.com0