CDT mile 2105.7, miles hiked 9
Ciders galore
After finally waking up at 7:30 we came down to find Lee preparing a wonderful breakfast for us. First, she made us fruits salad and then a scramble, warm muffins, and plenty of coffee. Afterwards, we called home to a few folks and then headed to the barn, aka Montana Ciderworks’ production and tasting room.
Lots of awards for the ciders
Lee gave us the full tour she told us about the various varieties of apples she uses, the apple history of the region and how she uses crab apples and Macintosh to make her ciders. We saw where she presses, ferments and bottles the cider and then went upstairs for a tasting. Now I usually don’t drink at 10 am, but hell I’m on trail and vacation. So she pulled out four bottles and Tatu-Jo and I got a lesson on how to taste cider and went to work.
The cider was amazing some of the best hooches I have ever had. Lee has won many awards including the Portland cider cup 4 years in a row. When we were done we rolled back to the house and then headed to town for resupply time.
A million dollar view
We loaded up on food so much I was not sure how I would pack it all. I guess being light the last stretch scared me so I way over compensated. We then headed to the library so I could update my blog and do a few things online. Next was lunch which of course Lee insisted on buying us and then we headed back to pack up and hit the trail.
One thing led to another and Tatu-Jo decided he better get his box sent to Benchmark so we made one last trip to town, and don’t you know it, hiker time. First, we saw Easy Strider he looked dirty and tired and told us he had just got in and was ready for a rest. Then at the PO, we saw Thermometer I swear I am going to finish with the little guy. On our way up the road, we saw Zorro and loaded him up. Zorro is sick as a dog and needed to get to the hospital, so Lee dropped us off at the trail and took him to Hamilton. Before he left he told us the fire had jumped the ridge and they were closing the CDT where we had walked the other day, man my new trail name should be fire walker.
The Nez Perce trail
I also heard from Charge his feet are all messed up and he is probably done for the season. He said he could only make it to Big Hole pass so his mom drove from Spokane to get him and take him to Salmon Idaho to get some X-rays. I hope it is just fatigue and not a stress fracture because he is a great guy and really deserves to finish this trail.
Tatu-Jo and I hiked 9 miles today, we walked on the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and learned about their flight from the US army in Oregon, and General Gibbons who hunted them down and killed many of them right where we are walking. We ended the day with a climb up to an old burn to watch the sunset before making camp in a small set of trees.
Sunset through the burn
