Trail angels – wandering chardonnay

So close but yet so far

Laying in my tent stealth camping in East Glacier, Mt. I lose track of days on trail, didn’t realize that it was Labor Day weekend. Hostel is booked and so are most hotels. Hiking straight through that last section (with no town stops) was tough. It’s a 140 mile section if you go straight through. I under estimated my food needs, had to start rationing. (This was poor planning and me being lazy. But food is heavy, yo. Ha, you’d think this was my first thru hike. Certainly not the first time I ran out of food. Doh! Was doing some 27 to 30 mile days to get done. I wasn’t hungry but my energy levels were super low. Pretty much stumbling into camp (seriously, over ever tree root) eating a tortilla with peanut butter and passing out.

Happy trail

The Wall

My legs are so scratched and tender from all the branches scratching, over growth, climbing over blown down trees and just tripping.

African American woman CDT hiker

The route is beautiful taking us right by the wall and through the Bob Marshall wilderness. (The Chinese Wall is limestone averaging about 1,000 feet tall and stretches unbroken for miles. The rock face marks the Continental Divide through the Bob Marshall Wilderness) However, there a lot of fires, one we passed within 1/4 mile of the trail. The smoke limited the views and made the sun an eerie red. Many of the trails were closed, glad we made it through.

The Chinese wall

Our last day we hiked 29 miles to get to East Glacier. That was a super long day, but being that I was down to a bag of Skittles and a granola bar….well I was motivated. Made to town just in time to grab a burger before the restaurant closed!!

After stealth camping we headed to Brownies Hostel to grab our last packages. Unfortunately, the did NOT have them!! I was more than upset. I purposely had the packages sent early AND to the hostel to avoid the post office being closed upon arrival.

So frustrating, so close to Canada (like only 100 miles left) and this happens. I don’t want to (and can’t afford to) to sit here and wait. Mostly annoyed that the hostel is like, oh well.

On the upside, walking through town I run into a hiker I met on the PCT, then randomly in Portland, then ha here in Montana! Small world! They were in town for a wedding, gave us fresh fruit (Oh how I miss fruit,yum plums) and drinks! Made me feel better.

Not sure, guess I may have to leave without packages. I’ll keep checking til we leave tomorrow. Packages have been known to just “show up”or “be found”. Fingers crossed.

PS: Thanks Gary for the lift back to the trail! Oh and my shoes….yep duck tape!

Need new kicks!

Highway to HELena..

CDT, Hiking

Hiking south from Anaconda turned out to be a great idea! The trail was nice, but it was really nice to run into other hikers we haven’t seen since Colorado! They were all guys, where my girls!? I wish I had taken pics, hope to see you guys up the trail!

Last day hiking south I hiked 26 miles in about 9 hours, with breaks and stopping to chat, guess I was in the flow and feeling good. I love times like that everything just clicks and your floating down the trail. Got lucky on a hitch from a guy nice enough to give us a lift 60 miles back to Anaconda! After a good night’s rest Kelsey took off early, I slept in. She is itching to get home. I on the other hand want to savor these last days. I did a quick resupply at the Dollar then found Kelsey at the McDonald’s, we headed out on a long hot road walk. While hiding in the road side shade a local guy (Eddie Murphy, yes jokes were made) came by and said not to drink the water from the nearby stream. Instead he said stop by his house for water and camping in his yard. Took him up on the water but just rested in the yard til it cooled down, then night hiked on further.

The terrain in Montana changes quickly from farm land to forest. I really love that the climbs are gradual. However water is getting scarce. Learned quickly when there is water you better take it. Second day out planned on hiking and camping at a lake. I had about a cup of water left when I got to the “lake” The lake ended up being a shallow swamp. Ended up hiking another 1.3 miles to a dripping creek then carrying water uphill to find a campsite.

Other than limited water I’m enjoying Montana and cranking out 25 mile days! Less than 400 miles to go, I’m gonna make it! But first a stop in Helena…

On the highway to HELena we met trail angel Barb!! She gave us a lift to town, a tour, and McDonalds (I was so hungry)! She even let us shower and do laundry!! She lives in a nice neighborhood where people hang out on their porches and chat. She even took us to the grocery and back to the trail!! Thanks to you and Max, you went above and beyond.

There are fires in the area and trail closures ahead. Thanks to all those firefighters out there on the ground and in the air!

Light Years

CDT

The trail both humbled and disappointed me when I had to bail off the snowy Colorado trail. But my safety was more important to me. Flipping north and then back south was an expense and logistical mess. But I will soon be in Montana/Idaho and headed for Canada!
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After 4 days on trail, escaping Colorado I finally got signal and with that the sad news that a dear friend (Mr. French) had passed. It’s times like that I just want to go home, or fall to pieces. But I can’t quit or stop I have to keep moving forward, thus is life.

But when things get tough angels step in. At the trailhead I met some folks on vacation from Georgia, Cooper and Jane. They not only offered a ride to town but took us to their rental home for lunch, showers and laundry. Cooper reminded me of my friend, witty/funny, lifting my spirits. Later they took us to dinner in town, lettings us camp on the lawn after chatting around a campfire. THEN…drove us up to catch our bus the next morning!

With all the craziness going on right now, know there are people out there like Cooper and Jane. People so kind and generous, to strangers just stumbling out of the woods.
I’ll be very busy when I get back home, paying forward all the kindness showed to me out here. I can’t wait.

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This next section is for you Mr. French! Thanks for the laughter and believing in me (even on the trail I didn’t finish). I’ll be rockin that AT buff, see ya on the other side.

And wherever you’ve gone
And where ever we might go
It don’t seem fair
Today just disappeared
Your lights reflected now
Reflected from a far
We were but stones
Your light made us stars- Eddie V.

Leadville adventure

CDT

We got dropped off by our ride at the Safeway grocery store. After wondering around aimlessly I finally got enough food, sorta. (I’m still having eating issues like on the PCT. I just don’t have a taste for anything while on trail. So basically I’m not getting enough calories and my energy is way low. But only like 800 ish miles to go, I’ll make it, eventually.)

Anyway, we got a ride back to the trail before we even got out of the parking lot. 20 minutes later we’re standing back near the trailhead looking at the looming gray sky. A check of the forecast..thunderstorms, agh. We decided to hitch BACK to Leadville, again!

Ended up getting a ride from two very nice guys. Staying in one of the motels seemed like a good inexpensive option. However, every motel we stopped at was full! There was a mountain bike race going on. That’s when one of the guys said “i have an apartment you girls can stay in, if you want, just lock up when you leave.” Hmmm, ok.

Turns out his friend lived in the main house and we got the entire downstairs apartment to ourselves! The friend came down with beer and regaled us with some interesting stories. Conveniently he had a friend that worked at the liquor store! We stayed for two days, I was glad not to be out in the rain. Kelsey wants to go back for the donkey races in a week! Ah, geez.

Escaping the Leadville vortex I am egar to finish these last miles out of Colorado. Not sure how I’m gonna get back to Idaho yet. But hey, things tend to work out as they should.

Rebounding and Ragbrai

CDT

After counting to ten multiple times and being on the phone with Verizon for 30 mins I got them to overnight me a new phone! Honestly they did not make it easy. They could not send it to the post office I was sitting right in front of, nope. I was there to get my box with my much needed shoes. Luckily a nice guy at the Coffee on the Fly shop let me use their address.

The phone arrived late afternoon the next day. I worried most of the day that my apps (mostly I was concerned about my trail map app Guthooks). While I sat on the floor of the post office, charging the new phone (and saying prayers) a local lady invited us to spend the night in their “trailer”. Turns out the “trailer” was a motor home with a queen bed, electricity and a shower! The trail does provide.

The next morning after as we headed out I realized that my GPS did not have a locator button. Kelsey was itching to get back on the trail so I told her to go ahead while I headed back into town to fix the problem. I was not going into the wilderness with it not working, nope. It only took about 15 mins to correct once I got on Wi-Fi. But by the time I got on trail Kelsey was long gone.

I hiked most of the day til it started to rain and I got wet/cold. About 18 miles in I gave up and set up camp. It was actually a good day even with the rain because CDT joined up with the CT (Colorado Trail). It was fun to all of a sudden see other hikers. All though they were headed in the opposite direction, but yeah people!!

The next day I was sure I’d catch Kelsey but nope. I admit I was distracted by OMG, trail magic! I was gifted rice krispy treats and coke at the first stop. Woohoo!! With that sugar injection I was off to the races. I was really moving, 10 miles by 10 am! Feeling good with good trail I set out for 10 more by 2pm. That’s when I hit the next trail magic stop. Fresh water, hot dogs and yes more coke. With that I took off determined to pull a 30 mile day. Racing the rain I made it 33 miles. Biggest mile day this whole trail. I really need to start packing out soda pop!!! Or maybe it was those spiffy new shoes and insoles. Or maybe all those encouraging comments from everyone, thanks guys! What a difference a day makes, hang in there.

To all you guys on the Ragbrai stay safe and keep the rubber side down!

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Just waiting on a friend

CDT, Hiking

I was super excited to see Tom (aka Toasted Toad)! He’s a trail friend from the PCT.

We met up at the Ole Faithful Village, can’t believe we found each other in that mess of people. He loaded us up with Mountain House meals and then set us up with lunch. He was hiking the CDT but had to get off due to an injury. He was out camping and helping hikers.

We also ran into Samson again and met Mary and Rodger from St Cloud, MN!
Tom offered us a ride but we declined, staying to see the geyser and hike out. (Hmmm) Call if you need anything Tom says, thanks we say.

Long story short we hiked out into a mosquito attack of epic proportions. We were practically jogging down trail chased by swarms, after hiking through a swampy area. Kelsey had so many bites she looked she had chicken pox, she might have zika. We had but one option, ok we had others but….we called Toasted Toad to come save us. That man is saint, do you know he drove like an hour to come get us then drove us ALL the way to Bozeman!

We stayed in Bozeman it was a great zero day. Catching up with an old friend and making ones, loading up on deet!

(PSA: if anybody ever asks you to play Sing-O, just walk away). Toasted Toad, bless his heart, took us ALL the way back to the trail. Thanks again…..hope to see ya, on trail, in Colorado!

After being dropped off we hiked right into a snow storm…yep summer on the CDT!

See thrilling video here!

It never rains in Southern California

Hiking, PCT

Yea….that’s crap. It rains and it’s super chilly. I’ve been cold pretty much since Mt Laguna, weird since this is the desert portion.

For the most part it is a blessing, climbing those last mountains would have sucked in the heat. I’ve been hiking with the 3 wise men (Stewart, Willie and Little Brown) since about Cajon Pass. They are a joy and a challenge. I struggle to keep up on the uphill as they fly up, then I catch up on the downhill. They may be older but they have serious hiker legs. They’re also pretty cool to chat with.

Stewart had to hop off the trail for a bit and Willie had to wait for a package, so I have been chasing Little Brown up the hills the last couple of miles.

A quick stop at trail angels the Anderson’s -Casa de Luna. (thanks Terry for the hot chocolate, bandanna, ride back to the trail….! Wish I could have stayed longer and had taco salad, but the trail calls) The weather caught up to us last night, just made it to camp before it really started to rain. (If you happen to be in Lake Hughes, CA stop in the Rock Inn neat place, good food) Anyway, I stayed dry (so I guess my seam sealing worked, yeah!). I took the 10 mile road walk detour made it to Hikertown to let my tent dry out,order shoes and figure out this next section.

All in all I have been chilly but lucky. Some hikers got hail or snow. Stay safe & warm out there wherever you are.

Up then Down then Up……

Hiking, PCT

Past mile 200 today! Left Idyllwild hiked up devils slide and San Jacinto. Spent the night just below the peak. Very cool to wake with a deer outside my tent and above the clouds! I was pretty excited that I would be headed down hill. Little did I know I had to climb up then down then….down for a long time. Matter of fact it took me full day and a morning to get down off that mountain. But with the amazing views off Fuller Ridge it was all worth it! Crossed hwy 10 the windmill farm, whoa super windy!

This morning I arrived at Ziggy and the Bear (trail angels)! They have been hosting hikers for 14 years! So I got my 2nd much needed shower and so much more. I’m learning a lesson about letting go of plans. I’ve been so caught up in my “plan” that I haven’t really stopped to take in the experience. So I am taking a day here and heading to the PCT kickoff.

Ziggy and the Bear’s

Michigan peeps on trail!

Sometimes you go uphill and it’s tough but don’t quit, then you cruise downhill but be careful of rocks that might trip you up! Remember pick a direction, keep moving forward and enjoy the journey!

Happy Trails- chardonnay