Continental Divide Trail – Day 81
August 12, 2023
Miles Today/ Total: 24.1 / 1,409.3
I couldn’t get my brain to stop planning last night and it was after midnight before I fell asleep. I woke up about 6:15 and realized I had not plugged in my phone last night and it was down to 5%.
I showered, got dressed, and packed up all that I could. My phone wasn’t through charging so I planned to go eat some breakfast at Penny’s Diner and let it charge. I walked over to the diner and was told they were short handed and couldn’t take any more customers now. So I walked back to the motel. My phone was now at 84% so I unplugged it, packed up and checked out of the motel.
I started walking out of town and saw that Peppermill Bar & Grill had a lot of cars out front. I walked in to check it out and they were open for breakfast. I ordered the pancake breakfast of 3 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 sausage patties, hash browns, and coffee. It was more than I could eat and I left about 1/2 my pancakes on my plate. The total cost was $7.95. This was the deal of the trip.
Finishing my breakfast I got back on the trail which was a 3 mile paved road walk out of town. The trail then turned off into the desert and followed an old 2 track road paralleling the highway. The trail was pretty good for several miles, but I missed when it turned off the road because I was too worried about a bull in the field who seemed a little too protective of his cows.
When I realized I missed the turn, I cut across the desert to get back on trail and realized that the trail was very faint and in some places non existent and I just had to hike from post to post through the desert. I finally reached a spring and refilled my bottles and carried and extra liter since it was 16 miles to the next source.
The trail (or post) continued through the desert and I found my way from post to post for the next 3 miles. It finally came back and joined the highway. It joined back in the perfect spot. About 1/2 mile up the road I came across a lemonade stand run by a couple of kids in front of their farm. I ordered a lemonade and an ice cream. Both great treats on this warm day.
The next 6 miles was another paved road walk. The first mile was on a highway and then turned off onto a BLM road with almost no traffic. I was glad when the trail turned off the paved road onto a 2 track through the desert again. I walked another couple of miles and found a flattish spot near some rocks that I thought might block the wind. It didn’t help much and I set my tent up and crawled inside to get out of the wind.
I cooked dinner, cleaned up, updated my blogs and got ready for sleep. Another day on the CDT and I’m ready for some rest.
