Friday, July 30, 2010

I cant find my home.

Out of Montana, heading to Yellowstone.
Might not be able to update for a whiles.
Still alive though, having ridiculous amounts of fun. Saw IceAxe yesterday and chatted for about three hours. I've got five people in on the one food challenge. It's going to be awesome.
Oh word.

Me vs. Grizzly Bears part II

I asked what it meant, the authour just glared and said "I don't know".

Day ThirtyFive, 22 July, 18 Miles
At Mile 711, Poptart 224/1000
Leadore Store = Eating
Steve = Provider of ride to Bannock (tough hitch what?)
No Poptarts = Woe!
Leadore = Amazing
SoMo = So much better than any of us had anticipated
Section = Windy, barren, beautiful divide walking
Elk Mountain = 10194ft
CDT = Magic
.

Personal Spam Bodyguard.

Day ThirtyFour, 21 July, 14 Miles
At Mile 693, Poptart 220/1000
Started with the sun and decided on a shortcut through "waist-high Sagebrush". It ended up being just that in the end, but still worth it. Arrived at Bannock Pass a little before 11, a time joker had predicted two days earlier, and had a hitch within a minute. Lucky for us, the road over the pass is gravel and traffic can be sparse. It would not be uncommon for hikers to wait hours for the first car to arrive. Leadore is a tiny town, very hot, friendly, relaxing and a little depressing (You wonder if it will still exist in ten years). Not much I had to do, caught up with everyone and spent the day eating and sitting. Jellybean roulette is coming to the Southern Hemisphere with me. Be warned.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Conversations with...

Day ThirtyThree, 20 July, 31 Miles
At Mile 679, Poptart 216/1000
Climbed straight from camp up to Peak 9755, awesome views all around. On the wide, flat divide all morning to a bushwack through sagebrush down to the surprisingly busy Lemhi Pass. Spent the day listening to ABC Conversation Hour Podcasts. Big climb to a spring where Joker and myself dined with the mosquitoes. Hiked an hour in the late evening light on the beautiful, wildflower covered meadows that cover the divide in these parts. Nice campsite under an orange and blue sunset.

What CDT?

Day ThirtyTwo, 19 July, 28 Miles
At Mile 648, Poptart 206/1000
So, you may or may not know that I spent much of the two months prior to this hike slacklining. So when I see a tree across a creek I usually go for it, the thinner and flimsier, the better. I'm going to blame it on my shoes and pack, but my success rate is depressingly low.
Past the pleasant Rock Island Lakes, hauled up and over a couple of steep, forested ridges before dropping down to a road where I caught up to Joker who'd found Rolling Thunder and Mike With A Y. Decided to take a long, exposed, hot road walk alternate. It was flat and quicker, and totally worth it when some friendly folk stopped to chat and handed me a cold beer. After being bombed by a posse of heavily laden jeeps and a rather unfriendly NOBO I headed onward, past a meadow full of nine Port-A-Loo's grazing in their natural habitat up to where Joker, Mike and RT where breaking by a stream. Decided on another shortcut, this one a steep bushwack with some of the worst mosquitoes I've ever encountered. Passed by Cowbone Lake in the forest without seeing it (named after 60 desperately thirsty cows drowned when they broke through November ice). Joker and I headed over Goldstone Pass via some rock climbingly good times.

New socks, old socks, whatever.

Day ThirtyOne, 18 July, 30 Miles
At Mile 620, Poptart 198/1000
Chipmunks and squirrels welcomed my second month on trail by dropping all sorts onto my tarp from the trees above. That's what happens when you sleep in on the CDT man. Nice tread, no CDT markers. Ups and downs in beautiful forest that hasn't been burnt or beetle infested. A rare treat indeed. Another surprise area that we're definitely made to work for under the hot sun. Which I love. Enjoyed a morning break in a cabin that wasn't falling over. Another rare treat. Getting used to drinking out of a 1L Gatorade bottle while walking (try it, it's really difficult to not drown) and sleeping in my bug bivy (I'm usually not claustrophobic but far oot). Camped a wee bit above Little Lake, take it James R: "what a superb wilderness setting, the sparkling water cradled beneath an unspoiled towering summit!" Cheers.

Like Agnes, Agatha, Jermaine and Jack.

Day Thirty, 17 July, 17 Miles
At Mile 590, Poptart 190/1000
My hair smells wonderful. Saw Toy Story 3 last night. So unbelievably good. Marc Fennell was right to give it five stars. We've always agreed anyway, except on The Dark Night. That movie is rubbish, aside from Heath Ledger. Well it is.
Took Joker and myself two rides and over an hour of thumbing but we made it back up to Lost Trail Pass without too much trouble. Although 40 minutes in Salmon does equal my CDT hitching record. The second guy had a broken hand, which I forgot about until after I shook it in thanks. He manned through the pain. Hiked a mile up the highway to Chief Joseph before returning to the trail; a pleasant, shady quiet forest road. The kind of road walking I enjoy 'cause it's virtually a triple wide trail. Black Flies, Horse Flies, Butterflies. The divide here doubles as the Montana/Idaho border so my current state of affairs changes countless times a day. What.
Point is, the ups, and indeed the downs too, were intense once we left the road. Like make even DOCNZ trail builders cry intense. Even my hahaha "Nepali Flat!!!" porter friends would cry going up and down some of those suckas. Eventually made it to Big Hole Pass and enjoyed a dinner of half a Subway and croutons (best trail food ever). Experienced what I later learned is a new trend on the trail, excellent tread, no markings. I'm on a trail alright, but the right one? Who cares.
Carrying five untried Poptart flavours...

Friday, July 16, 2010

One Big Ass Mistake America.

Day TwentyNine, 16 July, 0 Miles
At Mile 573, Poptart 182/1000
Yeah, so what if I'm eating Poptarts off trail. What are you going to do about it?
I have my netbook in my bounce box, which I see every two weeks or so. I imagined with all that extra internet time it would make town chores quicker and easier and would allow me to write more on this. Well it doesn't. Not even a little bit. Always so so much to do in towns. Everyone left except Joker, who's waiting on shoes, we should catch them before Leadore. Might watch Toy Story 3 later, still have to resupply. Cheap and solid Chinese buffet for lunch. Hot, dry and wonderful down here. Love it. got to be mid-thirties. Hope everyone is well in the world. Maybe next time...

Rugby, potatoes and all that good stuff.

Day TwentyEight, 15 July, 0 Miles
At Mile 573, Poptart 176/1000
Awoke to a moist morning, two part hitch to Salmon, Idaho with a breakfast break. Yeah, that's right, we're in Idaho. The potato state. Yeah! Met up with everybody in town including Mike and Rolling Thunder. Talked NZ and PCT 06/09 amongst other things. Salmon has everything I could possibly want except shoes and a printer. New Balance online are having one of their never ending sales, and despite my favourite shoe being discontinued I got some similar shoes sent to Lima. Two towns and 22o miles away. Hope these ratty Hardrocks make it. Can't wait to get back into NB's. Mmmm yeah. Ate lots and got nothing achieved. Zeroing tomorrow anyway. Awesome microbrewery in town.

50 told me go 'head switch the style up and if they hate then let 'em hate and watch the money pile up.

Day TwentySeven, 14 July, 27 Miles
At Mile 573, Poptart 172/1000
Last night was cold. First time on either long trail I've resorted to wearing my fleece to push my 30F bag down to where it needs to be. Southern Colorado watch out. Walking through burns (2000 I think so starting to regenerate) most of the day. Hiked the official with Lost and Found, others took the shorter old CDT route. All ended up at the Lost Trail Pass rest area for a super relaxing evening.

Feeling irreplaceable listening to Beyoncé.

Day TwentySix, 13 July, 22 Miles
At Mile 546, Poptart 162/1000
Another up and down day, still in this wonderful Wilderness area. Hiked pretty much in the middle of this big group all day. Found and myself took a very worthwhile alternate past some lakes I can't remember (typing this at the library in Salmon so I'm rushing these. Can't you tell). Wind kept the temperature awkward and the bugs away. Bit burnt out in parts but some nice divide walking and another awesome lakeside campsite.

I can't be racist, I'm foreign.

Day TwentyFive, 12 July, 22 Miles
At Mile 524, Poptart 152/1000
On my way up to Goat Flat with Found we spotted the group of seven on the divide ridge alternate. And oh, how sweet did it look. Some other day. Up and down all day, lunched on Cutaway Pass then headed for Warren Lake, loved by the guidebook author, Mr James Wolf, and rightly so. It is a truly wonderful spot. In fact this whole Anaconda/Pintler Wilderness has been a surprise. It gets zero mention (unlike the Bob, Glacier, the Winds, San Juan's etc) yet it has been by far the best section so far. As we were sitting at the Lake I suddenly found myself in the middle of our small CDT herd. Five of the seven hiked the PCT last year as well, but all started and finished before me. Made it to Rainbow Lake and I'm currently cowboyed all of two metres from waters edge and despite the wind it is a surreal and completely beautiful spot. Crazy to go from dry camping by myself to camping on a lake with eight others. 6500ft of climbing today oh yerrrr.

Butte Route. So if you're thinking about the CDT at all this will inevitably be one of many planning decisions. Butte vs Anaconda. First off, Butte is the official way and is 70ish miles longer. There really shouldn't be any reason to take the Anaconda Cuttoff unless you're in a hurry (like late NOBO's probably). In saying that, the Butte Route is not that great. We'd heard various reports: finished, improved, less road walking, awesome, worthwhile. It is NOT finished. At least it'd better not be, there is still a ton of hot, dusty, crap road walking. The new sections of trail were really good but few and far between. Sure, Anaconda is a highway walk in part but you'll be through it quicker. Also Anaconda itself is a way more convenient resupply (being on trail) than Butte. Heard it was a pretty depressing town though. Do whatever makes you happy.

A caché of poorly made weapons.

Day TwentyFour, 11 July, 31 Miles
At Mile 502, Poptart 144/1000
Following the lightly used alternate kept me well occupied this morning, well blazed but still a challenge to stay on-trail. I quite enjoy it actually. Vague but flat old jeep roads took me to yet another highway crossing. Took another bushbash alternate that wasn't worth it. Back onto gravel I met the CDTA mapping crew who were super nice and have a fine product in production (little expensive maybe...). What a sweet job they have. They gave me a heads up that there were seven hikers a couple hours ahead and a NOBO coming my way. In the distance behind me was another SOBO too. Crazy. Meet Tessa, a NOBO sectioner doing Montana, and from NZ, in a bog. Chatted a whiles, she'd broken her wrist but was powering on cast style. Found caught up as we were talking and we made our way through the bogs and up the road towards the Annaconda/Pintler Wilderness. Nice to hike and chat again. Found is mapping the CDT for Backpacker Magazine. Made our way through mosquito hordes up to Upper Seymor Lake. Terrified a poor mum and cub black bear on the way. Lake and campsite is beautiful. If it rains tonight I'll be in a puddle, currently flicking mosquitoes from my bivy into the inside of my tarp. It's great.

Some sunny day. We'll meAt again.

Day TwentyThree, 10 July, 31 Miles
At Mile 471, Poptart 136/1000
Some guy was working ALL NIGHT on some sort of excavator/dozer in what I assume is a mine of some sort just up the hill from where I camped. Great. There's mines and prospects everywhere, some still paying off apparently. Forever passing old miners cabins which was cool but the novelty wore off quick. Pretty sloggy, mostly roaded walk down to re-cross I15. Got dumped on hard by a earlier-than-usual afternoon storm (1pm, as I was attempting to enjoy lunch). Started raining, then raining more, then RAINING, then hail, then the trail became a creek, then the sun came out. Bit more of a rumble but the trail took me away form the next storm only to lead me into the rain that followed it. The sort of rain that looks like it might be around for a day or twelve. Eventually cleared though. Took the official route that nobody else does. Could have placed my tarp better, looks like it might rain again. Christmas carols have randomly been appearing in my head. Who knows how that brain works up there.
Did pass one of our makeshift trail registers earlier, twelve or so only a day ahead so might be in the CDT 'herd' soon.

Man, I don't wanna share the trail with damn SUL'ers.

Day TwentyTwo, 9 July, 17 Miles
At Mile 440, Poptart 128/1000
Got up super early with a nice sunrise and threw down to Pipestone Pass. Quick hitch into Butte, shower, breakfast, library, post office, lunch, resupply, print maps, done. Only Butte wasn't going to let me go that easily. Had to walk three miles out of town to the highway turnoff where I promptly got a ride. I thought I had destroyed the Pizza Hut buffet and would be able to hike 12 quick miles in the evening. No. It had destroyed me. My first hour on trail was disgraceful. Took three breaks, heavy pack, angry stomach. Was too full to even drink water, and I was so desperately thirsty. Eventually it all settled and the trail was easy. Rain came and went, providing an amazing fire-yellow sunset in its wake. Lighting up my world. Got to the trail head camping area of a relatively popular gravel road around 9 and enjoyed my Taco Bell carry out. Yer. The last 1/4 mile of trail was ridiculous beyond anything I've experienced yet. You simply must experience it some day. Redefining pointlessness. Looking ahead, Anaconda/Pintler Wilderness looks nice so I'm glad I packed out extra food. Will see but doubt I want to do thirties through there. Might do some cross country divide walking instead.

Top Five Stomach Exploding Times In My Life (that I can recall right now)
1. On the bus in Nepal when I bailed off the roof and force-vomited because I thought if I didn't I would die. All the while hoping the bus didn't drive off without me.
2. The previous night, when I force-vomited for the first time in my life. Something wasn't working properly, obviously.
3. When The Niru force feed us enough to feed thousands and I was almost physically incapable of walking under my own power.
4. 3.5lbs of pancake.
5. Earlier today.

*Notable mention to the first time I tried, and eventually completed, the 2L challenge.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Down amongst the leaves. This is the summer of thieves.

Day TwentyOne, July 8, 26 Miles
At Mile 423, Poptart 122/1000
Mosquitoes were pretty bad all night and this morning, disappearing as the trail approached Delmoe Lake. Took the Ley bushbash, it was good fun but I messed it up a bit then ended up in some private property. Seems everyone else had similar problems. I'm pretty sure I trespassed my way along the lake shore, luckily the resident dog was friendly otherwise I would have been in the lake. The 10/9/8 mile (depending on who you ask, I say 9) Delmoe Lake Road walk was only bearable with my mp3 player. Hit up my old friend I90 and hung out at Homestake Lake for a couple of hours, I had nothing else to do. With the sun going down so late and it finally getting hot, it stays hot till after 9pm. So I don't mind hiking and setting up late when it's a little cooler. The trail after I90 is new and amazing. Plenty of mountain bikers and I would too. Nicely forested with granity granite outcrops. I am currently sitting in my best campsite yet. Cowboyed near a little outcrop, light breeze keeping the mosquitoes away. Sitting, eating up on the outcrop watching the world. Magic.

This had better not be the exception to the rule. Sucka.

Day Twenty, 7 July, 28.5 Miles
At mile 397, Poprart 110/1000
Clear skies and a frosty, windless morning. Yes. Met three Israeli NOBO's who had started early April and are leaving Colorado till last. Apparently most ahead have gone the Butte way as well. Excellent. Swapped stories, information and advise then continued in our opposite directions. All road walking so far except the last mile. Not a good start, Butte route. Despite hearing it was, it is in fact, not yet finished. So there will still be large chucks of road (generally gravel forest roads, like a nice wide trail I guess, not too bad). Usually I like crossing Interstates. I find it oddly fascinating going over/under and knowing in the time it takes me to walk a mile those people have travelled 25. They're all filthy and trashy and efficient. Today was the first of at least three I15 crossings (also crossed by the PCT down in SoCal at Cajon Pass). It was pretty miserable. The valley it sits in is wide and hot and cow-filled. And then the mosquitoes appeared. Had to makeshift camp, I'm on a hill. The bugs are approaching northern Yosemite bad. No fun. It's hot and they don't disappear till after the sun goes down (10.30). My bug bivy is too small and I just want to thrash around in a rage.

Unintended redneck trail magic. The best kind.

Day Nineteen, 6 July, 23.5 Miles
At Mile 368.5, Poptart 100/1000
Lake passed by my camp early as I struggled to get myself moving. Caught him as he took a break and we hiked an old, grass covered jeep road together. Nice, new trail up Thunderbolt Mountain. Fairly standard road/trail forest/meadow National Forest fare after that. Nobody around other than Lake. Found a full can of beer beside the trail. Some careless fool. With all the empty cans around I had figured it would simply be a matter time. It had a bit of cow love on it and had been through unknown warm/cold cycles but I wasn't going to leave it there now was I? I knew I was headed for a spring, and yes! The trough it was pumping into was cold. An hour later I was enjoying a fridge-cold beer with my instant mash and 100th poptart. Best Bud Light I will ever have. Of that I have no doubt. Finally cleared and got warm at 6pm after attempting to snow earlier in the day. Probably the last I will see of Lake for a while. He's heading towards Anaconda while I go for Butte. Up until recently the trail that circles to the east and south of Butte, the official route, (following the divide, sort of) was mostly boring road walking so most CDT'ers took a shortcut through the town of Anaconda. Also mostly boring road walking but 70 miles shorter. Apparently the Butte route has been much improved in recent years. We shall see. I'm in no hurry anyway and would prefer to stick with the divide.
I'm packing out my empty can. Something that appears to be too difficult for most of these man truck driving folk who litter the road with their aluminium.

Montana.

Day Eighteen, 5 July, 26 Miles
At Mile 345, Poptart 92/1000
Heaps awoke. It was midnight. The ever-present wind was flinging raindrops at the tarp and a drop of blood was creeping down his face. He swore.
Three short hours later he was awake. Again. The wad of toilet paper was still in his nostril. Dried blood smeared down his face.
Oh, town days! What a pleasure you are.
Eight miles, the last along a busy highway. Passers by staring curiously at his lanky frame walking in a world dominated by wheels. Distracted, briefly. His socks squelching in his shoes. He had saved them, kept them clean. Useless. They had become wet and muddy in the first bog for a hundred miles. Soiled.
Montana does provide wet feet.
Despite that wind threatening to drag the storm over and above him he managed a quick hitch to Elliston. He had no need for Helena.
Montana does provide easy hitchhiking.
The store was friendly, his pack was bulging with poptarts.
Lawdogs Saloon.
The only customer.
He made his selection.
The one pound hot-dog.
Topped with chili, fries and cheese.
Sounds like something I would be all about, he thought aloud.
It was.
There will never be a hot-dog that betters that magic.
Ever.
You know there's a challenge.
To eat two of those.
...
Oh! Woe!
Why did you not tell me earlier!
Despair!
I am too full to attempt such a challenge!
One day.
I shall return, he promised. And I will spread the word of your challenge. The people of my community will be most interested.
Montana does provide generous portions.
He farewelled his friendly server and headed out the door.
Montana does provide friendliness.
Another quick hitch under now blue skies.
Montana does provide dramatic weather.
Back to the quiet trail, sometimes on the quiet roads. Back to the poptarts. Camped by Ontario Creek.
Heaps has been spending far too much time with himself.
Montana does provide.

Friday, July 9, 2010

And now, we continue with the American obsession with things that make noises. Loud noises.

Day Seventeen, 4 July, 27.5 Miles
At Mile 319, Poptart 82/1000
Still windy, and by the looks of hilltops and some of the trees on them it always is around here. Helps keep the temperature awkward anyway. Still leapfrogging with Lake, nice morning right up on the divide. Trail easy to follow yet still vague. Spent many a minute building and improving cairns to help ma future CDT brothas and sistas. And 'cause it's fun. In cowland too. Cows. The most obnoxious animal in the world. Besides mosquitoes, of course. Past Dana Spring and back onto roads. This time a nice forest road you could drive a car on, at least they get used, unlike most of these trails. Was surprised to see a cinnamon black bear. Didn't care about me as usual. Late in the afternoon, strolling through a poorly signposted area (CDT markers have been excellent, and correct, since Lincoln) I came across a fenced spring. Wait a minute. There's not supposed to be a water source like this for miles. Not in the guidebook, not on the map. Where le crap am I? Oh dear. Wait, if I just head South on this trail. Hey this is kind of doing what the map said it should. Oh, there's a junction, and two knolls, and a farmhouse down there. I'm on the trail? What was that spring all about. Oh well, better than cow water (not that kind). Camped in the wind.

A batsman without form is like apple pie without cheese. Wait, cheese? What? Is that what you said? Cheese?!?!

Day Sixteen, 3 July, 24 Miles
At Mile 291.5, Poptart 74/1000
Cold wind all day and an overcast morning that never really looked like rain until it did. Switched between forest and open grassland, near or on the divide proper. Easy walking. Entertained myself with guidebook typos and words like knoll. Which got me thinking about Shannon Noll. And his father Noel. Yes that's right Noel Noll. At least that's what Wil told me. Anyway, camped with Lake again. Saw Tock at lunch. Trail has been on roads/jeep track/ATV track a lot. We knew it was coming, just that you get spoiled going south starting in the National Park/Wilderness area corridor of Glacier, the Bob and Scapegoat. Passed the road where Ted Kaczynski used to live.

Oh. That water thing. I remember you.

Day Fifteen, 2 July, 7 Miles
At Mile 267.5, Poptart 66/1000
Rushed about this morning, trying to get everything sorted. Having to print maps as I go along is already becoming a hassle. Kevin and Louanne at the Three Bears Motel were a massive help and are likely to become a big part of the CDT community. The Post Office in town has a CDT register started in 1977 which I could have spent hours reading. Saw Not Yet, Macon Tracks' foot is still all swollen unfortunately. Had lunch together, a typically huge Montanan lunch. Missed the hand-of-god Uruguay goal by a couple of minutes I guess. Dang. Kevin drove me back up to the Pass and switchbacks took me back high up on the divide where I promptly ran into Lake. Hiked a couple of hours in the wind, camped amongst wildflowers in a sheltered corner. Out of Grizzly country apparently, not that it makes a difference. Got that clean hanky smell every time I blow my nose. SO much better than blood and sweat.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Washed us clean.

Had big plans to post photos and write more but time is my enemy. Weather is crap and heading back to the trail after food. Word.

Jim Ward.

Day Fourteen, 1 July, 8 Miles
At Mile 260.5, Poptart 62/1000
Slow up and down to the highway, the four of us got a quick hitch into Lincoln. Apparently it's perfectly acceptable in this state to ride in the back of a pickup down the highway. I love Montana. Lincoln is awesome. Three Bears Motel is the best. Town chores suck and I never have enough time and don't get things done (like DWR'ing my crappy jacket and pack cover cause they wet through instantly). Looks like I'm stuck in a awkward hitting-towns-on-weekends rut for the next three weeks unless I slow down or haul ass. Guess which one I picked? Missed a group of five by a couple of hours, might see them out of Helena.
Decided on the Butte route then across to the Montana/Idaho border run.

Like lightning, six billion strong.

Day Thirteen, 30 June, 23 Miles
At Mile 252.5, Poptart 58/1000
Last nigh was rather intense. Didn't sleep much, storms kept rolling over. Thunder, wind and rain, all the good stuff. Being my first night of really bad weather under my tarp I was a little worried how it would deal with all that was being thrown at it. Ended up being fine but the weather didn't really clear until about 7.30am. Very briefly flirted with the idea of staying put but glad I moved on, the weather cleared and it ended up being a nice day to be hiking high. Came across Pace, Whitefish and Coach and we all hiked together the rest of the day. Nice to hike with people for a change, also nice to bask in the sun knowing how bad it could have been. On the eastern fringe of the divide, very dry and the mountains very quickly become the plains that stretch across to the Great Lakes. Amazing scenery, but tough hiking. Straight up. Straight down. Caribou Peak was an incredible ridge walk and snotty rock scramble. I spied a chute that looked easy but wasn't and ended up awkwardly stemming (ft. pack) and very nearly pulling a television sized rock onto myself. Camped on the huge, grassy Lewis and Clark Pass. No water on the divide, not surprising but there was barely any snow either which was unexpected. Dry feet for the first time on trail. Had to bomb down off the pass for water. I have a bunch of extra food which is wonderful. Decided to cowboy but a storm is currently making it's way over. The light is unbelievable and it's now sprinkling.
As soon as we set up it stopped. Awesome. The mosquitoes have disappeared somewhere, I'd like to find them. So I can piss them off while they attempt to rest. See how they like it.

Read the signs! They're wrong! Wrong I say!

Day Twelve, 29 June, 28.5 Miles
At Mile 229.5, Poptart 52/1000
Wee bit o' rain this morning but the clouds blew away quickly. Another day spent hiking valley floors so wanted to go big, tomorrow looks like a tough day up on the actual divide. Left the Bob Marshall Wilderness, which has been very wild, remote, quiet and rewarding. CDT signage sends you on some ridiculous route past Benchmark Ranch, avoiding a bridge to make two fords. The second of which was thigh deep and moving. Makes no sense. The signage is usually vague, awkwardly placed and is very patchy. Often it's best ignored. Map and compass. Entered the Scapegoat Wilderness and saw Pace, Whitefish and Coach just after lunch to continue my streak. Plenty of burnt out sections which is a shame but also necessary and natural so yer. Got a brute of an afternoon storm and ran through some exposed areas down to a conveniently placed guard station, empty as usual. Sat out the rest of the storm until blue skies reappeared, which they kind of did. Eventually cleared and warmed up again. Same old crap as last year with campsites. I always pass a really nice spot a couple of hours before I want to stop then when I want somewhere even remotely flat nothing. Eventually found somewhere sheltered and flat, weather better behave itself tomorrow.

No! Mongolians?

Day Eleven, 28 June, 26 Miles
At Mile 201, Poptart 44/1000
Up past Spotted Bear Pass and back with the official CDT towards the Chinese Wall. The Wall is a 22 mile, 1000ft high escarpment which is the centre point of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Lost the trail as soon as I hit snow, at least 25 hikers should have come this way by now but their tracks have mostly melted out. Ended up ploughing straight uphill and took a super awkward fall where my foot dove in snow one direction, my body over-corrected a second and my pack swung out and threw me a third direction. That was pretty fun. Still enjoy the route finding, even if it is frustrating at times. Ended up spending much of the morning off trail. Got my first glimpse of the wall and its endless climbing potential, headed up above Larch Hill Pass at the northern tip of the wall and was slapped with one amazing view. Stood there for a while before dropping down to walk along the base. Today was definitely my worst day ever for postholing, impossible to get a walking rhythm going. Where there was exposed trail is was mud. Still, trail is almost always faster and easier. Left the wall early afternoon and headed down into another valley. Camped in a small clearing of a recently burnt out forest where a tree could fall on me at any moment. Noisy, creaky trees.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Hunger like numb toes on an Oslo sidewalk.

Day Ten, 27 June, 26 Miles
At Mile 175, Poptart 38/1000
Nothing quite like a waist deep ford first up. Cold. Good tread again, it is still very wet around though. The trail lead straight into a lake or stream more than once, usually with no obvious exit point leaving we wading around in the near freezing water wondering where next. Cold. My feet are loving this wet thing too, no blisters yet. Hit snow and things got interesting. Not sure how many came this way, I suspect most took the official CDT route. There were a couple of tracks, maybe two or three days old that were difficult to follow so I just went where the trail should be and usually found it when it made brief snow-free appearances. The approach up to Switchback pass was slow going and I ended up a bit below where I needed to be as the pass was a little hard to spot. Found trail tread just below the pass proper and peed in celebration. More of a meander than switchbacks down and fresh trail too. Saw another small, brown Black Bear near the unoccupied Guard (ranger) Station on the appropriately named Spotted Bear River. Just swaggering down the trail towards me then turned at the intersection opposite to where I was headed. Saw me and didn't remotely care, just shrugged and went on its way. Exactly the sort of bear encounter you want. Headed upriver towards Spottted Bear Pass to rejoin the CDT the trail became a little over grown. Spied a semi-established campsite a couple miles before the pass and made it mine. Cowboying was tempting, no mosquitoes or clouds but at the bottom of a river valley you can't see that storm brewing...

That song that cut off your hands.

Day Nine, 26 June, 23 Miles
At Mile 149, Poptart 32/1000
Another flat, easy day on nice trail. CDT what? Muddy still but perfect weather to be walking through a Montanan forest. Played leapfrog with Lake all day. Following the trail runner prints of earlier thru-hikers but apparently the most recent user of this trail was a Grizzly Bear (we could make out the claws in the prints, that's how you know. See, I learn things). Probably got a ULA pack and Six Moons shelter. Nobody will understand that.. Anyway, a bad word has entered my in-head vocabulary. Hopefully it stays away from my out-mouth vocabulary. You'd never, ever guess the word either. Ever. Hit a recently burnt section in the afternoon and left the official CDT to hike what looked like a nice alternate tomorrow. Came across a trail crew at a cabin, Matt, Hazel and Chelsea, super nice. Also explains the quality of the trail around here. Hazel lives in Oban the other half of the year and works for DOC Stewart Island, knew/created all the trails and I was extremely jealous. Might see her down there one day. They also gave us some leftover chicken salad that was amazing and restaurant worthy (not even trail exaggeration). Camped near by with some mosquitoes. Choice.

Hey, yo, Adam. What's up? This is Mix Master Mike.

Day Eight, 25 June, 18.5 Miles
At Mile 126, Poptart 26/1000
I'm calling from Sacramento. Uh, I've been wanting to hook up with... I mean what? Oh, yeah. East Glacier. So hard to drag myself away from that place. Super friendly, surprisingly cheap and everywhere we ate served massive portions. Perfection. Montana is awesome all over. It was nice to spend time hanging in a town with a big group of other hikers, not sure if/when that will happen again on this trail. Got a generous eight day supply of poptarts and all that good stuff to get me to Lincoln before the Fourth July weekend. No Benchmark for me, almost everyone else has sent a box to the ranch there (about 2/3 into a long road less stretch). Took five minutes to get a hitch up to Marias Pass where I might have been wandering around a while if not for Macon Tracks and Not Yet lunching near the secret trail head. Heard all bad about the trail conditions at least for the first couple days, it was the exact opposite. Beautiful tread through muddy forest. Ate some pizza. Hells yes. Came over raining a bit and I was annoyed but it really wasn't that bad and didn't last long. Not expecting to see anyone I spied a food bag hanging in a tree, then saw Lake beside his tent and that was a pretty good reason to stop. And stop I did. Yer. Back to tarp stylin' tonight. My turntable's through a wah wah pedal.