Day 32
36 miles July 16
Woke up to a soaking wet tent from dew and a pretty wet sleeping bag too, never a great way to start a day.
Then first thing there were about eight miles of steep, large unconsolidated rocks, roots, blow downs, washouts, on both the up hill and the down. Lots of hike a bike on very poor footing. Roughest terrain I've seen the whole route so far (even fleecer drop didn't seem this bad).
Somewhere on this section I lost my sitting pad that I used when cooking and working on my bike. It was also the cribbage board portion of the sleeping mat I through hiked on the pct. It jiggled loose somewhere on lava mountain, south of park lake. I hope it finds a new owner.
Finally made it to a more consolidated road and was sad about my sleeping mat and frustrated that the rough section had taken the entirety of the cool morning hours to complete when a group out for a Sunday morning bike ride came up from behind me. After a few miles of talking they invited me to their house for thier "world famous waffle bar" (if it isn't world famous yet, it should be, and maybe now it is). It was magical, and just like that one of my worst days so far turned into one of the best. Turns out they know someone I wintered with in Greenland, what a small world! I also got to shower and fill up water (and belly) before heading out for another big hot climb, the 4th to last continental divide crossing before Banff. Back to peeing into the Pacific. I've lost track of how many crossings there has been.
Hit a rail road crossing with a stopped train, the cars went on and on in both directions so I sat in the trains shade and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally the train left and I could cross. About a mile later I found a couple hiding from he sun under a tree. They had started riding from fairbanks in May! Wow! We exchanged trail tips and they continued on.
I went another seven miles or so and then it was 7pm and time to call it a day. Less than my prescribed miles per day goal but with my rough morning and hot steep afternoon I'll take it.
1002 miles left to get to Jasper.
36 miles July 16
Woke up to a soaking wet tent from dew and a pretty wet sleeping bag too, never a great way to start a day.
Then first thing there were about eight miles of steep, large unconsolidated rocks, roots, blow downs, washouts, on both the up hill and the down. Lots of hike a bike on very poor footing. Roughest terrain I've seen the whole route so far (even fleecer drop didn't seem this bad).
Somewhere on this section I lost my sitting pad that I used when cooking and working on my bike. It was also the cribbage board portion of the sleeping mat I through hiked on the pct. It jiggled loose somewhere on lava mountain, south of park lake. I hope it finds a new owner.
Finally made it to a more consolidated road and was sad about my sleeping mat and frustrated that the rough section had taken the entirety of the cool morning hours to complete when a group out for a Sunday morning bike ride came up from behind me. After a few miles of talking they invited me to their house for thier "world famous waffle bar" (if it isn't world famous yet, it should be, and maybe now it is). It was magical, and just like that one of my worst days so far turned into one of the best. Turns out they know someone I wintered with in Greenland, what a small world! I also got to shower and fill up water (and belly) before heading out for another big hot climb, the 4th to last continental divide crossing before Banff. Back to peeing into the Pacific. I've lost track of how many crossings there has been.
Hit a rail road crossing with a stopped train, the cars went on and on in both directions so I sat in the trains shade and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally the train left and I could cross. About a mile later I found a couple hiding from he sun under a tree. They had started riding from fairbanks in May! Wow! We exchanged trail tips and they continued on.
I went another seven miles or so and then it was 7pm and time to call it a day. Less than my prescribed miles per day goal but with my rough morning and hot steep afternoon I'll take it.
1002 miles left to get to Jasper.
.JPG)
.JPG)
That rough trail looked wicked!!! 8 miles?!?!? Yikes! And now you've lost your cribbage board / pad. What a bummer! And now you'll get the skunk stripes! :/ Glad your day was countered with those wonderful people.
ReplyDelete