Endless P Summer

Pine, AZ

Day 14…..26.2 miles…..AZT mile 327.3

Fueled up with a fresh grapefruit and some jerky that Ron and Diane gave us, QB and I walked about a mile from the motel in Superior to a gas station where I got the rest of my breakfast; a coke and a microwaveable beef and bean burrito. From the gas station we put our thumbs out and got picked up in a couple of minutes by another guy named John in another pickup. John drove us the 5 or 6 miles back to the AZT and said he wrote a novel about the next section of trail called ‘The Search’ by John Henderson(his full name). I’ll look it up and maybe read it, unless it’s a horror story involving hitchhikers.

Back on trail we cruised through about 10 miles of open range desert with a lot of cows under a hot sun. We had a beefy climb for a few miles and the clouds came out to block out the sun which was nice. Once we were up a few thousand feet higher we were out of the saguaros and getting ourselves into a pine forest. We crossed into the Superstition Wilderness, had another serious climb, then had some really nice miles through the forest along Reavis Creek. It was an uneventful day but definitely not unenjoyable, the weather was nice and the trail was pleasant.

Day 15…..23.7 miles…..AZT mile 351

Today was tough. From our campsite the trail descended steeply for awhile and then rose steeply after that. It seemed to do this repeatedly all morning. The trail was narrow, steep, and full of loose rock with cholla, yucca, and prickly pear cactus attacking my legs from both sides. We each took a little spill and I had countless close calls. For the first time of the hike I was thinking that this trail kind of sucks right now. Later on in the day it didn’t get much better, we walked down a steep rocky wash and then descended steep dirt roads full of slippery loose rock. With a slow pace we were making minimal progress but eventually we got to Roosevelt Lake where we had mailed ourselves resupply boxes. We picked up our boxes at the marina and they had a little bar there where we could grill our own burgers so that was nice. While grilling burgers I saw the biggest carp ever looking over the side of the dock(check below for a picture). Leaving the marina we had 4 days of food and as much water as we could carry so our packs were about as heavy as they get. We walked along the road for a little while going over a suspension bridge with a view of the Roosevelt dam before rejoining the trail. The trail rose steeply from the road but the weather was nice and we had incredible views of the lake and enjoyed a nice climb. We met a section hiker, Ross, and walked with him for a couple miles then found a pretty sweet spot to camp for the night. Today was tough, for the most part the trail has been really awesome and I imagine it will be again tomorrow.

Day 16…..29.5 miles…..AZT mile 380.5

I felt powerful today. We started the day with a series of big climbs into the Four Peaks Wilderness. Once we were up a few thousand feet we contoured around the big beefy Four Peaks while walking into a serious headwind. I saw a few bighorn sheep up in a ravine jumping from rock to rock, it was pretty amazing, they were jumping like 10-15 feet from one rock to another, landing gracefully, changing direction and jumping to another rock. One misstep meant sudden death. There were no missteps(check out the video below). Halfway through our day we got to a little spring and realized we had about 15 miles to our next water source and 5 hours until the sun goes down. It’s not that I can’t walk in the dark, I just like to end my day at sunset. The trail turned into a dirt forest road up on a ridge for awhile so the miles were easy but every so often some four wheeling enthusiast in a Jeep or a side by side would come bombing by. At a crisp 3 miles per hour all afternoon and evening we got to this little spring right at sunset and set up for the night.

Day 17…..26.8 miles…..AZT mile 407.3

An owl hooting woke me up this morning, I didn’t see that loudmouth anywhere but I know he was close by. About twelve minutes later I was packed up and walking down the trail. The first dozen or so miles were up and down over rolling hills through open range desert(when I say ‘open range’ I usually mean just a big wide open area with cows around). We then passed under a highway, rt 287 I think, and a few miles later walked through a big canyon where I saw two ring tailed cats chasing each other. I would describe a ring tailed cat as a cross between a raccoon and a squirrel and it happens to be the official state mammal of Arizona. The trail climbed for much of the second half of the day and eventually we were back up high contouring along the mountains. This evening we crossed into Mazatzal Wilderness. If you’re reading this at home all these different Wilderness names must get confusing. It’s confusing for me too, I usually don’t know where I am until I see a sign but other people always seem to know the names of these different Wilderness areas. People will say things to us like, “are you excited about the Mazatzals?” or “the Catalinas sure are nice this time of year” or “when do you think you’ll be in the Superstitions?” Since I never really know what they’re talking about I usually just say something like, “Oh yeah that will be cool!” or “yeah I’m really looking forward to getting up there.” The truth is I didn’t do too much research on this trail and neither did Queen B. Finding ourselves in all these different mountains and wilderness areas has been a mostly unexpected treat. I know that up ahead is Flagstaff, The Grand Canyon, and Utah and that’s pretty much all I knew going into this trail. That being said ‘the Mazatzals’ are awesome. We climbed up onto Mazatzal Ridge and found an excellent little tent site tucked into some pines with an incredible vantage point to watch the sunset. If you ever hike the AZT, try to camp at mile 407.3 and watch the sunset. Oh yeah we passed the halfway point today so that was cool.

Day 18…..27.2 miles…..AZT mile 434.5

Besides each other, QB and I didn’t see another human being all day. I know the world didn’t end because I saw airplanes but I still think it’s pretty crazy. We’re relatively close to Phoenix, a major metropolitan area with millions of people, yet we walked for 27+ miles in the desert and the forest and didn’t see one other person. Anyway today was tough. This morning we walked along the Mazatzal Divide Trail and half the time it was around 70 degrees and then the mountains would block out the sun and the temperature would drop to something like 40 degrees(all estimates of course). No big deal, it was neither too hot or too cold I just couldn’t find a happy medium. And the trail was rocky too. Loose grapefruit size rocks all day that I kept tripping over. Maybe that’s why nobody else was walking out here. It was very scenic though, whenever I looked up from the rocks I was tripping over I could see forever and there were rocky mountains all over the place. This evening as we were walking out the last few minutes of sunlight the campsite selections were getting slim. We found a spot that’s flat and soft but it might be just a little bit in the middle of the trail. Nobody will mind though.

Day 19…..26.1 miles…..AZT mile 460.6

Town day! Although hiking today was a bit of a slog, knowing that a cheeseburger and a hot shower wait for me at the end of the day will always make me hustle. This last section, 160 miles from Superior to Pine, was particularly difficult and getting into town tonight felt very well deserved. I’ve heard a handful of times about hiking the Arizona Trail that the first half, Mexico to Pine, is super difficult and then the trail gets pretty easy once it gets up onto the Mogollon Rim all the way until Utah. We’ll see if this proves to be true but I will attest to the fact that the first 460 miles were relatively difficult hiking. Not all the time, but some of the days were rather tough.

This evening we got to the cozy little vacation town of Pine and I love it already. We stopped at THAT Brewery and Pub(THAT’s how they spell it) on the edge of town to quickly stuff our faces. A few days ago, actually 75 trail miles ago, we ran into a trail runner, Ed, who gave us his info and told us to get in touch if we need anything in Pine. The very first people we see in the brewery are his wife, daughter, and son in law who recognized QB’s pink braids and told us who they were. Ed’s daughter ‘No Bad Days’ and son in law ‘Waldo’ are thru hikers themselves and although we never met them, they were also on the Colorado Trail in ‘16, the same year as us. Small world I guess. Ed’s family was super nice and offered to help us with anything we need while in town.

After eating burgers and a bunch of elk meat covered nachos we got set up in the 1 room cabin behind the restaurant that the Brewery rents out. Absolutely perfect! I just took one of the best showers of my life, at least top ten, and am about to crash out in a bed for the first time in a week. for more pictures follow me on insta @endlesspsummer and for more stories subscribe to this blog

 Leave a Comment

 Posted on March 28, 2018 by

 arizona trail, Hiking, Thru hiking, travel, Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Superior, AZ

Day 9…..16 miles…..AZT mile 214.2

It was so nice to have slept in a bed last night at the Village Chalet in Oracle. Don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping in a tent miles from anywhere, but after doing that for a week it felt really good to be inside an A-Frame hotel room on a soft bed. One day I’ll live in an A-Frame, miles from anywhere, and that’s a G.D. promise. Marnie and Jim, the owners of the Village Chalet, are the epitome of ‘hiker friendly.’ You see that phrase used to describe a lot of places along the trails but these two are doing it right. This morning before driving us back to the trailhead, Jim drove me and QB to the Patio Cafe in town for breakfast. Patio Cafe had it going on. B had a Monte Christo sandwich and I had pork belly and eggs; a few items you don’t normally see on a breakfast menu. I definitely don’t eat enough pork belly. Then of course we both ate peach pie and ice cream.

We got back on trail around 12 and the rest of the day was nice and relaxing. Near a trailhead we passed 4 older women and one of them loved QB’s pink hair so much she said so and reached out and grabbed one of her braids. It was funny and sweet and stuff but I thought it was a little weird, like most people ask before they pet someone’s golden retriever nevermind grab a strangers braid to see if it’s real. Whatever, QB didn’t seem to mind and this woman obviously didn’t give a shit. Later on we ran into an Arizona Trail crew with the AZTA and they were running a training program with high school kids. It was cool, they hooked us up with some sodas and told us a little about what they were up to. The rest of the afternoon we walked up and down gentle hills on nicely kept trail through the desert. We walked along lots of saguaro cacti and had views of big mountains in the distance. Right before sunset we called it a day, set up camp, watched the sun drop and the stars come out.

Day 10…..28.4 miles…..AZT mile 242.6

I thought today was going to be miserable. When I got out of the tent this morning it was cold with dark gray skies in every direction. All I could do was start walking. It did rain here and there and it was windy and cold but the sky produced a rainbow so that was cool, and by 11 the sun came out and warmed us up. The rest of the day was cool but sunny, ideal for walking through the desert. We crossed paths with Big Sky who was going east on the Grand Enchantment Trail or GET and talked with him for a little bit. The GET goes from somewhere near Phoenix to somewhere near Albuquerque(I think). It’s on my things to do list but not yet. Later on this afternoon we came to a trailhead and ran into Sequoia who was camping there and providing hikers with trail magic. He hooked us up! Grill cheese sandwiches, fresh oranges, sodas, packets of salsa and hot sauce and was a wealth of info on what we would find ahead on trail. After hanging out with Sequoia and his sweet dog for awhile we got back at it and walked another 8 or so miles. Around sunset we found a flat spot to camp and called it a day.

Day 11…..24.7 miles…..AZT mile 267.3

This morning was crisp and cool but sunny as we cruised through open range desert. My mind was wandering and a few times I got off trail by following cow paths that wound up going nowhere but looked eerily similar to the AZT. We saw a couple of weird things today; first was this big huge Crocodile Dundee knife sitting on a cairn on the side of the trail, then a few miles later was a stray or wild dog walking with a limp in the middle of nowhere. Neither of those things were all that remarkable but strange enough that they were worth noting. Around noon time we climbed a big hill appropriately named ‘Big Hill’ and then walked along a ridge on top of it with big time views of a huge copper mine. We met a handful of GET’ers today; Iron Mike, the Punisher, Trail Dale, and Ledge. It seems like many of the hikers on the Grand Enchantment Trail are seasoned thru hikers and it’s been fun to talk to them about some of the other trails they’ve hiked and trails they recommend. Maybe it’s because the GET is lesser known and people who are new to thru hiking opt for one of the more popular trails.

Yesterday while talking to Sequoia he told us there’s this place ‘Old Time Pizza’ in Kearney, AZ that will deliver pizza to the trail. Once we got close to the town we called Lorraine at Old Time from one trailhead and she delivered a gigantic delicious pepperoni pizza and a couple of sodas to us a few miles later at another trailhead. I’ve heard of stuff like this happening before but this was the first time I’ve had pizza delivered to me on trail and it was a real treat. After we ate we laid around in a food coma for a little while then walked a few more miles. We crossed the Gila River(the same river the CDT crosses something like 200 times in New Mexico) then walked alongside the river through a bunch of Saguaro Cactuses before finding a spot to camp. I got myself pricked pretty good by a cactus looking for a spot and it’s not quite as funny as the cartoons make it out to be.

Day 12…..25.8 miles…..AZT mile 293.1

Today started off easy enough. We contoured along the side of a valley in and out of drainage ditches loosely following the Gila River for about a dozen miles. Around noon time we stopped to eat and fill up our bottles with river water before cutting into some mountains for a long dry stretch. We cut away from the Gila for a 14 mile stretch to a water cache that didn’t seem too promising. Those 14 miles were hot and sunny and we were climbing and conserving water but they were definitely the best miles of the trail so far. I could try to describe what I saw or you could just look at the pictures below. The highlight of the day was while we were up on a ridge I was just walking along minding my own business and a Gila Monster walked right out in front of me. A Gila Monster!! I couldn’t believe my eyes, I’ve heard of these mythical creatures but never dreamed I’d actually be able to see one up close and personal. I’m terrified of snakes but for some reason giant lizards don’t scare me. Now if I could only see a desert tortoise all of my wildest dreams would come true. When we got to the water cache there was very little left but luckily QB and I both carried an extra liter and have enough water to survive. We walked another quarter mile before finding a campsite and for whatever reason I was legit beat by the end of the day. Resting these weary feet right now.

Day 13…..8 miles…..AZT mile 301.1

Town day is always exciting. This mornings miles breezed right by and soon after we walked around scenic Picketpost mountain we had our thumbs out on rt 60 hitching a ride to the town of Superior. 10-15 minutes later John, a local rancher, picked us up and drove us to the Copper Mountain Motel in this old mining town. Queen B and I got our room all squared away and then made a beeline for Porter’s Cafe where we inhaled bacon burgers, macaroni salad and French fries.

Back at the hotel I met a couple of other hikers; Socrosse and Tortuga. I didn’t know it right away but I actually met Tortuga a couple years ago while staying in a hut in the NH’s White Mountains while hiking the AT. I remember I got to the hut late and tried to trade chores with him so I could get out early but he wouldn’t budge. No big deal, I wouldn’t have traded chores if I was him either. He ended up being a pretty cool guy and I’m glad I ran into him again.

Tonight Diane and Ron, friends of my folks and Massachusetts transplants, drove out to Superior from their home in Chandler and took us to dinner. It was great to see them and always fun to share stories about the trail, especially while stuffing my face with Mexican food.

So 300 miles in and things are going well. I’m digging the trail, feeling good, QB and I are having fun, and enjoying the state of Arizona. If you like what you’ve been reading you can subscribe to this blog and or follow me on Instagram @endlesspsummer

 13 Comments

 Posted on March 21, 2018 by

 arizona trail, Hiking, Thru hiking, travel, Uncategorized

Oracle, AZ

Day 3…..22.6 miles…..AZT mile 73.1

After a cozy first night in my new tent I woke up and walked the half a mile or so into Patagonia to get breakfast at the Gathering Grounds. They had this thing there called the breakfast bowl where they just threw a bunch of breakfast food in a bowl and covered it with a few eggs. It was revolutionary, I’ll be doing this at home. QB and I ate breakfast with a couple other hikers who camped at the RV Park, Garth and Mamba and as we were leaving Cruise and Autumn Leaves came in. After breakfast we hit up the market and resupplied with 3 days of food. I was pigging out on the airplane on the way here and I ended up being a little light on food yesterday. This isn’t a good thing to do so early in the trail because now I’ll be buying extra food just in case. I hate being hungry, but carrying tons of food is stupid too. One of these days I’ll get it right. The hike out of town was pleasant, mostly on dirt roads and eventually climbing way up into a sky island, the Mt Wrightson Wilderness. We walked up a steep pass that must be popular for migrants because there was a border patrol truck and a few helicopters hovering around.

The rest of the day was great; sunny but cool temperatures, lots of water, and good views. We found our friend Garth camping right at a trailhead around sunset so we stopped, ate supper, and set up for the night nearby.

Day 4…..27.1 miles…..AZT mile 100.2

There must have been something like forty coyotes within a hundred feet of my tent last night. I didn’t see any but I woke up 3 times to them howling and yipping very loudly and they seemed so close, other than that I slept great.

Hiking today was pretty awesome. About 3 miles in we got to Kentucky Camp, a historical mining camp set up for tours with a caretaker and everything. The caretaker let us use the water there and hooked me up with a cup of hot coffee. At Kentucky Camp we met Stank and JB and also saw Quiet Earp again. We hiked off and on with those 3 plus Garth the rest of the day. Besides a long 14 mile dry stretch that we had to carry a little extra water for, today was pretty relaxing. The trail rolled gently up and down hills and weaved in and out of canyons all day. In the evening we met JV who recognized my name from reading this blog and is on the eve of her 61st birthday(Happy BDay JV!!). We walked the last couple miles with her through a prickly pear palace to a cow pond where a total of 9 hikers are camped for the night. It’s been fun being around so many other hiking enthusiasts.

Day 5…..26.1 miles…..AZT mile 126.3

Got up with the sun and had some nice easy miles right away this morning. Cruise caught up to us early and we walked with him for awhile. He was also on the CDT last year and although we never met him we knew a lot of the same people and he told us a little about his hike.

I got news that they’re in the middle of a blizzard and getting multiple feet of snow today in Massachusetts. Knowing what’s going on back home I felt a little guilty lathering up with sunscreen and enjoying a nice sunny 80 degree day. Overall today was probably the nicest day it’s been so far.

Before we started hiking we mailed ourselves resupply boxes at La Posta Quemada Ranch. They give people tours of their Colossal Caves and have a gift shop and since they’re right off trail they accept food packages for AZT hikers. It was in the heat of the day when we got there and after walking for hours I was super sweaty and slimy and gross. I haven’t showered in awhile and have a really good funk going, I probably smell like old soup. Anyway I was in the gift shop getting a coke and this guy bumped into me, like a lot of contact, half his body bumped into half of my gross body. I turned to apologize and watched as he instantly recoiled with disgust. This guy was absolutely mortified, it looked as if he was dry heaving and at the same time trying to wipe my sweat off his arm. I felt bad at first but it was kind of funny. Sorry dude. After ruining this guys day we hung out in the shade sorting out our boxes and drinking soda. I took a little bird bath in the bathroom there and did some laundry, in a sense. QB and I got back out on trail this afternoon and walked with fellow Bay Stater Garth for the last 7 miles to Rincon Creek. JB, Stank, and Quiet Earp are camped here too and the 6 of us ate dinner together and are crashing out in the desert just before the border of Saguaro National Park.

Day 6…..25.1 miles…..AZT mile 151.1

We entered Saguaro National Park right away this morning. Because of rules and regulations we couldn’t camp within the park without a permit so we just walked all the way through instead. The park is named after the saguaro cactus, an icon of the southwest that grows up to 50 feet tall and some are estimated to be 250 years old (I just read that on the back of a postcard). From the entrance of the park the trail climbed steadily for 6000 feet over the next 15 miles to a saddle next to Mica Mountain. There was a .2 out and back to the top so I dropped my pack and jogged up to find a wooded summit with no views. No big deal, there were incredible views all the way down. The climb was awesome, we walked through saguaro cacti, small manzanita bushes and juniper trees, and then into a ponderosa pine forest. There was good cold creeks for drinking and 1 spot that was good enough to take a little dip; my first swim of the trail. Descending was cool too but it was steep and slow and I’d much rather be going up mountains then down. Once we got to the bottom the trail flattened out and we crushed the last few miles until we found a spot to camp by Reddington Rd trailhead. Since we got out a little early today it doesn’t look like the crew we’ve been camping with lately will catch up tonight. We did meet a bunch of other hikers today; Bernie, Tim, Joseph, Linda and Karts. Besides thru hikers we didn’t see anybody else in the park, not even a ranger, I’m really wondering if other people know about this place.

Day 7…..27.6 miles…..AZT mile 178.7

Today was the day! It was windy and cool this morning so I kept my jacket on as we started walking towards the Santa Catalina Mountains. After just a couple miles I finally saw a coati(Ko-ah-ti) or coatimundi. These little rascals are in the raccoon family and look like a cross between a fox and a monkey with a striped tail. We had a nice climb this morning then dropped into a canyon that had some campgrounds and is a popular place for people from Tucson to come spend a weekend. From the campground canyon(not the real name) we climbed to a pass overlooking Sabino Canyon and it was awesome! We zig zagged down switchbacks to the bottom of the canyon and found Hutch’s pools, a primo swimming hole. It was hot and sunny enough so of course I went for a swim. On the beach at the swimming hole we met Larry who’s enjoying his first thru hike and chilled out with him for a little bit. I didn’t know it then but we had a massive climb ahead of us for the last 8 miles of the day. Somebody told me recently that listening to music can help during a climb(thanks for the pro tip buddy). With this new advice I turned up the Rocky soundtrack and crushed it all the way up to Romero Pass. From Romero Pass we could see way into a valley on one side and deep into Sabino Canyon behind us. The trail then started to climb steeply another couple thousand feet before we started to descend into a pine forest with huge buttermilk boulders all over the place. Temperatures seemed to drop steadily as we stopped climbing and the sun was setting. After we found a soft flat place to camp in the pines I put on all my clothes and ate some delicious noodles. It’s incredible that only a few hours before I was swimming in cold water at the bottom of a canyon and now I’m all bundled up in 30 something degree weather.

Day 8…..19.5 miles…..AZT mile 198.2

Brrrrrr!!! Last night was cold! Woke up to some frost on the tent and temperatures in the 20’s this morning(that’s just an estimate because I don’t carry a thermometer, too heavy). We walked about 4 or 5 miles until we got into the town of Summerhaven. This tiny little ski town sits at 8200 feet in the shadow of Mt. Lemmon. Mt. Lemmon is home to Ski Valley, the southernmost ski mountain in the U.S. We got into town before either of the restaurants were open but the visitor center had a nice warm public bathroom and friendly staff. From Summerhaven we walked along Oracle Ridge which had views for miles but the trail itself wasn’t all that great, just rocky and uneven. We then had a long steep downhill to the American Flag trailhead. It might sound weird to someone that doesn’t hike but I really don’t like long downhills, I’d much prefer to climb.

We’re staying in the Village Chalet in Oracle and when we called, Marnie the owner came out to the trailhead to pick us up. This place is sweet! Instead of regular rooms it’s got about a dozen A-Frames. Plus it’s inexpensive, has a good hiker box, and free laundry. Marnie lent us use a couple of bikes to ride into town to resupply at the Dollar General and pig out at the Mexican Restaurant, La Casa Rivera. It’s nice getting a shower and a bed and eating some town food after a fun but grueling first week on trail.

If you like what you’re reading feel free to subscribe to this blog and I’ll fill you in on the rest of my hike on the Arizona trail. And to see more pictures follow me on insta @endlesspsummer

 4 Comments

 Posted on March 17, 2018 by

 arizona trail, Hiking, Thru hiking, travel, Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

East Glacier Park, MT

Day 124     8/31     32 miles

After getting into town yesterday the rest of the afternoon proved to be very productive.  First of all we had to estimate our mileage for the rest of the trail then QB was able to get all our backcountry permits squared away for Glacier NP next week. The staff she dealt with on the phone at Glacier were super helpful. Next we had to take care of some logistics pertaining to a little adventure we have planned for after the CDT. We resupplied, cleaned up, did laundry, then wolfed down racks of ribs for supper. No doubt impressed with our appetites, a few forest service workers at the table next to us gave us a huge bag of buffalo jerky and some candy for the trail. 

This morning we tried to get out early but it took a little while to get a hitch. After about 20 minutes 2 cars pulled over at once. The first was Dave, who stopped to pick us up, the second car was his wife who stopped to give him his cell phone that he forgot and also a piece of her mind. She was not happy about him forgetting his cell phone and she was not happy about him picking up hitchhikers either. It got a little awkward, but only for a second until we got away from her. Dave was really nice and drove us the 6 miles back to where we got off the reroute yesterday. The kicker was, he was on his way to pickup his Mother-in-law(Her Mother!), and drive her to an appointment, the ultimate hitchhiker. After Dave dropped us off we walked along a series of dirt roads and then 3 or 4 different trails for about 25 miles before we got back to the CDT north of the Alice Creek Fire. Luckily Queen B is a solid navigator and we had no problems finding our way along the reroute. It was actually quite pleasant, the trails were smooth, there wasn’t much smoke, and we came across Heart Lake, a great place to swim and eat lunch this afternoon. Once back on the official CDT we walked high on a ridge and it got super windy and smoky again. Supposedly there’s a lot of grizzlies up this way so we’re trying to use good bear country habits; we ate about an hour before we stopped to camp and then hung our food a good distance from where we’re sleeping. Hopefully the grizz don’t bother us. We’ve got a 180+ mile section until our next town and Glacier NP, so today was definitely a solid start. Walking out of Lincolnswam in beautiful Heart Lake skies are clear for awhile back on trail then smoky again see? 

Day 125     9/1     34 miles

I woke up in the middle of the night last night to what I thought was a bear outside my tent. In my half sleep I thought I heard sticks breaking and the sounds of a bear snorting and walking around. For about 10 minutes I was terrified but in reality it was probably a dream so I put in my earplugs and went back to sleep. Starting this morning we just crushed miles all day. The trail went up over a pass then followed a creek for most of the day. We went through a burn with very little shade so laying down in the icy cold creek this afternoon was very refreshing. Eventually we got to a trailhead and started taking a side trail to Benchmark Ranch where we had sent a resupply box a couple weeks ago. A couple picked us up and drove us a few miles to the ranch feeding us cold delicious watermelon during the ride(best food ever). At Benchmark we ran into Mac, Appa, and JPEG and those guys gave us the bad news of a brand new fire causing a trail closure up ahead. We hiked out with them this evening and we’ll try to figure out a way to get around the fire, hopefully it’s manageable and doesn’t involve a lot of road walking or add tons of extra miles. Around sunset we found a spot to camp just  north of the West Fork of the Sun River(500 feet north of the river if you’re a ranger reading this). 

Day 126     9/2     31 miles

First thing this morning I saw a bald eagle soaring over the river, I took this for a good sign. The five of us turned right off the CDT and got onto a trail along the North Fork of the Sun River hoping to skirt the fire to the east. It was a hot one out there, luckily I was able to jump in the river a few times because the trail was almost always exposed. After almost a full day of hiking we got to an intersection with a sign posted from a ranger directing us west back onto the CDT then south to Spotted Bear Pass and an alternate off of that. A couple miles later we stopped at a ranger station and got the word from them. Things aren’t looking good. There’s about 5 fires north of us, they’re spreading and the CDT is closed. There might be a slim chance of a reroute but that would bring us way west before going north and rejoining the CDT, if somehow all those trails stay open. The plan right now is to head south on the CDT back to Benchmark Ranch to re-evaluate, essentially doing a big loop through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I don’t want to walk through a fire, or a closed trail, or get into some kind of situation where I’d need to get rescued and put somebody else’s life at risk. If over the course of the next day we get some good news that a new route has been developed to get through the wilderness we can continue north. As of right now we’ll probably have to hitch to East Glacier in a couple days and miss about 75 miles of trail. It’s a bummer but it’s not heartbreaking, a similar situation happened to me in ’15 on the PCT so I guess I’m used to it. Anyway after talking to the rangers we walked about five more miles before finding a nice campsite by Baldy Bear Creek. Saw an eagle flying over this and a beaver swimming in itNorth Fork of the SunAppa examining a swimming holeMac keeping his feet dry QB and Mac walking towards the firethe infrastructure in the BMW is impeccable 

Day 127      9/3     33 miles

Today was quite the day. First of all this morning we were all sitting around eating breakfast and Queen B saw something in the woods not too far from us that she thought was a small grizzly. I looked over and I saw something too, just real quickly that I thought was a big cat because of the way it moved (this is based on nothing though since I’ve never seen a big cat). We started hiking south at a relaxed pace because there was really no hurry to go back to Benchmark. We passed the Spotted Bear alternate and there was a map posted with a rat’s nest of closed trails but nothing about a reroute through the fires so we continued South back towards Benchmark. About a mile and a half later we ran into Griggs who was hiking north with a map, a plan, and some good info about a reroute from the forest service. This was some unexpected and really good news. Since nobody had service he air dropped us all pictures of the maps and the details of the ‘Schaefer Reroute.’ I turned around along with QB, JPEG, Mac and Appa and we all went north back up to the Spotted Bear trail and 10 miles down that way. At Pentagon Creek we talked to a forest service worker, who confirmed our route was safe from the fires, and we took a left heading west from there. We walked about 10 more miles to the base of Gunsight Peak and decided to put as much distance between us and the fires as we could. From there we night hiked for a couple hours to a saddle near the peak. It was a hot night and a steep climb. Once we got up top it was super windy and smoky and we were walking through an old burn with an almost full blood moon. I felt like I was on another planet. I’m glad I wasn’t camping alone because it was definitely spooky up there. Ran into Griggs and got some awesome news, figuring out the reroute north trying to walk out of the smoke

Day 128     9/4     29 miles

The light of day this morning put a whole new paint job on the apocalyptic world I went to sleep in last night. The burn we walked through was really crazy looking and we also got a good look at Gunsight Rock. We all stopped at a lake up there and took a nice long break, it was a relaxing morning since we walked so late last night. From the lake we carried on for about 10 miles to a river with a good swimming hole then walked a little further to the Schaefer work station and talked to the kids working in there. We carried on from there walking about 10 miles on a nice manicured trail through a lodge pole pine forest. At one point, while walking with Mac, I saw a big black bear that was safely way down in a ravine. QB and I usually always walk together but for some reason she never sees any bears. I’m not keeping score or anything but if I was it would be 11-2(not counting yesterday morning). We carried on to a road then walked about 3 more miles to the locked Challenge Cabin and camped in front of it.Gunsight RockGunsight Lake 

Day 129     9/5     8 miles

Woke up to a super cold morning and frozen shoes! No big deal, warmed up quickly and walked 8 miles to Marias Pass. Along with QB, I got a hitch to East Glacier Village in a Glacier NP tour bus. It was a sweet ride! I’ve been spending the day relaxing and eating in town. QB and I are planning on getting back to the Pass tonight, camping there, and then we’ll hike 15 miles of trail back to East Glacier tomorrow. Our National Park backcountry permits don’t start until September 7th so 2 short days will be very nice.thanks for the ride Ron! 

 Leave a Comment

 Posted on September 5, 2017 by

 Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Anaconda, MT

Day 112     8/19     0 miles

Took a day off from hiking today and went on a little field trip up to Missoula, Montana. My mom made us breakfast sandwiches in the cabin to start the day before the car ride. QB and I had to take care of a couple errands this morning including resupplying and buying food that we’ll send to ourselves later on at a remote ranch. After getting to the supermarket we checked out the town of Missoula and some friends, BK and Prickly Pear, met us in town for Vietnamese food and ice cream. On our drive back to Wisdom we passed a massive wildfire, the Lolo fire, and it was smoky for miles. The smoke cleared up and we had good views of the Bitterroot valley and the ride up and over Chief Joseph Pass. Back at the cabin Queen B cooked dinner(and I helped) for the rest of us. Prickly Pear and BK, who are traveling to Colorado from Missoula, stopped at the cabin for dinner and tented in the backyard for the night. Drove by the smoky Lolo fireYeah rightthe Wisdom Cabin 

Day 113     8/20     23 miles 

This morning my parents cooked us all a bunch of pancakes for breakfast. I don’t know what got into them but 3 hot breakfasts in a week is a real treat. When I was a kid we might have had ‘Cream of Wheat’ once a month but it was mostly either cold cereal, instant oatmeal or pop tarts. I’m not complaining, I like all that stuff, but hot breakfasts are where it’s at. After breakfast BK and the Pear headed south, first to an eclipse festival in Wyoming, and then down to Colorado. My parents drove me and QB back up to Chief Joseph Pass where we got back on trail and they joined us for a mile before saying our goodbyes. During that mile the 4 of us had a really cool sighting of a red fox that was just chilling out in the woods watching us for awhile. They turned around and are heading up to Helena for the night and will be able to enjoy the eclipse tomorrow before heading back home. It was great seeing them and definitely gave me a boost I needed in getting towards the end of the trail. The rest of the day was relatively easy, a lot of smooth trail through forest and old burn areas. At Chief Joseph Pass this morning we turned away from Idaho for the last time and will be walking through only Montana until we reach Canada. The last state, it better be good. A little after 7 tonight we found a spot to camp in some trees just after a burn and called it a day. Cat and Den Me, B, BK, and the Pear 

Day 114     8/21     27 miles 

Today was pretty awesome, as far as solar eclipses go anyway. I remember when I was in second or third grade and all the teachers brought us out into the parking lot to see the eclipse and told us, “whatever you kids do, don’t look directly at the sun.” Of course everybody looked directly at the sun. This time I was armed with eclipse glasses. We didn’t exactly have a total eclipse here in Montana but it was pretty close. At one point it was just a big thin crescent. The hype didn’t get me too excited before the eclipse but having experienced it I’m definitely saving my glasses for 2024. After this awesome cosmic phenomenon we just hiked the rest of the day. We saw 4 other thru hikers, which is an awful lot for one day on this trail. In the morning we ran into Chardonnay and Kelsey who I met last year on the AT. This afternoon Kibbs caught up and hiked with us for a few hours and then we saw Glider, who I first met in Washington in ’15 (he’s easy to remember because he has a striking resemblance to one of the 7 Dwarves and has told me good stories both time) today he told us a pretty good bear story. The trail was pleasant all day. We walked through a long burn in the morning but luckily the moon provided a little bit of shade to keep us cool and we were up and down the rest of the day before a significant climb up to Pintler Pass in the evening. A couple miles after descending the pass we found a place to camp beside Johnson Lake. There’s only a few times in life when the universe comes together and you’re allowed to look this coolthis was one of those times Definitely a cougar print, maybethe moon was providing a little shade, so that was nicebeautiful and pristine Johnson Lake

Day 115     8/22     28 miles

Today was the day! We had serious climbs one after another all day long. Right away we climbed for a couple miles up to Rainbow Pass then dropped down into a valley for a little bit then right back up another steep climb. Around noon we came across Warren Lake and it was perfect timing for a swim. The cold water was invigorating and exhilarating. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “alpine lakes are good for the soul.” From Warren Lake we had a beefy climb to the top of Cut Away Pass and then dropped way down before climbing to the top of Rainbow Mountain. We dropped way down again then followed switchbacks up to Goat Flats before contouring around a huge mountain to Storm Lake Pass. From here we descended down to Storm Lake and found a place to call home for the night. Up and down all day. Probably the most vertical we covered in a day so far. Up over Rainbow Pass first thing this morningWarren Lake Icy cold water with a view Looking out from Raimbow MountainThe trail work in this section of Montana has been impeccable. Hats off to the Montana Conservation CorpsWalking over Goat Flats Storm Lake Passlooking out over Storm Lake Pass, only one of the coolest passes I’ve ever seenStorm Lake

Day 116     8/23     23 miles 

Today was mostly roadwalking. Relatively dull hiking especially after the day we had yesterday but relaxing. I don’t mind a long road walk on this trail once in awhile. It’s easy, not much elevation gain or loss, rarely any blowdowns, good footing, and hard to get lost (but not impossible). Eventually we were walking down Main Street of Anaconda, MT. This is a big city by Montana standards, only around 9,000 people but still the 9th largest city in the state. It was pretty cool walking down main street, there were lots of places to grab food before getting to the hotel we’re staying at on the far side of town. We ran into Moist, Mac, Appa, and JPeg, and hung out with them for awhile. They filled us in on a little trick awhile ago, the McDonald’s app, and we finally got a chance to use it getting all kinds deals on already cheap food.somebody crashed their truck and just left itpigged out all the way down Main Street there’s so much open land in this state but for whatever reason all the houses in this town are right on top of each othersee what I mean? 

For more pictures follow me on insta @endlesspsummer

Endless

PS All My Love!!!

 Leave a Comment

 Posted on August 24, 2017 by

 Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Island Park, ID

Day 92     7/30     0 miles

Took a zero today in Dubois. We’ve got some logistical limitations coming up due to permits in Yellowstone so it made sense to spend another night in town. Plus I didn’t sleep well on the floor of the church hostel last night so I could really use a night in a bed. This morning QB and I went to breakfast then to the laundromat with 3 cyclists riding their bikes across the country. JJ, Luke, and Isabella filled us in on their adventure and it sounded really awesome. Bike touring and thru hiking seem to be very similar in many ways and also have some key differences. I’ve never done any long distance biking but definitely would like to get into it. After laundry we parted ways with them as they headed west towards Jackson and eventually to the Oregon Coast. QB and I ate some more food and then found a room at the Black Bear Inn. This place was cool, they give thru hikers a break on the price(the owner’s son recently paddled the entirety of the Mississippi River, so they’re familiar with our lifestyle) and also have a nightly campfire beside the Wind River where they  serve up all the fixings for s’mores. As I was sitting at the campfire two women came down, Deb and Cynthia, and I immediately recognized their familiar accents. These are my people. They’re from Ipswich, MA a half hour north of me and are out this way for a wedding and to explore the state. Since I’m from Lynn, Cynthia asked me if I knew her ski husband Lou(not her real husband just the guy she skis with). Yeah, I do know Lou, my parents are good friends with Lou and his actual wife Margie. Then I find out Cynthia knows both of my parents and has skied with them too since they’re all Sunday River regulars. Small world, but this stuff happens to me all the time. Some kind of mining operation in Dubois

Day 93     7/31     20 miles

After two really lousy nights of minimal sleep, I finally got some solid rest last night. This morning Queen B and I were making our way to Daytime Donuts for breakfast when we ran into Mac and then Appa, two guys who we met way down in the boot heel of New Mexico and haven’t seen since Silver City. It was fun catching up these two and were surprised to see them. While thru hiking you can get an idea of where people are if they’re ahead of you by seeing names in trail registers but it’s much harder to figure out what’s going on behind you. After eating a bunch of donuts we put our thumbs out and quickly got picked up by Andrew from Rhode Island, who’s taking a road trip cross country and checking out all kinds of national parks and cool places. He dropped us off at Togwotee Pass and at the same time Treeman was getting out of a car back on trail also. We haven’t seen this gigantic German since Ghost Ranch in northern New Mexico. Back on trail we hiked with him for awhile until he stopped to pick up a box at Brooks Lake Ranch and we carried on for a very pleasant 20 mile day. TreeMan a German giant at Brooks Lake Ranch

Day 94     8/1     30 miles

Shortly after breaking camp this morning we saw a mother moose with a baby in tow. I thought I saw another one a little later but turned out to be just a boring horse. It was a handful of horses actually with a couple of forest service workers at the Nawlin Cabin who were up there clearing trail. The trail today was pleasant and relaxing again with very few people on it. We heard about an awesome waterfall from a little kid on horseback(he wasn’t alone, out with his parents on a weeklong trip). The waterfall ended up being a great place to swim and eat lunch. Shortly after lunch we passed Two Ocean Creek and ‘the Parting of the Waters.’ This river flows right along the Divide and splits in half with one side emptying into the Pacific and the other to the Atlantic. I couldn’t decide which way to pee. Treeman leapfrogged us a handful of times today and this afternoon we saw him go the wrong way for the third or fourth time. This time he was too far ahead to get his attention and correct him so hopefully he realized his mistake sooner than later but we still haven’t seen him. Tonight we got just shy of the Yellowstone NP border and since we don’t have a permit to stay inside the park, have to camp here. Tomorrow the plan is to go 27 miles then hitch into Grant Village where we’ll stay at a pay campground before meeting with a ranger to get our permit situation taken care of. Moose! Boring horses 

Day 95     8/2     27 miles 

Today was quite pleasant. We immediately crossed the border into Yellowstone NP and this morning was rather crisp. Shortly after entering the park we had to cross the Snake River and it was SO COLD!! Plus it wasn’t an easy crossing, in order to avoid going up to our waists we had to walk diagonally through the river where the shallower parts were. My feet thawed after an hour or so and the rest of the morning we spent walking alongside the Snake River and then the Heart River. Treeman caught up to us after lunch and we walked together for a few miles while he told us about his misadventures walking the wrong way yesterday. Queen B and I stopped at Heart Lake to swim this afternoon and shortly afterwards ran into HoHo and Chicory who are hiking south. I’ve been on the same trails as these two for the last couple years but didn’t meet them until CDT Days in April this year. We’re starting to come across a fair amount of southbound hikers(sobos) and I would say they’ve got the right idea. If I was to hike this trail again I would probably hike south. After Heart Lake the trail turns right past a geyser field. All this geothermal activity doesn’t make much sense to me but it sure is cool to see. QB listened to a podcast about it once and told me how Yellowstone is an active super volcano and we’re walking right through the caldera.Crazy! We got to Grant Village this evening and since we didn’t have backcountry permits for tonight had to use the hiker walk in site at the campground here.the Snake RiverQB bathing in Heart Lake silly elk walked right into our campsite 

Day 96     8/3     24 miles 

I figured we wouldn’t have a problem getting permits to camp where we wanted for tonight so after breakfast we went into the ranger office to get that taken care of. Boy was I mistaken! We encountered a mean scary park ranger and she was not very accommodating for thru hikers. Now we had to figure out a way to hike through Yellowstone on our own terms without breaking any rules. So we hitchhiked north to Old Faithful Village and got a great ride from Tom and Kathleen, then walked south for 24 miles back to the Heart Lake trailhead where Colt and his family stuffed us into their car and brought us back to Grant Village. We ran into Mac and Appa at the restaurant and camped with them at the hiker walk in site. We were lucky the trail today was flat and easy because we didn’t get started until almost 11 and still had to walk a bunch of miles. There were barely any people in the backcountry and we came across an awesome geyser field just north of Shoshone Lake and had it all to ourselves. Tomorrow we’ll hitch again to OFV and rejoin the trail, hiking north and out of the park. Had a geyser field to ourselvesI crossed this river and it only went up to my ankles, QB decided to go her own wayShoshone Lake

Day 97     8/4     20 miles

This morning we broke camp and got two quick hitches back to where we got on trail yesterday but this time we’ll be heading north again. After about a mile we reached Old Faithful Village and saw the famous geyser erupt in the distance as we crossed the parking lot. We joined Bears, Flip Flop, and Tree Man at the buffet breakfast then went outside with the crowds to watch another Old Faithful eruption. QB and I did a minor resupply then checked out the museum in the lodge and watched a short film about geysers. When we left the lodge we were just in time for another eruption of the main attraction. 3 times in one day! I didn’t realize it until getting here but there is way cooler stuff besides O.F. here. Yellowstone is home to 2/3’s of the planet’s geysers(I learned this in the short film), and we walked along a bunch of them as well as these wicked cool looking hot springs. Check out my pictures below. The trail followed boardwalks around a lot these springs and geysers and after a few miles it cut left and we climbed up out of the caldera of the Yellowstone super volcano. Immediately after turning left we were alone. After seeing hundreds of people this morning at the village we saw a total of 6 others the rest of the day and that included 2 rangers on horseback. We stopped at Summit Lake for a swim this afternoon then walked through a wide open burn area before leaving Wyoming and crossing into Idaho. I loved Wyoming! The trail was diverse and incredible, the people were super friendly, and the towns unique and interesting. One of my favorite states I’ve ever walked through, I’ll be back for sure. The trail follows along the Idaho/Montana border for the next few hundred miles so I’ll be back and forth between these two states before leaving Idaho and heading the rest of the way to Canada through just Montana. We don’t have a permit for camping in Yellowstone tonight so after we crossed into Idaho we still had to go 3 more miles to get outside the Western Boundary of the park and that’s where we set up for the night. Old Faithful doing its thingwalked to Idaho, nbd 

Day 98     8/5     19 miles so far

We got up this morning and have just been walking all day getting into the small resort town of Island Park, ID shortly before 2. Today consisted of a lot of road walking and although it’s not the most exciting I’m ok with some flat easy miles. We’ve got a few chores to do while in town and I heard there’s a good Mexican restaurant but the plan is not to stay here and to just carry on a few more miles this evening. First Idaho Sunset 

For more pictures of this trip follow my insta @endlesspsummer

Until next time,

Endless

PS All My Love!!! 

 2 Comments

 Posted on August 5, 2017 by

 Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Boulder, WY

Day 83     7/21     3 miles

I’m glad we made it into South Pass City last night because the skies opened up again this morning. It was nice just laying in my tent waiting for the store to open rather than walk through the rain again. SPC was an old gold mining town that’s been continually inhabited since 1868. They have a little village there that’s either recreated or just hasn’t changed. The store in town accepts hiker packages and let us chill out inside sorting out our food while it hailed like crazy. The reenactors working in the little village said this weather is highly unusual. Cool! While talking with them I checked out the visitor center and read something about one of the original town members that shares my name a Mr. D.Carmody. Probably just a coincidence or maybe that’s why they were giving me free coffee. I’m pretty much royalty in this town.  Since there really isn’t any other hiker services here, we were originally planning to just pick up our food boxes and carry on but decided to go into the City of Lander for the day. From SPC the trail goes 3 more miles to highway 28 and we got a couple of good hitches to get us the 35 miles into Lander. The main reason we had to go into town was to pickup bear spray and rope to make a bear hang since we will be getting into grizzly country in the next section. (This was an oversight when we were sending food to South Pass City from Steamboat, had we realized we would have to go into town anyway we could have just shopped at the supermarket here.) No big deal, Lander is a cool town and taking time off to rest is important and enjoyable. We spent the day eating, showering and doing laundry. For short money we camped in a nice field behind a hotel. Drive-By, Thor, and Scrapbook had a room at the hotel and tonight we hung out with them for awhile in their room. These guys have been right near us for a few weeks. It seems like there’s nobody else on this trail so it’s fun to hang out with some other hikers when we get the chance.South Pass Citythis was on the wall in SPC, read close

Day 84     7/22     21 miles

Before hitching back to the trail this morning we filled up on McDonald’s breakfast(I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again; their breakfast is totally underrated). We got a couple of good quick hitches, first a couple that was going climbing let us cram into their already packed truck and brought us 20 miles, then a woman who just got off shift as a helicopter paramedic brought us the rest of the way. Once back on trail we walked about 3 more miles of the Basin before we were back into the forest and climbing towards the Wind River Mountains. It was nice to have trees around for shade and especially nice to have plenty of water sources. This will be my first time hiking through grizzly country and I guess I’m a little nervous about it. Most likely it’s just something that I’ll have to be aware of and I’ll get more comfortable with as I get used to it. I’m not sure exactly where grizzly territory begins but from here on out I’ll be assuming they are nearby and will try to hike and camp safely. QB and I usually stick together while walking so if we aren’t carrying on conversation I’ll just let out a ‘whoop whoop’ once in awhile to alert the bears to our presence. I almost always sleep with my food but while in grizzly country I’ll be hanging it from a tree and for a last defense I’m carrying bear spray. The worst part about hanging my food is I usually wake up and eat snacks so I’ll need to get out of that habit starting tonight. Back in the trees againand water

Day 85     7/23     24 miles

This morning we entered the Wind River Range and there’s a quite a spectacular alternate off the trail called the Cirque of the Towers. We planned on taking this route and followed a valley for 6 miles before reaching a lake and a steep pass with an unexpected super snowy traverse. The lake was still mostly frozen and it had to have been the coldest water I ever swam in. We ate lunch at the lake watching a few hikers attempt the pass and turn around. Queen B and I both mailed our ice axes and microspikes home weeks ago and didn’t anticipate getting into another situation with the snow. We didn’t have any information on the other passes of the alternate so decided to return the 6 miles to the official route and continue north on the CDT. It was disappointing to not see the Cirque of the Towers but I definitely plan on coming back. This alternate is part of the Wind River High Route and I’d love to hike that trail another time. The 12 miles of back and forth cost us half a day but the scenery was absolutely stunning and well worth it. Once back on the official route we walked for a couple more hours before setting up for the night.We just walked out of the desert yesterday 

Day 86     7/24     30 miles

The trail this morning wasn’t well traveled or well maintained. It wasn’t easy for about 10 miles going over and around lots of blowdowns and a handful of times we went the wrong way because intersections weren’t marked. All this slowed us down but eventually we passed a popular trailhead and the trail opened up. As we walked by lots of lakes we had huge views of some big time mountains. I met 4 girls who had road tripped from Massachusetts to hike out here and got my first, ‘Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin’ in awhile. Besides that snarky comment they were really nice and were only a couple degrees of separation from me since they knew people I knew. Shortly after meeting them we stopped for lunch and Queen B and I had a very refreshing swim in Dad’s Lake where we met another thru hiker, Jeremy. After lunch this afternoon went smoothly. There were a few river crossings that were deeper than normal(about thigh deep) and some awesome views of the Winds. We stopped for supper around 7 and then for the last hour walked into a wall of mosquitoes. This mosquito situation was as bad as any I’ve ever been in. Other than that, great day.

Day 87     7/25     27 miles

The plan for today was to walk 17 miles to a side trail, the Pole Creek Trail, then walk 10 more to a trailhead where hopefully we could hitch into Pinedale to resupply and spend the night. Immediately this morning the bugs were bad. I wore long pants and sleeves all day, even wore a head net until they subsided a little. The head net doubles as a clothes bag and triples as my pillow but this was the first time I put it on my head, forgot I even had it but it sure came in handy. Besides the bugs, today was incredible, some of the best scenery I’ve ever walked through. The Winds are filled with jagged granite peaks and lots of water. It was awesome. We walked over a few snowy passes and through some pretty deep river crossings(waist deep) before reaching the side trail. The Pole Creek Trail was pleasant and easy and mostly downhill. I know 1 person in Wyoming. So of course I run into her on horseback about halfway down this side trail. I met Nina in April of ’15 when we were both starting our thru hikes of the PCT. I knew she was living near Pinedale and had planned on getting in touch but I had no idea what she was doing up here. She’s working as a horse packer for Nols and her and Lila were bringing supplies up to the students in the Winds. The two of them plus five horses followed us down to the lot and they brought us back to the Nols 3 Peaks Ranch in Boulder for the night. A bed, a shower, laundry and a help yourself kitchen with tons of food. I mean this is absolutely incredible! To be fair there really isn’t that many people in Wyoming but the chances are still pretty slim. If these pictures don’t do it for you check out my insta for more pics if you want @endlesspsummerin full mosquito protection Hat PassOur host and Trail Angel Nina cooking breakfast at the 3Peaks Ranch 

Until next time, 

Endless 

PS All My Love!!!

 Leave a Comment

 Posted on July 26, 2017 by

 Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rawlins, WY

Day 76     7/14     6 miles 

Had a very nice time enjoying the comforts of town today. We hitched about twenty miles west to the town of Saratoga because of the better grocery store and this place ended up being a really cool little town. There was a restaurant right on the North Platte river serving Navajo burgers and then an old dairy with homemade ice cream nearby. Right behind the town pool is the free Saratoga Hot Springs better known as the Hobo Hot Springs. Probably because that’s where all the hoboes, travelers, and thru hikers hang out. Queen B fit right in, she did her laundry in the shower there in true hobo fashion. From the hot springs we walked over to the supermarket and resupplied for a couple days. Desi, the owner of Vacher’s Bighorn Lodge where we stayed last night, spotted us and gave us a ride back to Encampment. We met Judy at the visior’s center earlier and since she lived in a log cabin up near Battle Pass, she had offered us a ride back to the trail if we were back from Saratoga by 5. Perfect timing! We got back on trail this evening and walked a nice pleasant half a dozen miles crossing into Medicine Bow National Forest before calling it a day. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hobo Hot Springs

Day 77     7/15.    31 miles

Today was a bit difficult. At least for awhile it was lots of ups and downs and I think I encountered the most blowdowns(trees down in trail) that I’ve seen anywhere else on the CDT. It’s tough to navigate these blowdowns and each one requires a different maneuver. You have to climb over, under, or around them and they’ll slow you down. We ran into Spice this morning who we haven’t seen since right before we got off trail to go to Chicago. And we also saw trail angel Crazy Joe again who was car camping next to the trail and provided us with cold sodas. After about 18-20 miles the trail dropped out of Medicine Bow into the Great Basin. We’re back in the desert again. No trees, barely any water, relatively flat and wide open views forever. We joined a road and grabbed water at what will be our last good source for about 37 miles. Walking along the gravel road was easy but not extremely exciting. This guy Colt stopped and had ice cold sodas that he carries in his truck for people like us. So awesome! After about 12 miles we stopped on the side of the road, watched the sunset and set up to cowboy camp for the night, Wyoming is the Cowboy State after all. Oh yeah I saw my first coyote of the trip this evening(only my favorite animal) plus lots of deer and antelope. Dropping into the Great Basin

QB gearing up for some serious road walkingEverything the light touches is yours 
Day 78     7/16     26 miles

The wind was ferocious last night. I watched the stars for awhile and saw a handful of shooters but after awhile the wind made cowboy camping an impossibility. Sleeping in a tent wasn’t much better and it not until about 2:30 the wind died down and I could finally crash out for a few hours. In the desert sun, it’s imperative to walk during the early morning so I couldn’t even sleep in. There was about 26 miles of road between me and Rawlins this morning and I was tired, hot, and thirsty. Luckily about half a dozen cars stopped to give us water, and since there were very few cars on the road the percentage of cars that stopped was very high. I’m impressed with Wyoming and how nice the people are. Early on today I saw a dead rattlesnake on the road, not a good sign. Then later on I heard that the city of Rawlins is having a problem with rattlers and we even met a couple that was going out to hunt them, vigilante style. Queen B and I finally got into Rawlins after this long non stop road walk and each ate a whole pizza before napping out for an hour or so and then going out for Chinese food. On our walk from dinner to McDonald’s for ice cream we saw the most amazing sunset. For some reason it looked eerily apocalyptic. I thought there would definitely be a tornado or something. Rawlins is right on I-80 and is the epitome of an interstate town. I found that it felt very similar to Grants, NM. It’s not exactly charming and although it’s spread out it has everything that a hiker needs. I like the town and I definitely needed a comfortable place to sleep after last night’s winds. This view for miles and miles and mileslots of people stopped to give us water and the rattlesnake vigilantes even gave us bananasthe end of the world sunset 

 2 Comments

 Posted on July 17, 2017 by

 Uncategorized

     , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Endless P Summer

A WordPress.com Website.