Daily Log – Page 8 – Truly One Foot In Front of the Other

Daily Log: Day 3

03 1755.1 6/17/2021 sunny, clear. Woke at 4:45 and was on trail at 5:20. Lots of mosquitoes buzzing my head so I ate fast. Later the mosquitoes were so bad I put my bug net on. First thing was a climb. Lots of huffing and puffing. Gotta get in shape. At the crest I began to encounter more blow downs. All day was one blowdown after another. Some were stacked six feet high. I would try to hike over but many required me to stop, climb up and descend. Bunches of blow downs looked impenetrable. I tried to go around but getting off trail is unsettling. And all I did was encounter more blowdowns. It’s exhausting. In four hours I did four miles. Embrace the brutality is the CDT. Today was brutal. I ended at 3 pm and covered about 7-8 miles. Oh and somewhere I lost my sleeping mat but still have my air mattress. And I ripped my pants on a stick and sewed them up. Tomorrow is 10 miles to Justin – OMG it might take me even longer.

Blowdowns across the trail, one after another after another, very slow going. This was not what I expected especially just starting out hiking.

Not easy for a short guy. Miles of blowdowns. My pants are shredded having caught on branches over and over.

Daily Log: Day 2

02 1746.9 6/16/2021 clear, sunny. Didn’t sleep well. I just laid there thinking. I looked at my watch and it was 12:47 am. I’m worried about snow in these mountains. I didn’t have enough to eat and I’m cold. Gotta bring a bigger dinner and my warmer sleeping bag. Looked at watch 4:10 am. Starting to get light out. Oh well sleep or no sleep I have to hike. Packed up and was on trail around 5:15. I was worried about the climbs. I should have been worried about the blow downs. One after another after another. Slowed me down. So I won’t do 15 miles today. Saw a moose about 30 feet away as it ran off. The sudden movement scared me. At about 11 am I took a break. Just sat and rested. The climbs and blowdowns were wearing me out. I ate lunch and tried to nap. I only had about 3 more miles. When I finally started again I felt better. But near the end a muscle in my right leg cramped up. That was a first. And shockingly painful. But after it relaxed I carried on for the last little bit. I got to a stream and found a camp site. So water is plentiful.

Daily Log: Day 1

Meetup: 01 1733.6 6/15/2021 clear, sunny. Left SLC and drove to start at mile 1722.3. Pictures, message to family, off I went at 2 pm. Justin drove ahead down the same dirt road. He got to a water crossing and it didn’t look good. So back he came. We chatted and he went off to find another better water crossing. I continued on. For the first 7 miles I climbed. I was out of breath a lot. My feet were sore too. I went from 8500 to 9200 feet. Should have been easy, but it was hard. After that it was a descent and there were many many blowdown. I kept pushing to get to Justin. I got to him at 7:30 pm. I was exhausted. A quick dinner, put up my tent, did some planning. I’ll be on my own for three days. We’ll meet up at Big Sandy trailhead.

Facing North, Ready to start hiking to Canada *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Justin and I in the wind ready for the adventures to follow *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Justin text message: “Off he goes” *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Daily Log: Pre-Hike/Day 0

0 Pre-Hike 6/14/2021 sunny.

Arriving in Salt Lake City and 102 degree F heat

Met up with Justin and now we’re at the hotel *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Previously I had sent all my gear to Justin. He packed it in his Jeep and drove it to Salt Lake City. After unloading the Jeep he wrote to the rest of the family: “The Gear Refamiliarization Process Begins!”. I call it “Becoming Tartan” *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Daily Log: PostHike/Day 70

Day 70 – Sunday 9/20/2020 – sunny. Yesterday we we drove from the hike’s ending point in the forest to Santa Rosa NM where we stayed overnight at a Holiday Inn Express. Then today we drove the rest of the way home.

On the road back to home with the remnants of the hike clearly visible on and in the Jeep

Justin and I back home with my sweetheart, Kathy. I am partially transformed from Tartan to beard-shaved Brian while *still wearing my Tartan outfit or some might say my Tartan “costume*“. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Daily Log: Day 69

Meetup: Day 69 – Saturday 9/19/2020 – 2213.0 – sunny, breezy, cool. I woke and packed up. I tried to sleep in but only got to 5:20 am. Oh well I tried on my last day. I put on my puffy to get warmer. I had my last on-trail pop tart breakfast sitting against the Jeep ‘s back tire. Then I was off at 6:10 am. Up the road by another campsite. I hiked quietly by them to not wake their dogs. I came to a gate blocking the road and walked around. The road walk was easy and now it was light enough to see. I went by a closed camping area trailhead and two small lakes. I had plenty of water so I didn’t stop. The trail began to climb. Easily I ascended. At about 7 am I was warmed up and stopped to take off my headlight, headband and puffy. I was disappointed that I had only gone 3 miles. Oh well I only had 7 more and I would be done. I started listening to my audio book Nine Perfect Strangers to help pass the time. Then at 8:15 am I stopped for my first snack. I was again surprised because now I had only 4 miles left. Where did the time and miles go? I must have been moving faster or misread the earlier mileage. The trail was up on the crest of a hill and became very rocky. Carefully I placed each foot. I was trying to make good speed. Nearly there I saw two mountain bikers approach. I said hi and they said they had met my son – a typical refrain but a good one for the last day – ha! I was only 1/2 mile to go. But I made a bad turn coming down the hill and when I looked at Guthooks I was a few tenths of a mile beyond. So I climbed back up the hill, went by the horse corral, by Ken’s camp but didn’t see his truck, and started down to the forest road to the intersection. I saw the Jeep. I yelled a big loud “Hello” and saw Justin waving. A moment later a big hug, lots of smiles, selfies and I WAS DONE, WE WERE DONE, IT IS DONE.

Hiking into camp where we had been stranded for three days in the snowstorm. This completes my goal of section-hiking over 1000 miles in 69 days from South Pass City WY to Cuba NM where I had gotten off trail in 2016. What remains is to hike from *South Pass City WY* to Glacier National Park and the Canadian border. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

I am happy. I am done. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Time to sit down, drink a celebratory Coke, and … *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

… *tell Justin that I couldn’t have done it without him.* Thank you son! *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Marking the end I send my last Garmin InReach daily message: “I’m checking in, everything is ok.” As they would say in the movies: It’s a wrap. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Daily Log: Day 68

Meetup: Day 68 – Friday 9/18/2020 – 2223.5 – cloudy, some sun, cool. My typical 5 am sit up, get out of sleeping bag, pack it away, pack my pillow bag, do potty, pack backpack, put tent away, and eat breakfast. On trail at 5:45 am. Several medium climbs but with the day pack they were easy. I quickly passed two bow hunters coming the other way. I went through lots of meadows, pines, and aspens. I went from one mesa to the next. I arrived at Justin and the Jeep at about 2:40 pm. I set up tent, and prepped for tomorrow. TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY! Only 10 more miles. I will be returning to the spot were we were snowed-in for three days.

Hiking into camp on the eve of the last day. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Setting up my tent has become an easy habit. Only one more night after this one. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

With the tent up in the background the master chef, Justin, smiles and gets to work making another tasty and nutritious dinner: tortillas stuffed with carnitas, corn chips and bean dip. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Justin moves the trusty Jeep into a level position to pop the roof-top tent. *(Photograph Courtesy of J. Watt)*

Daily Log: Day 67

Meetup: Day 67 – Thursday 9/17/2020 – 2245.0 – clear, sunny, warm/cool. I got up at my usual time of 5 am having awaken much earlier but laid there until 5 am. I packed up and ate breakfast. Justin got up at 5:30 am. We drove to the trailhead 0.8 miles away at 5:45 am. I was on trail at 5:50 am in the dark with my head lamp. I might have seen a bear ahead of me on the trail so began singing “She’ll be com in’ round the mountain”. The dark object ahead disappeared into the forest. If it was a bear then that was close. Whew! Today was a social day. I met Alex and her dog. She hadn’t seen anyone for 4 days. About 0.5 miles later I met six older (my age) hikers out for three days. I mentioned I had flipped to the spring near Cuba NM and they said that the last hiker maintains that section. I explained about ending my hike there in 2016 when two maintainers were working on the spring and that last hiker said it was he and his friend Charlie who was there that day. He said Charlie drove me to town. He remembered me! Think about that… meeting in the middle of the forest, chatting about 4 years ago, and to happen upon one of the guys who helped me. Wow! A big wow! A few miles later I had to cross a stream. It was probably 20’ across so I couldn’t jump it or step from rock to rock. There was a gigantic tree that had fallen across it about four feet above the stream with rushing water and sharp rocks below. My balance is not great and I very very slowly took steps to cross. I used my poles to help balance too. There were dead branches sticking out at various angles that were in the way. In the last few feet I began to wobble but luckily as I began to fall I was able to grab a branch and didn’t. Wow that was close! However my hands were shaking. Adrenaline! I had just made it. A little while later I met two more hikers named Sweet Pea and Beardo. They said “we met your son” and he gave us a soda! Justin the trail angel strikes again. They had flipped and flopped all around the CDT. At about 2:30 pm I completed my day’s hike arriving at the Jeep. Justin had been writing the snow blog entry. I went to set up my tent while he finished up. I asked him to read it to me and as he did he got choked up at the end. It was indeed our most exciting and difficult time on this overland adventure. We had brats for dinner. Only two more days.

Daily Log: Day 66

Meetup: Day 66 – Wednesday 9/16/2020 – 2265.4 – some clouds, sunny, warm. Sheesh, I can’t sleep in. I was up at 5 am. I packed up and was on trail at 5:45 am. Nowadays it is very dark out when I start to hike so used my headlamp for 45 min until dawn. Today was a very long but gentle climb. I went across wide grassy swaths. While hiking I stopped for snacks, and lunch. It’s the little things. I find it amazing that I’m out here in the middle of nowhere eating my lunch. I only had about 4 miles to go. I had been listening to Infidel audio book, I finished it and then moved on to 14 Minutes audio book about Alberto Salazar, the famous runner. I got to Justin about 2 pm – early afternoon. We chatted but we were both quiet. He hadn’t done or seen much today. He arrived early in the morning and did some writing. He also talked to some other people who were at the trailhead. After I arrived he drove me back to the camping area about a mile away. I set up my tent and did my chores for tomorrow. We had pancakes and bacon for dinner. Sugar high! He’ll have to wake early to drive me back to the trailhead. I only have about 50 miles to go. So close now. Only three days left.

Middle Canjilon Campground is funny looking when seen on Satellite view.

Daily Log: Day 65

Meetup: Day 65 – Tuesday 9/15/2020 – 2284.4 – clear, sunny, hot, windy and threatening clouds at end. I woke late at 5:25 am and rushed to pack up. I was on trail at 6:07 am. First thing was 3.7 mile climb to the top of the mesa. Then it was miles of walking on the edge of the mesa. The trail was confusing at times and I hand held my phone as I struggled to find the trail. Several times I was off trail and finally realized that I just needed to stay on the edge of the mesa. I descended and crossed Highway 84. I couldn’t find a gate. I had to climb under a barb wire fence on the other side of the road. I conserved water and used my platypus for the first two morning snacks. At lunch I guzzled my 0.7L bottle and another at my afternoon snack. I finished the day’s hike about 3:30 pm. At the Jeep I downed a number of cans of soda. Justin cooked pork tacos for dinner. I finished with a mini pecan pie, some cookies and tootsie roll pops for dessert. Overall it was a good day. Only have about 70 miles to go. It really looks like I’m gonna do this long ass section after all. Yippee! Tomorrow I’ll meet Justin at a road crossing and he’s going to drive me to a campground that’s 0.8 miles away.