CDT Joy: First solo self

Day 17: 14.8 miles

The highlight: Straight Creek alternate.

My alarm shot at 6 in the morning and woke up feeling very renewed. This was my first real bed and stay indoors since I started the path more than 2 weeks ago.

As I had time, I went through all the articles of my package and questioned its usefulness. In the hiker box I added hand heating, extra zuracos zip line bags, half of a 2 oz bottle of Sriracha, facial towels and half of the box in the bandages I picked up from the general store. I was pleased to have been a little more in my kit for this next section.

Then I took another look at my food. In my refueling box I sent enough calories to take Mena in 5.5 days. If you ate double protein bars and double dessert, it would be 3 days of food with a set of emergency snacks if you gave 2 dinners. This helped me to feel good with my decision to go to Lincoln in 3 days to eat another meal from the city, load my electronic products and overcome my food refueling of what I will carry out.

After putting my package again, I left the hotel room and had breakfast at the Coffee Audit Restaurant and a cinnamon roll. Then, the host of the camp transported the United States hikers back to the road.

From the beginning of the path I took the Retray Creek alternative to the red line of CDT. Today’s land was a cruise, but after the red line it was a burning zone with a little slow and constant uphill. I took some breaks to filter and drink water and take a snack. Today I picked up the leftover pizza, but I was not hungry at lunch, and after smelling it all day in my pack I was not interested in eating it at dinner time.

Instead, for dinner, I had a Cuscous Boogie refueling meal, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, oil and Parmesan cheese. It was incredible and I was glad not to carry the extra weight of all special ingredients.

After dinner, I had about an hour of time to relax in my store before going to bed during the night.

Day 18: 19.9 miles

The highlights: Ridgeline views. Exposed climbing.

I woke up this morning and felt fresh. For breakfast I ate leftover pizza that had packed the city. I could smell it while I was walking yesterday, but I was not hungry at lunchtime. After 8 hours of hiking and smelling pizza, it no longer sounded well and instead had cuscous. This morning, however, he had to eat or risk carrying extra weight in my backpack.

The morning was fresh and shaded by the mountain and put my wind gloves to keep my hands hot. I took my first break around 9 am and did some stretching and filtered water. Again I leaked water before the beginning of a long and exposed climb. Today, the water sources were more spaced and had to take into account the application and comments, since some of the water sources listed on the map were dry.

The beginning of the climb was in a burns area and then climbed on the tree line for a very exposed climb. I took it slow and constant taking into account my propensity to obtain heat headaches and heat eruptions if I strive too much. I stopped for lunch after the biggest climb was over and took a 45 -minute break in the shade.

After lunch there was a 5 mile water along Lake A. The path rose and was exposed again, but this time with 360 degree views of the mountains. In the descent to the lake I finished the last of my water and I was ready for a break next to the lake.

Senderos views today

I arrived at the lake around 4:30 and realized that the next water source would be 12 miles here, with the next good camp in the Farout application another 6 miles. He had already walked 20 miles in the heat and the idea of dry camping somewhere up to six miles away was discouraging. The mistakes at this break also affected me and my good judgment.

I decided that the best thing would be to configure my store and do the research I needed the shelter away from insects. It was the right decision and I will wake up early tomorrow before the heat to invent any mile you need. Lincoln is 18 miles from here.

I also took the time to plan possible camp options. If you did not enter Lincoln, it would be trapped again with a 19 or 26 mile day and even more elevation gain than today. Water will also challenge the next few days. It reminds me that this path is really willing to challenge me. The weather, the distance, the lack of water sometimes and long days to find adequate ground for camping are all for the course.

At 6pm I took a break from the investigation and ate dinner. I found another hiker camping there and at dinner helped me relieve my mind about hooking and going to the city tomorrow.

Day 19: 18.2 miles

The highlight: Morning Zoomies, hooked to Lincoln.

I woke up at 5 am ready to walk. I had 18 miles to the city and wanted to get to the crossing of the road as soon as possible to give me time to make my first hitch. The hiker blink near me and walks much faster than me, so he hoped would come out early that we arrive at the beginning of the path almost at the same time and he could provide moral support and help make this thing of Caketop less stressful.

In my previous paths, I walked to the city (bonus miles), jumped into the city completely (large food transport), or organized a transport service to collect from the path at a given time. I never realized that this was done for fear of leaving things out of my hands to see which kind person would be willing to take a walk to a hunting hiker to the city. This is a fear that I hope to overcome on this path and begins today.

The morning began with a long up up and far from the lake that was camping and the path continued in the crest lines for most of the day. I could see a 360 -degree dawn and stopped me while rounding the final turn of the curves and clouds and colors simply flourished. I was very grateful to make this rise in the morning with colder temperatures and renewed energy overnight. In addition, because the land was mostly Ridgeline, I saw no evidence of a good camp during most of the road on the road today.

Morning sunrise day 19

I walked more than 10 miles at 10 am for the first time along the way. The dawn fed me and I challenged to see what miles I could get this morning. At 10 am, I took a break in the shadow, since I was already beginning to warm up the day. I changed my morning sandwich for fresh lunch of ritz cookie lunch with cheese, a moon bar, a Krispy rice treat and sour patch children of watermelon.

I arrived at Rogers Pass at 1 PM I kept my trekking post, took off my hat and sunglasses and stayed close to the road with a shoulder just behind me with a lot of space to stop. I extended my thumb and waited. First car, without stopping, second car .. no. More than 20 cars passed without luck. In my brain I began to think … Am I doing this wrong? Is there a better place to stop?

About 20 minutes after I began to hook an ATV, it went down a dirt road through the road. He headed on the road beyond me, then crossed the road and turned around to get in my way. He asked me if he went to Lincoln and offered a trip to meet him at the beginning of the path while he carried his ATV in his truck. I said yes and I had a pleasant and easy walk to the city.

Once in the city, I went to the scapegoat for lunch. Blink was already inside after taking an alternative this morning that saved a significant elevation and left a few steps from the city. I ate a huge fried chicken sandwich with children and I couldn’t finish everything. From there, I went to the wheel bar of the car and asked for permission to launch my tent on your grass outside. I had the delight of taking a shower in the RV Park and Budié to wash a load. I looked at my food bag and had enough food for Helena, so I planned to collect only a gift/ snack in the city.

Lincoln’s hardware store was out of fuel cans and a comment in Farout mentioned that they did not plan to get more for the season. I have the same fuel cans on day 1 and it is likely that I only have 1-2 bristles, so I will plan to soak my third dinner in the Cuscous and get a new can in Helena.

After the errands in the city and catch up with Ghost Pepper and Family, it was already after 6 pm and eating time again. At the bar I ate the appetizer’s sample, I took a beer and socialized with friends from hikers. At the end of dinner, we were all on our phones to plan the next section. There are some alternatives that save elevation, distance, give more access to water and alpacas!

I used Farout’s comments at the crosses to create a route on my gaia application to give estimates and addresses away. I downloaded the route for use offline and I will plan the camp in the morning. The forecast shows rain during the night and the next morning with a high in the 50s instead of the 90s as today, so I planned to choose the mileage and the campsites based on the weather tomorrow.

Note: Daily distances in the total miles really walked, including alternatives, secondary missions and bonus miles. The mileage summary is based on the red line of CDT in Farout and may not align with my total mileage.

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