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Daily Log: Pre-Hike/Day 0

Prehike 0 – Sunday 7/12/2020 – I will be starting at Guthook’s Southbound mile 1257.6 – We drove from about 7 am until 6:30 pm. It was a long day. We chatted as we drove and the time went by easily. I helped drive, but Justin did the vast majority. At the pull off we found the CDT trail marker and knew we had arrived. I did my final prep as Justin talked to Stephanie on the phone – amazing, we had cell service! After a dinner of chicken, carrots and snow peas I set up my bed – again cowboy camping behind the Jeep with Justin on the roof tent. I plan on leaving as soon as I wake up so we said our goodbyes and our see you soons.

The night before I start I cowboy-camp behind the Jeep. Justin sleeps in the pop-up tent above the Jeep. (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)

Made it to the start

We’re happy!

We made it near to South Pass City and where the trail crosses Highway 28.

We’ve arrived at Highway 28 where the CDT crosses. Note: little did I know but this is the northbound side of the trail and tomorrow I’d goof and go that way when I should have hiked southbound. (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)

Daily Log: Pre-Hike/Day -1

Prehike -1 – Saturday 7/11/2020 – On way to South Pass City WY with Justin in his Jeep. We stopped at Rita Blanca National Grassland for the night. I set up my tent while Justin cooked dinner. Then we sat down in chairs with his table and our plates to eat. A delightful beer later we were done eating and chatting. We looked at the sky in the distance and it looked very threatening. Within five minutes the wind started to blow. It pulled two tent stakes out and my tent collapsed. Hurriedly we got up and started scrambling. Plates away. Table and chairs into the Jeep. I went over and got my tent in my arms and stuffed it into the Jeep. The wind continued to blow. We sat in the Jeep and waited. A front went through. The sky got darker. Next the rain started. And then boom – the lighting began. Flash, flash, Boom, boom. The lightening travelled past us. The rain fell steadily and lightly. The sky behind cleared. and then it was all past. So I began to set up my tent. And in the trailing edge of the storm the wind picked up and rattled the tent. What should I do? The wind was getting stronger and so I decided to put it away. Justin offered that I could sleep in the roof tent, but I finally decided to rough it and cowboy camp – no tent, just under the stars. He angled the Jeep into the wind and he helped me hold down the tent drop cloth while I put down my mat and sleeping bag. It was now 10 pm and dark, so I laid down. Justin climbed into the roof tent. The wind was vicious and blew sand into my face. But overtime the wind died down. It got hot again and I unzipped my sleeping bag into a semi-quilt. Finally around 1 am I fell asleep. Wow, that was something! What a way to start an adventure.

Tent set up before the storm (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)
Celebration but behind us it looks gray (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)
The storm is coming. The wind picks up.
OMG! (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)
The rain comes, the wind blows, the storm passes, and then the sun appears
Followed by a massive rainbow

Buzz cut

To maintain my social distancing Justin cut my hair. Or shall I say he “buzzed it off” to 1/4″. I feel so much cooler now and it is very manageable. It feels like I have some hair when I rub it with my hand, but looking at this picture it looks as if I don’t have any at all. Ha! And I love the look on his face. It’s the “OMG What Have I Done to my Dad” look.

Just asks… “Dad, do you want to leave something on the top”. I respond… “Nope”.
Justin is now worried that that he’s done too much!
Nuttin’ left!

Supported hiking

This is a first. My son offered to keep me safe and isolated during to the COVID-19 Pandemic while I hike so he’s going to support me. I will stay on the trail (not go into towns to keep them and me safe) whereas he’ll precede me to the next meeting point. He’ll carry all the resupplies along with a roof top tent and SHOWER – yup a 4.5 gallon pressurized water with a nozzle shower. He drove from California to Austin to pick me up. Also he got a COVID-19 test before he left, which was negative. Together we’ll drive to South Pass City WY where I’ll start hiking and he’ll drive to our next meet-up (see Plan). Hike, meet, repeat…

Just arrived in Austin with Columbus Autohone, the white clamshell attached to roof rack.
A test drive with his sweetheart a few days before with the roof tent popped up. They said the view is great from up there! (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)
The shower is the black pipe (black to help with solar heating). It holds about 4.5 gallons of water with a spigot and nozzle at the end. The “T” in the middle is where you fill it with water and there is an air valve so you can pump it up for a pressured shower experience. Slick!
My son, Justin, standing under the shower nozzle shortly after assembling it and mounting it to the roof car rack. I think by now you should have gotten the idea that a supported hike is quite different than normal. (Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)

Equipment and supplies preparation

Each hike requires a certain amount of equipment. I already have most of the stuff, but things wear out and I’ve got to replace them. For example, shoes. On the AT I started with lightweight trail runners and later switched to a hiking boot. So online I purchased one pair of Brooks Cascadia 14 Trail-Running Shoes and two pair of Oboz Sawtooth II Low Hiking Shoes. Along with them I got a new Petzl rechargeable head lamp and Inova microlight for use in my tent.

Just a small sample of the equipment I recently bought for the section hike.

Then there is consumables, such as food. For example, dehydrated dinners and other items, for example, cherry Tootsie Roll Pops – yup only cherry – sixty of them – Yum!

About 50 dehydrated dinners and 60 cherry Tootsie Roll Pops for dessert

I can’t say I have everything, but I have enough to get started. Then it’ll be up to me and Justin to fill in anything missing when we’re on the trail.

Physical preparation

Once I committed to this section hike I’ve been physically preparing. This includes wearing a 25 lbs. weight vest and hiking up and down Austin hills. Although Austin TX is relatively flat my first choice is Mount Bonnell.

Heading up Mount Bonnell

Along with the vest, I wear a cap for the sun and earphones to listen to books and podcasts. It also includes me wearing my COVID-19 face mask when encountering people, but if no one is around I remove it so I can breathe more easily.

Suited up and ready to rumble

By the time I’m done exercising I’m a big ball of sweat. Thanks Austin for the humidity!

5/26 mile 513.6 The journey ends

Although it looked threatening and I put up my tent, no rain fell. I got up at 5 AM

It was 21 miles to Cuba NM. I had been doing 21 miles for the past few days to insure on my last day I’d get to Cuba today. My water stop was in 6.6 miles – piece of cake. I was on trail hiking at 6 AM. That’s a little late, but today I sat and ate my Clif Bar and Granola Bar while enjoying my MIO Energy (with caffeine). I thought that should give me a little energy boost and brighten my spirit.

As I typically do I calculate the time it takes to complete some mileage using 25 minutes/mile. My water stop should be in 2 hours and 45 minutes or 8:45 AM. So off I went. I can do this.

The trail goes from mesa to mesa. Between them you typically hike down to a saddle and back up to the next. I thought I was making good progress, but I wasn’t. My thoughts kept drifting to quitting. I was pushing to get to the water yet it wasn’t necessary. I had already decided to end my hike so why was I pushing. Then I kept thinking about all the miles after the water stop that would take me hours and hours. I realized I was done, kaput. It was the end. I just couldn’t push any more. Maybe I could get to a road and hitch into Cuba. I had hit my wall.

At 9:15 AM I finally got to the spring. I filtered one bottle, added Crystal Light Lemonade flavoring, shook it and chugged it down. Bliss. Then two guys wander into the spring. I say hi, but they don’t look like hikers. They have small backpacks and are carrying shovels and other tools. I come to learn they are the trail maintenance crew for this section and they have come to work on the heavily-silted spring’s trough. Hmmm, that means they’ve driven here and their truck is nearby. I ask if I can catch a ride to Cuba and they say sure after they do their work here and some more trail work somewhere else.

Then I realize that this is how my adventure will end. Today will be my last hiking day. Right here I can relax. I am done. It is officially over.

Over the next two hours I try to help them shovel muck, silt, sand, and make the spring’s trough good for hikers for another 10 years. Their names are Charlie and David. Around lunch time we are done so we pack up and leave. At the truck Charlie says he’ll drive me to Cuba while David stays behind to eat his lunch. The truck is small and the cab fits only two people. So off we go and Charlie drive me into Cuba, drops me at a motel, and heads off.

I am sad, but the pressure is off to make those daily big miles. I contact my friends and family to tell them where I am. As I do it hits me. I miss those special people who have helped me in this journey. I need them so much. My voice breaks and a tear forms. It really is over. All the months to prepare. All the gear I bought. All the energy expended to get to the start. And most of all my long distance hiking is over. The end of a part of my life.