CDT mile 1467.8, miles hiked 31.4
This guy, 3 months together and we still get along
Three months down, in some ways it doesn’t seem real in others I can’t believe it’s over halfway done. Three months and I am still traveling with Buttercup how random to have met him at the border and be with him since but he’s a great hiking partner and good company.
So being three months I just ran some math, to finish the trail by Sept 15, we need to average a total of 20.8 miles per day, however, I plan to only hike 45 of those 56 days so I need average 25mpd and that’s would allow for 11 more zero days if wanted.
The day was a treat we had cloud cover most of the day and the temps never got too high. I was fast this morning and led most of the first half of the day. We saw more wild horses, one lone stallion who paused in a hill across from us and then put his head down and ate grass. The next group we saw was a group of three. They ran towards us and came broadside I have some good pictures on my real camera that I can put up in a couple of weeks when I hit Darby.
Wild Horses, this lone stallion was simply majestic
We also met our first two southbounders (SOBO’s) today. The first was named Phantom and he is from England. He gave us some conditions of what was ahead. Later we met Mammoth a young man from Norway who we chatted with. I must say the cdt is a serious international affair these days.
Phantom our first sobo, from Left to Right Maverick, Allgood, Phantom and Cheezy
We walked the final stretch to the last water and took our time filling extra since we would be dry camping. We carried on from the spring a couple of miles and camped upon soft grass off the side of the trail. As day turned to night we were rewarded with its and amazing sunset and the rising full moon.
The wonderful desert sky always impresses
I look forward to the next two months and finishing the trail. It will be great to go home and see Suzy and Karluk. Until then I am going to savor every single day I have left out here and make memories to last a lifetime.
My home away from home, a Mountain Laurel Designs Cuben Duomid
