We crushed it today!! We started by getting up at 4:00 a.m. and got on trail by 5:00 a.m. Then we went 20 miles! That puts us at 65.5 miles on the CDT! We wanted to get an early start on the trail to get ahead of the heat. I’m happy to say we got 12 miles in by 10;00 a.m.! Usually our goal is to hike 10 miles by 12:00 p.m., Haha.
The other day the heat was unbearable and we really don’t want to hike in this heat if at all possible. We got to the next water cache around 11:00 a.m. and drank as much water as we could and eventually took off.
The crazy part about hiking in the desert is that there’s really no where to sit to take a break. If you do just sit on the ground the heat is just ridiculous (there’s not much shade).
We were in a somewhat flat desert field for a while today. It was wide open and crazy windy. The wind was blowing so hard we were basically leaning forward into the wind. All we could do was keep pushing ahead. When we got to our 20 mile mark I looked over and saw a tree and we decide to set up camp. It’s rare to find a tree this size in New Mexico so it only seemed right to call it a day.
We packed out enough water for tonight and tomorrow morning. The next water cache is 20 miles from the last one so we really had to make sure we took enough water. We have 12.8 miles to get to the next cache.
We’re planning on getting up early again, somewhere around 3:30 to 4:00 a.m. and getting as far as we can. We have 20 miles until Lordsburg and I can taste the double cheeseburgers already!
When we got to camp the wind was blowing so bad we didn’t think we would be able to get the tent up. I didn’t really want to cowboy camp again so we took a few minutes, gathered our thoughts, and I went looking for big rocks to help hold our tent stakes in the ground.
As the evening went on the wind finally died down a little. I’m hoping for a good night's rest so that we can get another big mile day in tomorrow.
Miles hiked: 20
Total miles hiked: 66
Animals seen:
Cows
Jackrabbits
Friday, March 23, 2018
Bubbles CDT Day 5 (March 23, 2018)
We woke up extremely early for us (4:00 a.m.) and were out of camp by 5:00. We really want to start hiking in the morning before it is hot out. We got to the next water cache around 10:00 a.m. We hiked almost 13 miles and felt pretty good about ourselves. We sat in the shade and one of the shuttle drivers (Leslie who drove me) had driven down with her husband to check the water cache so we got to talk to them which was pretty cool.
We left after we ate, drank water, and rested our feet. We started hiking but didn’t want to do that many more miles. We wanted to get just a little bit closer to the next water cache.
As we began to hike again, it was so hot, and I began thinking, praying, and talking to myself that we could use some wind for the next part of this hike. For the next seven miles it was so windy that sometimes you had to lean into the wind to hike. I thought that was really funny, my prayers were answered to the extreme!
We got into camp and had a difficult time setting up the tent, however, Robby was a super star. He found rocks (after hunting for 30 minutes) and set the tent up properly in the wind. The ground is hard here so we couldn’t get the stakes in. The stakes that we got from Z Pack all bent and broke within our first couple days. It’s important to be lightweight but it’s also important to make sure that your gear works for you. Apparently we did not try our stakes in the super hard ground. We are going to need to figure something else out!
I thought for sure we were going to have to cowboy camp but Sprout is awesome and was like, no, we are setting the tent up! We got it up and are in it right now.
#robbyisabeast
We left after we ate, drank water, and rested our feet. We started hiking but didn’t want to do that many more miles. We wanted to get just a little bit closer to the next water cache.
As we began to hike again, it was so hot, and I began thinking, praying, and talking to myself that we could use some wind for the next part of this hike. For the next seven miles it was so windy that sometimes you had to lean into the wind to hike. I thought that was really funny, my prayers were answered to the extreme!
We got into camp and had a difficult time setting up the tent, however, Robby was a super star. He found rocks (after hunting for 30 minutes) and set the tent up properly in the wind. The ground is hard here so we couldn’t get the stakes in. The stakes that we got from Z Pack all bent and broke within our first couple days. It’s important to be lightweight but it’s also important to make sure that your gear works for you. Apparently we did not try our stakes in the super hard ground. We are going to need to figure something else out!
I thought for sure we were going to have to cowboy camp but Sprout is awesome and was like, no, we are setting the tent up! We got it up and are in it right now.
#robbyisabeast
Miles hiked: 20
Total miles hiked: 66
Total miles hiked: 66
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Sprout CDT Day 4 (March 22, 2018)
We got on the trail a little bit earlier than the other days this week but the heat was still an issue for us. Part of the problem is that we went from intense winter to a hot desert real quick! The heat is really pounding on us around 11:00 to 12:00. It almost feels unbearable! It’s a different heat too, a dry heat, which makes it easy to get dehydrated. You don’t even realize you are losing as much water as you are until it’s a little too late.
Right now we’re at 45.4 miles! That’s a little over 11 miles a day average and I’m totally fine with that!
We got to the water cache early and decided to stay there for the day, drink a lot of water, and get up around 3:30-4:00 a.m. Our plan is to get miles in tomorrow before the heat hits us. It was way too hot to set up the tent right away and even when we did it was way too hot to sit inside the tent.
We ended up opening the doors to the cache box and duct taping our umbrellas to the doors to sit under the shade. We kept rearranging positions and eventually ended up laying in the ground with our legs under the cache box holding our umbrellas haha! I bet we looked like a couple of weirdos, good thing no one was around. It was really cool under the box and so was the little space where we were laying in front of the box.
We got to the water cache early and decided to stay there for the day, drink a lot of water, and get up around 3:30-4:00 a.m. Our plan is to get miles in tomorrow before the heat hits us. It was way too hot to set up the tent right away and even when we did it was way too hot to sit inside the tent.
We ended up opening the doors to the cache box and duct taping our umbrellas to the doors to sit under the shade. We kept rearranging positions and eventually ended up laying in the ground with our legs under the cache box holding our umbrellas haha! I bet we looked like a couple of weirdos, good thing no one was around. It was really cool under the box and so was the little space where we were laying in front of the box.
We saw one day hiker pass us throughout the day, other than that there is only a little bit of traffic on Highway 9 right in front of us.
We hope we get enough rest and can get up really early tomorrow. I don’t want to hike in the heat and the next water is 12.9 miles ahead.
Miles hiked: 6
Total miles hiked: 46
Animals seen:
Cows
Jackrabbits
We hope we get enough rest and can get up really early tomorrow. I don’t want to hike in the heat and the next water is 12.9 miles ahead.
Miles hiked: 6
Total miles hiked: 46
Animals seen:
Cows
Jackrabbits
Bubbles CDT Day 4 (March 22, 2018)
We woke up today and walked the rest of the way to the water cache. It was about 6 miles away. It was so hot that we decided that we are going to change our sleeping schedule and do something different.
We stayed at the cache, set up our tent, then went by the water cache box and put our legs under the shadow from the box and our sun umbrellas up over our faces. We covered our mid section with tie back and just laid there.
It was a little breezy so it was nice even though it was so hot. We hadn’t eaten much over the past few days so we made a couple meals, relaxed, and I took care of my blisters. They were hurting me so bad that when I was hiking I was limping and whimpering like a sad puppy. Sometimes I was almost in tears, not because I wanted to cry but because my eyes were welling up with tears because it was so painful. I popped some of them, put neosporin on them, and let them sit out of my socks all day so that they could breathe. I need different shoes and need to figure out something different for my desert hike. These New Balance shoes are just ripping to shreds.
We are in bed now (early) because we will be getting up in the morning early.
Miles hiked: 6
Total miles hiked: 46
We stayed at the cache, set up our tent, then went by the water cache box and put our legs under the shadow from the box and our sun umbrellas up over our faces. We covered our mid section with tie back and just laid there.
It was a little breezy so it was nice even though it was so hot. We hadn’t eaten much over the past few days so we made a couple meals, relaxed, and I took care of my blisters. They were hurting me so bad that when I was hiking I was limping and whimpering like a sad puppy. Sometimes I was almost in tears, not because I wanted to cry but because my eyes were welling up with tears because it was so painful. I popped some of them, put neosporin on them, and let them sit out of my socks all day so that they could breathe. I need different shoes and need to figure out something different for my desert hike. These New Balance shoes are just ripping to shreds.
We are in bed now (early) because we will be getting up in the morning early.
Miles hiked: 6
Total miles hiked: 46
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Sprout CDT Day 3 (March 21, 2018)
Before I talk about what happened during our day today I need to talk about last night.
We could not set up the tent because of the soft sand so we had to cowboy camp. The actual cowboy camping part wasn’t that bad because the stars were out and it’s so bright without the light pollution you find in the city. We saw a few shooting stars and fell asleep to coyotes howling in the mountains around us. It was incredible and I love the howling off in the distance.
Here’s where the crazy part started: at about 11:00 I woke up to the sound of bass bumping. At first I thought I was dreaming but then I saw headlights too. Before I knew it a truck was driving parallel to where we were sleeping, shining a spotlight throughout the desert. I honestly had no idea what to do. It shined our way and I just acted like I was sleeping. It drove all down the desert looking for something or someone. It was crazy!
While hiking today I saw a border patrol agent and he said it was one of them looking for footprints and signs of illegal aliens. Believe it or not, he said they found a group of six people a couple of days ago right around where we’re staying tonight! He said it’s been people just escaping their countries lately and they haven’t had a drug mule in months. He said the mules are the ones you’d want to stay away from.
It was a crazy experience and a just “what the heck (edited for kids) moment” all wrapped up into one! Before we left camp this morning we did see signs of illegal immigrants, it had to be. There were two Adidas backpacks and there were cans of tuna with different language labels, blankets, and clothes. He said they ditch the packs sometimes and continue on.
While hiking today it was super hot and it was uncomfortable for awhile. I think we learned our lesson and realize we really need to get up early to beat the heat. If we can be on trail by 6:00 a.m. we will be able to get at least ten miles in by noon, rest for a few hours, and go some more once it cools off. That’s the smartest way we can get through this desert hiking because the heat is only going to get worse as time goes on.
We ran into some spotty cell phone reception today and we were able to call and send some texts to family. It was a great feeling to hear from home!
It’s 9:20 and well past my bedtime because we have to get an early start tomorrow. Until then, happy trails!
Miles Hiked: 14
We could not set up the tent because of the soft sand so we had to cowboy camp. The actual cowboy camping part wasn’t that bad because the stars were out and it’s so bright without the light pollution you find in the city. We saw a few shooting stars and fell asleep to coyotes howling in the mountains around us. It was incredible and I love the howling off in the distance.
Here’s where the crazy part started: at about 11:00 I woke up to the sound of bass bumping. At first I thought I was dreaming but then I saw headlights too. Before I knew it a truck was driving parallel to where we were sleeping, shining a spotlight throughout the desert. I honestly had no idea what to do. It shined our way and I just acted like I was sleeping. It drove all down the desert looking for something or someone. It was crazy!
While hiking today I saw a border patrol agent and he said it was one of them looking for footprints and signs of illegal aliens. Believe it or not, he said they found a group of six people a couple of days ago right around where we’re staying tonight! He said it’s been people just escaping their countries lately and they haven’t had a drug mule in months. He said the mules are the ones you’d want to stay away from.
It was a crazy experience and a just “what the heck (edited for kids) moment” all wrapped up into one! Before we left camp this morning we did see signs of illegal immigrants, it had to be. There were two Adidas backpacks and there were cans of tuna with different language labels, blankets, and clothes. He said they ditch the packs sometimes and continue on.
While hiking today it was super hot and it was uncomfortable for awhile. I think we learned our lesson and realize we really need to get up early to beat the heat. If we can be on trail by 6:00 a.m. we will be able to get at least ten miles in by noon, rest for a few hours, and go some more once it cools off. That’s the smartest way we can get through this desert hiking because the heat is only going to get worse as time goes on.
We ran into some spotty cell phone reception today and we were able to call and send some texts to family. It was a great feeling to hear from home!
It’s 9:20 and well past my bedtime because we have to get an early start tomorrow. Until then, happy trails!
Miles Hiked: 14
Total Miles Hiked: 40
Animals seen:
Cows
Jackrabbits
Animals seen:
Cows
Jackrabbits
Bubbles CDT Day 3 (March 21, 2018)
Today was a real eye opener for us. We’ve been getting out of camp relatively late but the desert is no joke. Even though it’s March it is extremely hot and the sun feels like it’s burning your soul. We did not feel great, it was taking us a long time to do relatively easy hiking.
We ended up taking a break midday, got under our umbrellas, sat down, and rested. Robby wasn’t feeling right and neither was I. We realized that we need to be drinking more water and be getting out of the hot sun during midday. We are still in the desert and conditions can be rough.
The next water cache was 20 miles from our starting point. We knew we weren’t going to make it. We stopped at 14 miles where there was a water source. We weren’t sure if we would need it so Robby did go down, check it out, and get some water (we ended up dumping it out because we didn’t need it).
Miles hiked: 14
Total miles hiked: 40
We ended up taking a break midday, got under our umbrellas, sat down, and rested. Robby wasn’t feeling right and neither was I. We realized that we need to be drinking more water and be getting out of the hot sun during midday. We are still in the desert and conditions can be rough.
The next water cache was 20 miles from our starting point. We knew we weren’t going to make it. We stopped at 14 miles where there was a water source. We weren’t sure if we would need it so Robby did go down, check it out, and get some water (we ended up dumping it out because we didn’t need it).
Miles hiked: 14
Total miles hiked: 40
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Sprout CDT Day 2 (March 20, 2018)
It’s only our second day on the CDT and we have to cowboy camp! Haha what a way to start the trail. I actually don’t mind it right now because the stars are really bright and we heard coyotes about 20 minutes ago. I thought a lot today about Native Americans. It’s not even 9:00 and I’m already ready to fall asleep.
The CDT is hard! We got to the second water cache and ran into army guy. He was so happy to see us. I was surprised the other hikers weren’t with him. He hasn’t seen them since yesterday but we thought they were ahead of us with him. We chatted while we tried to set up our tent. However, the ground is nothing but sand and the stakes are not able to get a good enough grip to stay in while we put up the tent. After struggling and trying to get the tent to stay up we eventually accepted the fact that we were going to have to cowboy camp. We left our tent laying flat and put our air pads and sleeping bags down like we would if we were sleeping in the tent. Right now it’s not windy and the sky’s are clear ... let’s hope it stays that way!
Today was a brutal hike. The terrain was rough and it was hot. At the beginning of the day the direction of the trail was really hard to see and there were a bunch of little ups and downs over ankle twisting rocks. We kept reminding each other to drink plenty of water because it’s easy to forget in a dry heat. We can dehydrate without even realizing it.
I really hope the other hikers are ok. They are a little bit older but they seemed like they were ready to move down the trail. Right now there are five other people on trail and we have no idea where they are. I’ve heard that happens on the CDT. It’s really easy to get separated from other people.
This water cache is close to highway 81. We’ve already seen border patrol drive three or four times down the highway. The army guy said he was getting up at 5:00 and I told him we were trying to do the same thing. I really want to get up early and try to get 10 miles by noon like we were doing on the AT, especially being that we are in the desert. I wanna get miles in before it gets hot.
It’s supposed to start getting hot tomorrow (and I already thought today was bad!) At one point I thought my water was leaking but it was just sweat, lol. Bubbles just saw a shooting star so I think I better put the phone away and star gaze.
It’s absolutely beautiful in the desert. Beautiful but brutal. We did another 13 miles today, got a late start and got even more pushed back because we decided to put our sleeping pads inside our backpacks instead of the usual outside on the side strap. There are too many pointy cacti everywhere. Tomorrow is going to be tough with more ups and downs and 20 miles to the next water cache. There will be an opportunity in 13 miles to get water but the water quality it supposed to be pretty horrible. We might pack extra water out and dry camp.
Miles Hiked: 13
Total Miles Hiked: 26
Animals seen:
Cows
Rabbits
The CDT is hard! We got to the second water cache and ran into army guy. He was so happy to see us. I was surprised the other hikers weren’t with him. He hasn’t seen them since yesterday but we thought they were ahead of us with him. We chatted while we tried to set up our tent. However, the ground is nothing but sand and the stakes are not able to get a good enough grip to stay in while we put up the tent. After struggling and trying to get the tent to stay up we eventually accepted the fact that we were going to have to cowboy camp. We left our tent laying flat and put our air pads and sleeping bags down like we would if we were sleeping in the tent. Right now it’s not windy and the sky’s are clear ... let’s hope it stays that way!
Today was a brutal hike. The terrain was rough and it was hot. At the beginning of the day the direction of the trail was really hard to see and there were a bunch of little ups and downs over ankle twisting rocks. We kept reminding each other to drink plenty of water because it’s easy to forget in a dry heat. We can dehydrate without even realizing it.
I really hope the other hikers are ok. They are a little bit older but they seemed like they were ready to move down the trail. Right now there are five other people on trail and we have no idea where they are. I’ve heard that happens on the CDT. It’s really easy to get separated from other people.
This water cache is close to highway 81. We’ve already seen border patrol drive three or four times down the highway. The army guy said he was getting up at 5:00 and I told him we were trying to do the same thing. I really want to get up early and try to get 10 miles by noon like we were doing on the AT, especially being that we are in the desert. I wanna get miles in before it gets hot.
It’s supposed to start getting hot tomorrow (and I already thought today was bad!) At one point I thought my water was leaking but it was just sweat, lol. Bubbles just saw a shooting star so I think I better put the phone away and star gaze.
It’s absolutely beautiful in the desert. Beautiful but brutal. We did another 13 miles today, got a late start and got even more pushed back because we decided to put our sleeping pads inside our backpacks instead of the usual outside on the side strap. There are too many pointy cacti everywhere. Tomorrow is going to be tough with more ups and downs and 20 miles to the next water cache. There will be an opportunity in 13 miles to get water but the water quality it supposed to be pretty horrible. We might pack extra water out and dry camp.
Miles Hiked: 13
Total Miles Hiked: 26
Animals seen:
Cows
Rabbits
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| Good Morning! |
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| Looking good with my sun umbrella |
Bubbles CDT Day 2 (March 20, 2018)
We got up this morning super slowly. It took us a few hours to get up and out of camp. We made coffee and were a little tired from all of the traveling and excitement of getting on the trail.
We thought it was going to be an easy day to our first water cache (the CDCT has water caches for the first 85 miles if you get a shuttle through them, or pay $10 if you have your own ride to the southern trail head).
We thought it would be easy because we sort of flew through the first day. Although it was kind of rocky it was still easy. Today the trail was extreme, not hilly, but there were divots and humps from washouts where the water travelled when it rained really hard. You had to walk down in the crevices in the earth and then back up over and over. It was exhausting.
It was also hard to find the trail because there are just wooden posts. Some of the posts were over a few humps so it was difficult to find them. When we got to camp I was exhausted and my feet were torn up from the day. Despite this, it was beautiful. Everything in New Mexico is beautiful.
We met up with a man we first met on the Greyhound. He’s a nice older gentleman who is retired from the military. We talked to him for a little bit about our milage on the trail and how we felt. We were excited to see him (and he was excited to see us).
After we talked we realized we couldn’t set up our tent. The last mile we hiked, to the water cache (where we were camping), was through ankle deep sand. We have a Z Pack tent which requires our trekking poles to hold it up. The stakes would also not hold the tent. We ended up cowboy camping (which is when you sleep under the stars). It was crazy and reminded me of Porterhouse (Johnny Lip). Everytime he came out onto the AT, which was a lot, he would spend the night cowboy camping on the trail.
While we were cowboy camping crazy stuff was going on. Border Patrol was near us. Robby did wake up and noticed more than I did. I was a little bit spooked so when I woke up I just rolled over and went back to sleep. It was a long, long night. I could not stop thinking about tarantulas, bugs, spiders, and snakes but I finally passed out. It was a cool experience and the stars were amazing. I felt like I was in a different universe. I could see galaxies and it was crazy because they were so bright (not like Akron, Ohio city life!)
Miles Hiked: 13
Total Miles Hiked: 26
Monday, March 19, 2018
Sprout CDT Day 1 (March 19, 2018)
The day is finally here... first day of the CDT! I didn’t really know what to expect going into the Continental Divide Trail, but it seems like it’s going to be a crazy adventure.
On the ride out to the trail the driver was telling us (I was in a shuttle with a couple and a single man) all kinds of history about the area. There were a bunch of different Native American tribes that lived out this way. In the mountains there are caves with artifacts and on some of the mountains there are different gems and stones you can find. He told us a story about how every year someone ends up climbing a mountain and comes down with a story to tell. One time a couple of younger people climbed a mountain and found a cave. When they went into it they found a skeleton. He said it was probably from an Apache Indian. There’s an old local that will tell stories about how when he was a kid there was grass in these fields up to his belly button.
At the moment it’s nothing but dry, dead vegetation, cacti, rocks, and mountains. When the Native Americans were around there were a bunch of buffalo, deer, and other animals roaming in the fields. He has some geologist staying on his property for a few weeks. They are going up in the mountains to explore different caves and other historic spots. There’s a bunch of gem and other rock creations all around.
Right before we got off the paved road he tried calling Border Patrol to let them know he was dropping us off at the border. I guess they patrol the area pretty well. They have different sensors that can detect if cars are stopping and going and other suspicious activity. I guess they even have an electronic surveillance blimp that can detect stuff too.
The ride to the trailhead was unreal. There’s no way we could’ve got there without an off road vehicle because there were obstacles everywhere. The road wasn’t paved and had a ton of massive “speed” bumps (if I can even call them that!) I think the ranchers out there build them to move water during the rainy season. They did try to fix the road at one point but Border Patrol didn’t want anything to do with it. They like dirt roads to be practically impossible to navigate. Believe it or not, this is a county road I’m talking about in the middle of the desert. When they finally started to get the road somewhat passable, Homeland Security put a stop to it!
Miles Hiked Today: 13
Miles on trail: 13
On the ride out to the trail the driver was telling us (I was in a shuttle with a couple and a single man) all kinds of history about the area. There were a bunch of different Native American tribes that lived out this way. In the mountains there are caves with artifacts and on some of the mountains there are different gems and stones you can find. He told us a story about how every year someone ends up climbing a mountain and comes down with a story to tell. One time a couple of younger people climbed a mountain and found a cave. When they went into it they found a skeleton. He said it was probably from an Apache Indian. There’s an old local that will tell stories about how when he was a kid there was grass in these fields up to his belly button.
At the moment it’s nothing but dry, dead vegetation, cacti, rocks, and mountains. When the Native Americans were around there were a bunch of buffalo, deer, and other animals roaming in the fields. He has some geologist staying on his property for a few weeks. They are going up in the mountains to explore different caves and other historic spots. There’s a bunch of gem and other rock creations all around.
Right before we got off the paved road he tried calling Border Patrol to let them know he was dropping us off at the border. I guess they patrol the area pretty well. They have different sensors that can detect if cars are stopping and going and other suspicious activity. I guess they even have an electronic surveillance blimp that can detect stuff too.
The ride to the trailhead was unreal. There’s no way we could’ve got there without an off road vehicle because there were obstacles everywhere. The road wasn’t paved and had a ton of massive “speed” bumps (if I can even call them that!) I think the ranchers out there build them to move water during the rainy season. They did try to fix the road at one point but Border Patrol didn’t want anything to do with it. They like dirt roads to be practically impossible to navigate. Believe it or not, this is a county road I’m talking about in the middle of the desert. When they finally started to get the road somewhat passable, Homeland Security put a stop to it!
I don’t know what to expect but I’m super excited to see what the CDT is going to throw at me.
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| Trail head |
Miles on trail: 13
Bubbles CDT Day 1 (March 19, 2018)
Day one of the CDT!!
Today we hiked 13 miles. Not bad for the first day out here. We were really excited to get on trail and it felt crazy to be out here! A lot of the trail was on an old washout. We had to hike on golf ball and baseball size rocks which made my ankles tender and I got a lot of blisters. Even though my feet are hurting, it feels awesome and surreal to be out hiking again.
For those that don’t know, the CDT is one of the “Big Three” long trails in America. The Southern Terminus is in New Mexico where it continues north for 770 miles to Colorado. After hiking through Colorado for 800 miles (including the highest part on the CDT at 14,270 foot elevation at Grays Peak) we will move into Wyoming for 550 miles which includes hiking through Yellowstone National park. The next part of the trail travels through both Montana and Idaho. We will hike about 180 miles in Idaho and around 800 miles in Montana. The Northern terminus of the trail is in Glacier Park, Montana.
Miles Hiked: 13
Total Miles Hiked: 13
Today we hiked 13 miles. Not bad for the first day out here. We were really excited to get on trail and it felt crazy to be out here! A lot of the trail was on an old washout. We had to hike on golf ball and baseball size rocks which made my ankles tender and I got a lot of blisters. Even though my feet are hurting, it feels awesome and surreal to be out hiking again.
For those that don’t know, the CDT is one of the “Big Three” long trails in America. The Southern Terminus is in New Mexico where it continues north for 770 miles to Colorado. After hiking through Colorado for 800 miles (including the highest part on the CDT at 14,270 foot elevation at Grays Peak) we will move into Wyoming for 550 miles which includes hiking through Yellowstone National park. The next part of the trail travels through both Montana and Idaho. We will hike about 180 miles in Idaho and around 800 miles in Montana. The Northern terminus of the trail is in Glacier Park, Montana.
Miles Hiked: 13
Total Miles Hiked: 13
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| Bubbles on the CDT! |
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| First of many steps on the CDT! |
Bubbles: Travels to get to the CDT (March 8 to March 19)
Our travels to get to the CDT started in Akron, Ohio. We rented a car and drove out west to Denver, Colorado. We have a good friend who lives there. Not only could we visit but we were also able to spend the week getting used to the higher elevation.
During our stay in Colorado we went to a ski resort and went snowshoeing at around 9,000 feet. Snowshoeing is when you use special shoes which distribute your weight over a larger surface area so that you don’t sink to the bottom of soft snow.
We also went to Loveland Pass which is around 11,900 feet in elevation. We were able to hike there. The views were beautiful and it afforded us the opportunity to see how our bodies would react to hiking at such a high elevation. We are both excited to get back to Colorado!
Next, our friend dropped us at the Greyhound station on Saturday and we took a 20 hour bus ride from Denver to Lordsburg, New Mexico. We stopped in El Paso which was really interesting because there was a lot of Border Patrol. This was our first experience with the Border Patrol.
When we got to Lordsburg we settled into our hotel room for the night before our adventure began.
The next morning we were picked up at 6:30 in the morning by our shuttle through the CDTC (Continental Divide Trail Coalition). My shuttle driver’s name was Leslie and Sprout's was Jeff. The ride was, to say the least, crazy! The road to get to Crazy Cook Monument, the southern terminus of the CDT, was so desolate it’s on an unnamed road! The ride was mayhem. While riding along I realized I was clenching my teeth and holding on tight because the roads are completely uneven and bumpy. I was actually nervous for the car!
We were dropped off at Crazy Cook Monument and began our adventure around 11:00 a.m.!
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| Kansas City |
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| We made it to Colorado! |
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| Had to stop at Red Rocks in Colorado |
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| Getting used to the higher elevation |
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| Loveland Pass, Colorado |
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| Hiking on the Continental Divide |
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| On the bus to Lordsburg, NM! |
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| Bubbles arriving at the hotel |
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| We can see the mountains from our hotel |
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| Packing our gear into our shuttle cars! |
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| Stopped to fill up water boxes |
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| One of our shuttle cars! |
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| Southernmost Point Crazy Cook Monument |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Bubbles: Why we are hiking the CDT
We are hiking the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) because of the amazing experience we had on the Appalachian Trail (AT). When we finished the AT we immediately knew that we wanted to hike another long trail. If we had had the funds we would have left the next day for another long trail after finishing the AT! We knew before we could do that we would have to put in a lot of time and work to save the money to hike this trial.
Next, we had to decide on which long trail to hike. The “Big Three” (or Triple Crown of U.S. long trails) are the Appalachian Trail (AT - about 2,190 miles), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT - about 2,650 miles), and Continental Divide Trail (CDT - about 3,100 miles - but this varies greatly). Both the AT and the PCT are hiked more often than the CDT. For example, in 2016 (when we completed the AT) there were 1110 thru hikers who completed the AT, 719 thru hikers who completed the PCT, and 51 thru hikers who completed the CDT. All of these numbers are the official numbers of each conservancy and there are more people who didn’t volunteer register their thru hike.
I decided to hike on the CDT because I wanted to not be around big crowds of people. The AT has a lot of people on it (not just the thru hikers above but millions of people section hike the AT every year!)
Another reason I want to hike the CDT is because although the AT was a real physical challenge for me, it was frustrating because of people constantly (not everyday but a lot of time) asking questions about my size and body type. They would ask me if I was actually thru hiking the trail and it was offensive sometimes. Eventually, it just made me laugh but it obviously struck a chord. There is a person on Instagram, named Jenny, who follows Unlikely Hikers. Unlikely Hikers are people of size, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, LGBTQ people, or anyone who is generally considered someone who wouldn’t be a hiker.
When this started to happen to me I was embarrassed to be an Unlikely Hiker, which is just silly. It’s just how the outside world perceives you. Anyone can do whatever they want to accomplish if they set those goals and follow through. It doesn’t matter what your size is and you definitely don’t have to be a certain size to go out for a walk in the woods! I’m living my dreams and I am blessed.
Sprout's response to why he wants to hike the CDT:
AT thru hiker information found from: (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/community/2000-milers)
PCT thru hiker information found from: (https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/thru-hiking-long-distance-hiking/2600-miler-list/)
CDT thru hiker information found from: (http://continentaldividetrail.org/cdtc-official-list-of-cdt-thru-hikers/)
Next, we had to decide on which long trail to hike. The “Big Three” (or Triple Crown of U.S. long trails) are the Appalachian Trail (AT - about 2,190 miles), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT - about 2,650 miles), and Continental Divide Trail (CDT - about 3,100 miles - but this varies greatly). Both the AT and the PCT are hiked more often than the CDT. For example, in 2016 (when we completed the AT) there were 1110 thru hikers who completed the AT, 719 thru hikers who completed the PCT, and 51 thru hikers who completed the CDT. All of these numbers are the official numbers of each conservancy and there are more people who didn’t volunteer register their thru hike.
I decided to hike on the CDT because I wanted to not be around big crowds of people. The AT has a lot of people on it (not just the thru hikers above but millions of people section hike the AT every year!)
Another reason I want to hike the CDT is because although the AT was a real physical challenge for me, it was frustrating because of people constantly (not everyday but a lot of time) asking questions about my size and body type. They would ask me if I was actually thru hiking the trail and it was offensive sometimes. Eventually, it just made me laugh but it obviously struck a chord. There is a person on Instagram, named Jenny, who follows Unlikely Hikers. Unlikely Hikers are people of size, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, LGBTQ people, or anyone who is generally considered someone who wouldn’t be a hiker.
When this started to happen to me I was embarrassed to be an Unlikely Hiker, which is just silly. It’s just how the outside world perceives you. Anyone can do whatever they want to accomplish if they set those goals and follow through. It doesn’t matter what your size is and you definitely don’t have to be a certain size to go out for a walk in the woods! I’m living my dreams and I am blessed.
Sprout's response to why he wants to hike the CDT:
AT thru hiker information found from: (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/community/2000-milers)
PCT thru hiker information found from: (https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/thru-hiking-long-distance-hiking/2600-miler-list/)
CDT thru hiker information found from: (http://continentaldividetrail.org/cdtc-official-list-of-cdt-thru-hikers/)
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Finish and Fires
Bubbles and Sprout summited Springer Mountain on November 19, finishing their 2198.7 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. Between the last blog that was received (November 5th) and their summit there was a fire on the trail. The pictures below are from that time.
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| Getting ready to summit with Poppa Lip |
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| Bubbles and Sprout sitting on the rock. Nice photobomb Flying Dutchman! |
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| Before and after pictures of Smudgy Cheeks, Kathleen, Bubbles, and Sprout March 27 to November 20 |
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| Smoke on the trail |
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| Fire at night |
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| Fires at night |
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| That is not clouds, it's smoke. |
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| Smoke on the trail |
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| Nantahala Outdoor Center |
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Sprout Day 223 (Saturday, November 5, 2016)
We woke up early but it was so cold and hard to get out of the sleeping bag! It was also really quiet at the shelter where we were staying. It's quiet tonight too, unless you're close to the shelter because there are a lot of weekend people staying there.
This is Icewater Spring Shelter and it's three miles from Newfound Gap. We hiked 19.8 miles today and it was a beautiful walk all day. I've been so happy to be in the Smoky Mountains. It's been nothing but great. We're lucky because a lot of the leaves have fallen and we can sneak views in every so often. Plus, there's some great views along the way.
We were going to leave early today but the sun started to come up and it was too beautiful to just leave. We sat and finished our breakfast and drank coffee. A couple we met at the 501 Shelter in Pennsylvania got ahold of Bubbles today and offered to pick us up tomorrow at Newfound Gap and drive us into Gatlinburg for a resupply. They live in Georgia and offered to drive up and meet us in the morning around 9:00. That helps us out so much because we were going to have to hitch to town and it's a 13 mile hitch. I can't wait to see them again. It's been a long time. I remember them saying they would get ahold of us when we were down here and do some trail magic!
It's cold again tonight but no snow. I can't wait to get into Gatlinburg tomorrow. I remember the last time I was here was when I was younger with my Uncle Matt and Aunt Abby. I'm sure back then I would have never guessed I would be walking all the way here someday! It'll be cool to see the town again and experience it now on my hike.
Day: 223
Miles hiked: 19.8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1984.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 1
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
This is Icewater Spring Shelter and it's three miles from Newfound Gap. We hiked 19.8 miles today and it was a beautiful walk all day. I've been so happy to be in the Smoky Mountains. It's been nothing but great. We're lucky because a lot of the leaves have fallen and we can sneak views in every so often. Plus, there's some great views along the way.
We were going to leave early today but the sun started to come up and it was too beautiful to just leave. We sat and finished our breakfast and drank coffee. A couple we met at the 501 Shelter in Pennsylvania got ahold of Bubbles today and offered to pick us up tomorrow at Newfound Gap and drive us into Gatlinburg for a resupply. They live in Georgia and offered to drive up and meet us in the morning around 9:00. That helps us out so much because we were going to have to hitch to town and it's a 13 mile hitch. I can't wait to see them again. It's been a long time. I remember them saying they would get ahold of us when we were down here and do some trail magic!
It's cold again tonight but no snow. I can't wait to get into Gatlinburg tomorrow. I remember the last time I was here was when I was younger with my Uncle Matt and Aunt Abby. I'm sure back then I would have never guessed I would be walking all the way here someday! It'll be cool to see the town again and experience it now on my hike.
Day: 223
Miles hiked: 19.8
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1984.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 1
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Friday, November 4, 2016
Sprout Day 221 (Friday, November 3, 2016)
Last night, when we were sleeping, all of us thought we might of heard a bear outside of our tents. Bubbles, Whiskers, Toad, and I are still hiking together. There was definitely something out there walking around and crunching on apples or nuts. It wasn't a squirrel, it was a lot bigger. Regardless, nothing happened other than hearing something rustling around right outside the tent.
Not too long after we left camp this morning dogs started barking real close in the area and not too long after that we heard two gunshots echo close by.
We hiked 20.3 miles and we're staying at Standing Bear Hostel. We set our tent up outside along with Toad but Whiskers got a bunk inside. It's supposed to rain tonight but I'm not too worried about it. As soon as we got here we set up camp and got a pizza from the hostel. They have a small resupply store but we have plenty of food. They sell frozen pizza and drinks and after a long day of hiking both of those sounded fantastic. Splat, another hiker we've been hiking around the past few days was here and some other section hikers. Two of the section hikers were from Akron and Massillon area. It's a small world and we couldn’t believe we saw someone from back home tonight.
We are basically camping at the base of the climb up to the Smoky Mountains and it’s unbelievable. All day I was getting a little view here and there of the climb that waits for us in the morning. It looks a little intimidating but I know we will we be fine. There's nothing the trail can throw at us at this point that we can't handle and I'm actually excited to get into the Smokies. We're probably going to see a lot more bears since there's no hunting in the Smoky Mountains. I'm going to be sure to hang my food bag a little higher and a little further out for the next week.
We got up early and got out of camp around 6:30. It felt good to get up, get breakfast on, and get packed and ready before the sun came up. It was nice making cowboy coffee today too. It hit the spot before we had to start hiking for the day. When I make cowboy coffee it reminds me of being a kid and spending time at Nanny and Papaw’s house. Nanny would always make coffee in the morning for Papaw using a French press, or something similar, and make it on the stove. It would make the whole house smell more like coffee than a regular coffee pot would. When I get the water boiling, and dump the grounds in, a huge steam full of the smell of coffee hits me right in the face. It always reminds me of being younger and spending time at their house.
We crossed over Max Patch today. It was awesome to be there. I remember watching videos back home last winter of other thru hikers hiking over this section. It's a huge bald area right before the Smoky Mountains. The views are some of the finest on the Appalachian Trail. It was a little cloudy, and the wind was blowing, but it was a beautiful 360 degree view.
We're only about 51 miles from being a 2000 miler and it's just overwhelming to think about! I'm really proud of how far we've made it and couldn't imagine being here with anyone else other than my best friend, Bubbles. It's great how well we help each other out and help each other accomplish so much while being out here.
Tomorrow our plan is to wake up early and make some breakfast and get moving. The problem is it's already 1:00 a.m. and I need to get to sleep so I can get up early and not be so tired. If it's raining hard in the morning we might sleep a little longer to see if it passes. It's going to be a tough climb tomorrow but I'm just happy we start first thing and get it over with! We got to take a shower today here at Standing Bear and I'm ready to get back on the grind tomorrow. We're just trying to finish strong!
We hiked 20.3 miles and we're staying at Standing Bear Hostel. We set our tent up outside along with Toad but Whiskers got a bunk inside. It's supposed to rain tonight but I'm not too worried about it. As soon as we got here we set up camp and got a pizza from the hostel. They have a small resupply store but we have plenty of food. They sell frozen pizza and drinks and after a long day of hiking both of those sounded fantastic. Splat, another hiker we've been hiking around the past few days was here and some other section hikers. Two of the section hikers were from Akron and Massillon area. It's a small world and we couldn’t believe we saw someone from back home tonight.
We are basically camping at the base of the climb up to the Smoky Mountains and it’s unbelievable. All day I was getting a little view here and there of the climb that waits for us in the morning. It looks a little intimidating but I know we will we be fine. There's nothing the trail can throw at us at this point that we can't handle and I'm actually excited to get into the Smokies. We're probably going to see a lot more bears since there's no hunting in the Smoky Mountains. I'm going to be sure to hang my food bag a little higher and a little further out for the next week.
We got up early and got out of camp around 6:30. It felt good to get up, get breakfast on, and get packed and ready before the sun came up. It was nice making cowboy coffee today too. It hit the spot before we had to start hiking for the day. When I make cowboy coffee it reminds me of being a kid and spending time at Nanny and Papaw’s house. Nanny would always make coffee in the morning for Papaw using a French press, or something similar, and make it on the stove. It would make the whole house smell more like coffee than a regular coffee pot would. When I get the water boiling, and dump the grounds in, a huge steam full of the smell of coffee hits me right in the face. It always reminds me of being younger and spending time at their house.
We crossed over Max Patch today. It was awesome to be there. I remember watching videos back home last winter of other thru hikers hiking over this section. It's a huge bald area right before the Smoky Mountains. The views are some of the finest on the Appalachian Trail. It was a little cloudy, and the wind was blowing, but it was a beautiful 360 degree view.
We're only about 51 miles from being a 2000 miler and it's just overwhelming to think about! I'm really proud of how far we've made it and couldn't imagine being here with anyone else other than my best friend, Bubbles. It's great how well we help each other out and help each other accomplish so much while being out here.
Tomorrow our plan is to wake up early and make some breakfast and get moving. The problem is it's already 1:00 a.m. and I need to get to sleep so I can get up early and not be so tired. If it's raining hard in the morning we might sleep a little longer to see if it passes. It's going to be a tough climb tomorrow but I'm just happy we start first thing and get it over with! We got to take a shower today here at Standing Bear and I'm ready to get back on the grind tomorrow. We're just trying to finish strong!
Day: 221
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1953.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1953.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Sprout Day 219-220 (Tuesday & Wednesday, November 1-2, 2016)
We hiked a little over 13 miles to get in to Hot Springs. It was a tough hike because it was hot and humid and the terrain was rough. Coming down into town was really rocky. It's crazy because the weather is unseasonably hot right now but it can change at anytime. One day it's hot and the next it's cold. We've heard from northbound hikers that there was snow in the Smokies last week.
We hiked out of Hot Springs today and went another 13 miles. We are staying at Walnut Mountain Shelter. We're staying up the hill from the shelter and can see the Smokies from here! It's amazing to see what we're about to climb. The climb into the smokies is ridiculous.
Hot Springs was a great trail town. As soon as we walked into town we stopped by the local pub, I think the name was Spring Creek Tavern, for burgers and a drink. It was really good. We had to go next door to the Outfitters to get our permit for the Smokies. You have to get online, pay $20, and print off a piece of paper and carry it with you to the Smokies. After that we went down to the Laughing Heart Hostel and paid $10 to tent outside. Then, we picked up our resupply package.
There's a really good local market that makes good subs so we each got a sub, ate half, and packed the other half out today for lunch. We were planning on leaving Laughing Heart early today but we forgot we had to send stuff home and had to wait on the post office to open. They didn't open until 9:00 a.m. After the post office one thing lead to another and we didn't get out of town until around 11:00.
It was a tough climb out of Hot Springs and the heat didn't help. Since it's November we saw a bunch of bear hunters out today with their dogs. We were sitting at the top of the first climb, eating the other half of that sub, and saw a dog walking down trail. He had a couple GPS collars on so we knew it was someone's hunting dog. Not too long after that we heard a bunch of dogs barking and howling and knew they were on a bear. About an hour later we saw two hunters walking up the trail and I stopped to talk to them for a minute. They said they've killed 7 bears in the past 2 days and that they'll get at least 45 this year. They're only allowed one bear per hunter but they hunt in big groups and everyone helps each other out. They said the dogs have been on two bears today. We will see a lot of bears in the smokies because they're protected there. No hunting in the Smokies. I bet all the bears around here are making a run for the Smoky Mountains!
Water has been so dry lately so we had Poppa Lip send us some Aquamira drops for when there's just stagnant water. If there's not too much flow, and the water looks nasty, I'd rather filter and chemically treat it. Plus there are two hikers about a day in front of us who had the norovirus. It doesn’t matter what filter you have it - won't filter out noro. It has to be chemically treated it too. I don't want either of us to get sick this late in the hike. We have to finish strong and to do that we need to be healthy.
We hiked out of Hot Springs today and went another 13 miles. We are staying at Walnut Mountain Shelter. We're staying up the hill from the shelter and can see the Smokies from here! It's amazing to see what we're about to climb. The climb into the smokies is ridiculous.
Hot Springs was a great trail town. As soon as we walked into town we stopped by the local pub, I think the name was Spring Creek Tavern, for burgers and a drink. It was really good. We had to go next door to the Outfitters to get our permit for the Smokies. You have to get online, pay $20, and print off a piece of paper and carry it with you to the Smokies. After that we went down to the Laughing Heart Hostel and paid $10 to tent outside. Then, we picked up our resupply package.
There's a really good local market that makes good subs so we each got a sub, ate half, and packed the other half out today for lunch. We were planning on leaving Laughing Heart early today but we forgot we had to send stuff home and had to wait on the post office to open. They didn't open until 9:00 a.m. After the post office one thing lead to another and we didn't get out of town until around 11:00.
It was a tough climb out of Hot Springs and the heat didn't help. Since it's November we saw a bunch of bear hunters out today with their dogs. We were sitting at the top of the first climb, eating the other half of that sub, and saw a dog walking down trail. He had a couple GPS collars on so we knew it was someone's hunting dog. Not too long after that we heard a bunch of dogs barking and howling and knew they were on a bear. About an hour later we saw two hunters walking up the trail and I stopped to talk to them for a minute. They said they've killed 7 bears in the past 2 days and that they'll get at least 45 this year. They're only allowed one bear per hunter but they hunt in big groups and everyone helps each other out. They said the dogs have been on two bears today. We will see a lot of bears in the smokies because they're protected there. No hunting in the Smokies. I bet all the bears around here are making a run for the Smoky Mountains!
Water has been so dry lately so we had Poppa Lip send us some Aquamira drops for when there's just stagnant water. If there's not too much flow, and the water looks nasty, I'd rather filter and chemically treat it. Plus there are two hikers about a day in front of us who had the norovirus. It doesn’t matter what filter you have it - won't filter out noro. It has to be chemically treated it too. I don't want either of us to get sick this late in the hike. We have to finish strong and to do that we need to be healthy.
Day: 219-220
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1933.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Miles hiked: 25.7
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1933.9
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sprout Day 218 (Monday, October 31, 2016)
We got up early, out of camp, and on trail at 6:30. It was a tough day because there were a lot of climbs and for some reason it was hot and humid.
First thing this morning we had to climb Big Butt Mountain. It held up to its name because it was a pain in the butt! We went 20 miles and have 13 miles to get to the Laughing Heart hostel in Hot Springs. There's a package waiting for us there and camping is only $10 so we are probably going to stay there tomorrow night.
The last climb of the day was a steep 1000 ft climb. It was a pain to do it at the end of a long day but I'm glad we did it tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow morning. I got stung by a ground bee within a couple miles of our day. It got down in my shoe and stung me right on top of my foot. It hurt but at least I'm not allergic.
My favorite part of the day was walking along the ridge line. We had great 360 degree views and the fall colors were amazing. We plan on waking up early and heading into Hot Springs to resupply. We have a resupply box there and need to organize our food, take a shower, and pick up a couple of things from town.
We hit 1900 miles today and have less than 300 until we are finished. That sounds crazy and I still can't believe it!
Day: 218
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1908.2
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
First thing this morning we had to climb Big Butt Mountain. It held up to its name because it was a pain in the butt! We went 20 miles and have 13 miles to get to the Laughing Heart hostel in Hot Springs. There's a package waiting for us there and camping is only $10 so we are probably going to stay there tomorrow night.
The last climb of the day was a steep 1000 ft climb. It was a pain to do it at the end of a long day but I'm glad we did it tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow morning. I got stung by a ground bee within a couple miles of our day. It got down in my shoe and stung me right on top of my foot. It hurt but at least I'm not allergic.
My favorite part of the day was walking along the ridge line. We had great 360 degree views and the fall colors were amazing. We plan on waking up early and heading into Hot Springs to resupply. We have a resupply box there and need to organize our food, take a shower, and pick up a couple of things from town.
We hit 1900 miles today and have less than 300 until we are finished. That sounds crazy and I still can't believe it!
Day: 218
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1908.2
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Sprout Day 215-217 (Friday - Sunday, October 28-30, 2016)
We hiked into Uncle Johnny’s Place not knowing what to expect. It was a ten mile hike from where we stayed the previous night. From Beauty Spot Gap we could see the town of Erwin. All the city lights were shining in off in the distance.
The alarm went off at 5:00 and by 5:30 we were packing up and heading down the mountain. Bubbles and I were a little in front of Whiskers and Toad. As soon as we got packed we started heading down and it was cold. The wind was blowing and we needed to get moving to warm up.
Last night, about five minutes before camp, Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain. We were on high alert since it was still dark out. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel is right on the Appalachian Trail. When we got there we met Johnny and some of his helpers. Everyone seemed nice. I was impressed with his resupply store as there was anything a hiker could need.
It wasn't really just a resupply store it was an outfitters too. Whiskers and Toad were right behind us. They were definitely going to stay but Bubbles and I thought we should just keep moving on and try to make up a few miles.
Day: 215-217
Miles hiked: 11.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1888.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
The alarm went off at 5:00 and by 5:30 we were packing up and heading down the mountain. Bubbles and I were a little in front of Whiskers and Toad. As soon as we got packed we started heading down and it was cold. The wind was blowing and we needed to get moving to warm up.
Last night, about five minutes before camp, Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain. We were on high alert since it was still dark out. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel is right on the Appalachian Trail. When we got there we met Johnny and some of his helpers. Everyone seemed nice. I was impressed with his resupply store as there was anything a hiker could need.
It wasn't really just a resupply store it was an outfitters too. Whiskers and Toad were right behind us. They were definitely going to stay but Bubbles and I thought we should just keep moving on and try to make up a few miles.
Day: 215-217
Miles hiked: 11.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1888.4
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Sprout Day 213-214 (Wednesday & Thursday, October 26-27, 2016)
It was hard for us to get going on Wednesday morning. We just couldn't get in the groove and ended up hiking about 12-13 miles. We stopped at this old gravel road to try to figure out if we should make dinner there while it was still light out or keep going and just eat in the dark at camp. I had tried to get water from a piped spring half a mile back but it was completely dry. While we were sitting by the road, a car came up and asked if we wanted a ride to the hostel nearby. We told him no but then he asked if we wanted dinner and we said yes!
He lived not even a half a mile down the rode and told us to throw our packs in his car and jump in. We were excited and didn't know what to expect when we got to his house. To say the least, we ended up going to a zoo! It was a great opportunity to get out of the elements and eat dinner. Then he and his wife asked us to stay the night and told us they would drop us back off in the morning.
All of that sounds good, but the thing is there were so many animals at this place it was crazy. The lady, Denise, was basically Doctor Dolittle. She took in every abused or neglected animal she could. I’m going to try to remember everything ... two horses, a baby deer they were rehabilitating, some cats, eight-plus dogs, a different breed of chickens that looked like they had fur and were wearing shoes, a peacock, one guinea pig, maybe fifteen or more birds, a groundhog that was famous for predicting the weather, and fish. I’m not sure but I'm probably missing an animal or two. This lady took in so many different kinds of animals. Now, I love animals so I didn't really mind too much, but the cats have definitely peed on the bed and/or blanket I was using that night. We did take showers and do our laundry. They also made us dinner which was much appreciated and it was really good. If the smell of cat pee wasn't going to keep me awake, the rooster right out from where I was sleeping was definitely going to keep me awake. That thing started cock-a-doodle-doing at 3:00 a.m. and kept on going all morning long. I guess he was an early riser but man give it a rest!
We got back on trail today at 8:30 a.m. and ended up hiking 20 miles. We are camped at Beauty Spot and the name holds up to the expectations. This place is beautiful with a crazy 360 degree view of the mountains all around us. We got here just in time to see the sun right before it set over the mountains.
Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain about 5-10 minutes before she got to camp! The trees on the mountains around us all are changing and the colors are just crazy. We're 9.7 miles from Erwin, TN. We can't wait to get there and get our package and some town food. I can taste the cheeseburger already!
We passed a few apple trees on the way here. The apples were huge and delicious. Road spotted them and threw his poles and heavy sticks up to knock them down. It looked like fun so I got in on the action and we ended up with a nice amount of apples.
Day: 213-214
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1840.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
He lived not even a half a mile down the rode and told us to throw our packs in his car and jump in. We were excited and didn't know what to expect when we got to his house. To say the least, we ended up going to a zoo! It was a great opportunity to get out of the elements and eat dinner. Then he and his wife asked us to stay the night and told us they would drop us back off in the morning.
All of that sounds good, but the thing is there were so many animals at this place it was crazy. The lady, Denise, was basically Doctor Dolittle. She took in every abused or neglected animal she could. I’m going to try to remember everything ... two horses, a baby deer they were rehabilitating, some cats, eight-plus dogs, a different breed of chickens that looked like they had fur and were wearing shoes, a peacock, one guinea pig, maybe fifteen or more birds, a groundhog that was famous for predicting the weather, and fish. I’m not sure but I'm probably missing an animal or two. This lady took in so many different kinds of animals. Now, I love animals so I didn't really mind too much, but the cats have definitely peed on the bed and/or blanket I was using that night. We did take showers and do our laundry. They also made us dinner which was much appreciated and it was really good. If the smell of cat pee wasn't going to keep me awake, the rooster right out from where I was sleeping was definitely going to keep me awake. That thing started cock-a-doodle-doing at 3:00 a.m. and kept on going all morning long. I guess he was an early riser but man give it a rest!
We got back on trail today at 8:30 a.m. and ended up hiking 20 miles. We are camped at Beauty Spot and the name holds up to the expectations. This place is beautiful with a crazy 360 degree view of the mountains all around us. We got here just in time to see the sun right before it set over the mountains.
Bubbles saw a bear running down the mountain about 5-10 minutes before she got to camp! The trees on the mountains around us all are changing and the colors are just crazy. We're 9.7 miles from Erwin, TN. We can't wait to get there and get our package and some town food. I can taste the cheeseburger already!
We passed a few apple trees on the way here. The apples were huge and delicious. Road spotted them and threw his poles and heavy sticks up to knock them down. It looked like fun so I got in on the action and we ended up with a nice amount of apples.
Day: 213-214
Miles hiked: 20
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1840.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bear: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chickens: 15
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 21
Donkeys: 2
Groundhog: 1
Grouse: 1
Horses: 17
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Peacock: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads:
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Sprout Day 212 (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)
We had a great day! We woke up a little before 5:00 a.m. and started getting ready for the day. We got on trail after 6:00 and went 18.3 miles. We are staying at Overmountain Shelter.
The views up on Roan Highlands have been spectacular. The fall colors and mountains have been amazing. This is a perfect time of the year to hike through this area.
We made it over halfway before 11:00 and stopped down on Route 19 to try to hitchhike to the gas station. With no luck, we walked to a hostel .3 miles down the road to see what their general store had to offer. I ended up getting a couple of pops and energy drinks, candy, and some chips. Bubbles stayed back with the packs while Road, Bent, and I went down.
The views up on Roan Highlands have been spectacular. The fall colors and mountains have been amazing. This is a perfect time of the year to hike through this area.
We made it over halfway before 11:00 and stopped down on Route 19 to try to hitchhike to the gas station. With no luck, we walked to a hostel .3 miles down the road to see what their general store had to offer. I ended up getting a couple of pops and energy drinks, candy, and some chips. Bubbles stayed back with the packs while Road, Bent, and I went down.
Overmountain Shelter is supposed to be in a spot with a great sunrise so we might stay here and leave right after the sun rises, or pack up and get moving a little down the trail.
The shelter is an old barn that was converted into a shelter with a lot of camping nearby. I made a fire tonight. We all sat around the fire and had dinner. Before we went to bed we heard two different packs of coyotes howling and yipping. It's such a cool sound hearing them off in the distance, although these ones sounded a little close. I heard them early this morning too as I was making breakfast. I'm going to make sounds like that when we finish the trail.
The shelter is an old barn that was converted into a shelter with a lot of camping nearby. I made a fire tonight. We all sat around the fire and had dinner. Before we went to bed we heard two different packs of coyotes howling and yipping. It's such a cool sound hearing them off in the distance, although these ones sounded a little close. I heard them early this morning too as I was making breakfast. I'm going to make sounds like that when we finish the trail.
We crossed into North Carolina today, the AT rubs on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee before we get to Georgia.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day because we’re shooting for 20 plus miles and there's some significant incline changes throughout the day! We're trying to get big miles in so we can take a zero day in Hot Springs, NC and relax in a natural spring!
Day: 212
Tomorrow is going to be a long day because we’re shooting for 20 plus miles and there's some significant incline changes throughout the day! We're trying to get big miles in so we can take a zero day in Hot Springs, NC and relax in a natural spring!
Day: 212
Miles hiked: 18
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1810.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1810.6
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1
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