We had a quick in and out of Dubois. Curt drove us to town, I was able to score us a room, Well, truth be told, I booked the room for the wrong date and Curt sweet talked Tina and she updated the reservation by one day! Hogged Up did our laundry, and Fearless got caught up on her much needed rest. I am amazed by this woman. She has M.S. and hikes like anyone else on the trail. But there are things that most people don’t see or understand. Her body needs rest and when she gets the opportunity to take a cat nap or close those yellow-green eyes of hers, she does!

We were up, hit the post office and grocery store, then Curt and Atsuko shuttled us back to the trail. It was a long forest service road that was supposed to be maintained but we know how that goes. Washboards and all, Curt got us to the trailhead and back to the CDT we went.

The game plan was to hike ten to twelve miles, but the weather has a way of interfering with my plans. The clouds started developing as soon as we went over the ridge and into the sage brush and willowed meadow. The mountain scape was terrific with Grand Tetons in the background and local mountains not too distant. The terrain was cushy, rolling up and over low lying hills.

We passed a few lakes and rivers and met up with Hogged Up after our rock jumping adventure over South Fork Fish Creek. She had her tent pitched and was ready to ride out the incoming storm. We hunkered down, had some lunch and it appeared the storm was stalling. After much discussion of should we stay or should we go, the majority agreed to head out and attempt to make it to the next logical place, 9200’ Creek.

As we were walking, the thunder started to speak. There was no lightning but the clouds were dark and ominous. I felt as if we were outrunning the storm, but those are just crazy thoughts. No one can outrun a storm while they are hiking at 9000’! Hogged Up made it to a tree enclosure and pitched her tent for the second time. It was just after 2pm. We hunkered down and once again, the clouds broke up and the sun came out. What’s with this shifting of the weather?

We decided to head down to the stream, grab some water and debate our next move. After some thoughtful consideration, we agreed this was fine place to stay. Fearless and I have talked about having a Zero Day on the trail, and this was just about as close to it as you get.

We had a sweet spot overlooking the trail and about an hour later, Hogged Up spotted a Sobo Hiker. It was Sunshine from Israel. We hadn’t seen him since Lincoln. So there are others still on trail behind us? After catching up, he continued up and over the pass. His plan is to get to Pinedale in a couple of days.

Just as we were beginning to think, once again, that we are the Last Mohicans. The last Sobo hikers on trail, we see Free Flow. She had been hiking with Blondie, Dimps and Side Quest but ventured out on her own. Wow, so maybe we are not the end of the bubble? We are just part of the late bloomers!

Free Flow also wanted to catchup with her friends and scooted over the pass, looking for more miles today. So here we are, Fearless, Hogged Up and I just taking it in and realizing that we might not be the back of the pack after all. Well, wherever we are, we are here and loving the fact that we are still on trail with many more miles to come. And taking a Nero, because after all, we can!

There are times when I question the Lord. Is this where you want me? Am I doing enough or do I need to do more? But in the end, He makes it abundantly clear that, yes, this is the place that I have carved out for you and your people. If you listen, then all the storms will pass over you and I will protect you!

“If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭42‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

My mattress has deflated and I’m not sleeping much. The girls have given me their Z-Pads to sleep on but I feel like the princess and the pea. I want my inflatable mattress. George ordered me a new one after failed attempts to fix mine. So once I get to Pinedale, Wyoming, I’ll be sleeping like a princess once again. Until then, not so good!

Atsuko hasn’t been able to remedy her blisters and that has been a concern of mine. We broke camp knowing we had close to 20 miles ahead of us and a lot of elevation.

We all took off early and headed south. The cranes were singing, the temperature was cooler and the trail was, well suitable for horses. Indeed it was a horse trail that we were using to get us back onto the CDT. The past few days we have been seeing bear prints, but not any kind of bear. These are massive griz prints that were imprinted in the dirt trail that we were sharing.

After three miles, we saw the Game & Fish ladies. They waved at us and came over to commiserate with Atsuko. Fearless had talked with them minutes before and they wanted to see if there was anything they could do. Provide First Aid bandages, a ride out on horseback, anything. I thought for a moment and asked them if they knew of a shortcut out of here?

The girls came in through an area west of us, known as Turpin Meadows. They told us it was only thirteen miles to the parking lot and trailhead. This compared to our thirty-five miles that would take us to Brook Lake. It had less elevation and would save us a day of hiking. That’s all they needed to say! We located our escape route on the map, contacted Curt, Atsuko husband, and had a plan. Now we just needed to relay this to Fearless and Hogged Up.

Atsuko stride improved, her face lit up and I believe her blisters were beginning to heal. As we came over the hill, the girls were waiting and we were all onboard to leave this trail today. Yeah, town food, laundry and showers were closer now than ever!

The hike out was a breeze. It was long and dusty, but relatively flat compared to what we thought we would be doing today. We followed the horse trail all the way back to the barn, following a highway of horse manure, trails of rocks, ruts and all things familiar to our four legged friends.

Our last bit of downhill was greeted by no one else but Curt. He had his sandals on and was coming up the trail to greet his bride. He took her pack, gave her a hug and escorted us down to his awaiting truck.

We were welcomed with ice cold towels to wipe the sweat off our faces, ice cream sandwiches and beverages of our choice. That’s the way to be greeted from six days and close to a hundred miles on trail. Curt, can you follow us to Mexico?

Once we were all loaded in the truck, we drove to the town of Dubois where we had a cute log cabin room waiting for us. Fearless, Hogged Up and I were dropped off while Curt and Atsuko drove back to their fine home on wheels.

Atsuko, it was a pleasure to have you for this stretch. You have always been my go-to partner on the trail when things get tough. I thank God for all the friends that have come my way. Most definitely the Lord knew what I needed and when. What a boost for my heart and soul having my beautiful friend to share this enormous journey with. I’ll be praying that your feet heal and you come back to hike another day with me. Much love to you Atsuko, aka PT Cruiser.

Goodbye easy and pristine trails of Yellowstone. Hello Teton National Forest with all the down trees and mountains you can climb! We made it back up to 10,000’ today and it was a lesson in breath control!

I somewhat underestimated the fact that we have been hiking fairly flat trails for the past four days. We left camp and started our Forestill march out of Yellowstone NP. I had forgotten how much climbing we did prior to entering the park, but was reminded as soon as we left our tents. Oh boy, oh boy, as my dear old Dad would say. Let the games begin.

We left the park within the first few miles. The biggest expansive views returned and the Snake River was snaking below us. It’s a perfect name for it. It truly meanders all over the valley, in between the willows and low lying flatlands. We had many creek crossings and poor Atsuko has several blistering toes. So wet shoes mixed with wet socks are a recipe for blisters. Even Fearless started getting more of those pesty oozing skin bubbles. My feet are too calloused so I tend to not get that wrath, but my hiking partners are in pain!

Once the water crossings ceased, the big climb commensurates. On the profile, it was hideous. And once we actually started, my recollection of the past months came back tenfold! This is what I have been missing! I was thankfully surprised that there was a knoll, actually a meadow with snow filled lakes about halfway up the climb. If I was a bear, this is where I would live. There were berries, lots of rocks to overturn and look for nubs, water in the lakes for bathing and it was downright gorgeous. Atsuko and I sat for a bit, caught our breath then finished up our climb for the day.

Once on top at over 10,000’ we could see the Tetons and all the peaks in the distance. The two lakes that Fearless had planned to swim in, were empty. Basically nothing but a mud puddle which didn’t fare well with Atsuko and I. We were plum dry of water. To our surprise and astonishment, Fearless had left us a rock monument with a liter of water! I could’ve cried but that would’ve depleted me of more water so I just yelled “thank you!” She was well ahead of us, cruising up and over the final stretch.

Trail Magic is defined as something unexpected and unique when you need it most. This liter of water was exactly what Atsuko and I needed and would’ve never expected! As we frequently say, the trail provides but in this instance, it was a dear friend who knew we were short on water and the lakes were dry! Talk about the hands and feet of Jesus!

The trail down was steep and long. And it took a bit longer than usual due to the rocks disguised as marbles, that were scattered on the trail. These things are slick and can ruin your day if you aren’t careful. I had a few acrobatic accounts trekking down the trail but luckily landed them all upright.

Hogged Up was waiting at camp, as usual. She had scoped out a site for us. Now that we had left the park, we are back to our own resources to find a suitable place to lay our heads for the night. Once again, minus the horse manure, Hogged Up found us a place. We all arrived shortly after 4pm and got settled.

Around dinner time, we saw three gals walking with their dog. That’s odd. No backpacks, how did they get here? Ends up they work for Wyoming Game & Fish and are collecting data on the type of fish in the local streams, rivers and lakes. Cutthroat is the main trout in these parts but they also saw a few golden trout too. Then they asked if there was anything they can do for us? Hmm, what about taking out trash? They are on horseback so they were more than happy to oblige. That lightened my pack by at least wo pounds. Thank you ladies!

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Waking up to the sound of Cranes is something I don’t typically hear. They are migrating and pair by pair, they are flying across the lake making this beautiful music. On top of that, the glorious sunrise, how can you beat this day?

Hogged Up and Fearless beat us out of camp. Our morning walk was on the lakeshore in gravel. It was flat but walking on sandy ground is one way to wake up every twitch muscle in your feet. I’ve been having a bit of right foot pain and Sabine hooked me up with Lueka Tape last night. I’m hoping that this will retrain my foot to stop turning outward like a duck, and collapsing inward. The jury is still out but the sandy walk this morning was testing me for all I had!

Atsuko and I had a few balancing exercises this morning. Within the first couple of miles, we came across a river with a tree as the bridge. Why this stuff freaks me out, I still don’t understand. It’s only 2-3’ above the water but balance is not my forte. Luckily I made it across and Atsuko did too. I should’ve paid more attention in gymnastics, especially on that balance beam.

We continued past Heart Lake turnoff, and made it to the river. More balancing acts over logs and rock skipping. Then I looked at the map and realized we were off trail. You gotta be kidding me! All our acrobats were for not? We back tracked, and realized our mistake and with 1-1/2 miles extra credit, we were back on the trail.

The day was a fairly flat walk, following Heart River and then Snake River. We managed to cross several creeks and just submerged our feet directly in the river. There are times when I try to keep my feet dry, but today I embraced the cold water and my feet were happy! I must say these past four days walking in Yellowstone have been quite nice. The terrain has been accommodating, the trail is well maintained and the views are grand. I’d highly recommend backpacking this part of the park! Just keep an eye on your map.

But there comes a point when you finally have to climb up and over some pointless hillside. With four miles left, the majority of our elevation was smacked dab at the end of the day. Fearless had been leaving messages in the dirt, which were very encouraging as we were on our last miles to camp. I have deemed her the Encourager because she always seems to have a way to push you in a kind and supportive manner. It truly is a gift of hers!

Once at camp, we found our spots and pitched our tents. Sabine asked about my foot and I must say that her taping job did wonders! My foot after hiking 18 plus miles was feeling the best it has in quite awhile! I think I may invest in this Lueka Tape. It’s stronger and more durable than KT Tape, and did the trick for today. Now she has me doing PT in camp, stretching and manipulating my ankle. She’s a good partner to have on trail and can throw a mean rock bag for hanging our bear bags!

The last bit of business was completing our Scientific Research on Geysers in the park. We had already completed the Junior Ranger Course but we moved on to Scientific Ranger School. This entails creating a hypothesis based on an observations that we made while hiking Yellowstone. Our research was based on why some geysers are active and others are not?

Being uneducated in geology, we could only guess as to what caused certain geysers to stop flowing. Our thoughts were based on the possibility that certain minerals changed in the area and clogged up the vents, that seismic activity could have interrupted the flow of gases underground or ??? After walking through the park, we realized that we have no idea but it was a fun exercise and made us appreciate what we saw. Sabine, aka Hogged Up presented me and Fearless with Junior Scientist Patches which we will both wear with honor and distinction. Thank you Educator!

So once I was able to ask AI, Why do geysers stop being active? This is what I found. Us young scientists were not too far off!

Geysers can stop being active due to a variety of factors, including:

Disruption of the plumbing system:
Earthquakes, mineral blockages, or human interference can disrupt the delicate subterranean plumbing of geysers, leading to permanent extinction of the thermal feature.

Changes in the water source: If the water source is cut off or the configuration of the fractures and cavities is altered, eruption intervals may change or stop completely.

Drought conditions: Severe drought conditions can lead to a reduction in the water supply, slowing or ending the geyser’s flow.

Mineral deposition: Over time, mineral deposits can narrow the throat of the geyser, eventually “repairing” the leak in the crust and stopping the flow. + 1
These factors contribute to the dynamic nature of geysers, which are not permanent geological features but rather fragile “errors” in the Earth’s plumbing.

What an electrical storm we had last night. It started just after dinner for round one. Then just before hiker midnight, we had round two. I have seen and heard thunder and lightning before, but this was an overkill of electrifying weather phenomenon. Before I could even start counting 1-1,000, 2-1000, BAM the thunder was rolling, cracking and pounding overhead. It was morelike a thunderstorm on steroids. Absolutely magnificent! And it rained most of the night.

We had an early start as we wanted to hit the Witch Creek Hot Springs. As soon as the sun came up, we were walking out of camp. Our first bit of business was fording Shoshone Lake outlet. It was flowing lightly, but it was knee to thigh high. We all waded across and off we went down trail.

We met up at Hwy 89 which is the road into Grant Village. I thought hard and long about hitching in and getting a proper breakfast but decided that Meat Sticks, Vietnamese Coffee with RX Bar was just as tasty. Probably not, but it had to do. Our goal was the Hot Springs and by golly, I was going to soak them.

Atsuko and I brought up the rear. We were pacing ourselves, but Atsuko calls it “don’t get hurt pace.” That works too. We stopped for a bite to eat, some salmon with sliced cucumber on tortillas. The only problem was I spilled a bit of salmon juice on my mat, but more on that later.

We met up with Hogged Up and Fearless, but they were lounging above the Hot Springs. What’s wrong? How come you’re not soaking in these springs of life? Ends up that the Geyser Hot Springs called Witches Creek is too hot for soaking. You might be able to dip your foot in for a second or two, but that’s all. Dang it, I was hoping to spend the afternoon there.

So off we went to our campsite at Hearts Lake. We ran into a Ranger and he proceeded to tell us all the rules, making sure we understood each and every one of them. No food in your tents. There are Grizzly Bears here and thru-hikers are the worst offenders! If lightning comes, which it does at Hearts Lake, crouch down in a small ball on top of your mat. It helps to reduce the effects of lightning. The water in the lake clogs your filter so walk another half mile to the spring. Alrighty then, thanks Ranger for all the intel.

We made it to Hearts Lake. Quite the tranquil place with a view that was stunning. The clouds were rolling in and I had no plans of crouching on the ground! We pitched our tents, hung our food bags, and enjoyed the peaceful night. All I hear now is the crashing waves onto the shoreline. When you see the beauty of God’s creation day after day, it reminds me how great and mighty our Lord is!

“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After a restless night of sleep, I was up and ready to get in gear for another day on trail. My tent was layered with condensation. Probably the mere fact that we were camped near hot springs and the moisture in the air was dripping. That’ll do it!

Our morning stroll was peaceful, no one else on trail. We were warned that a Bison was in the meadow a few clicks south of us but he was long gone by the time we arrived. But what was present were tons of active geysers! This stopped me in my tracks. So many hikers mentioned how the CDT took us far away from all things Yellowstone. But we were walking right next to steam vats, calderas, honey combs, and every type of geysers a mad scientist would want to see! It was such a sight!

After watching, photographing, and getting a facial from the steam, we headed to the marshlands. It was foretold that we would have close to a mile of wet crossings to contend with. Fearless, PT cruiser and I changed into our water shoes. Hogged Up was long gone and from her pace I’m assuming she just waded through it, shoes and all.

It was deep and no sight of what we were walking into. The grasses were covering most of the trail along with mud and muck. Thankfully we were not in Florida so there was no thoughts of crocodiles or alligators! Just swans, cranes, ducks, geese and frogs. Those I can handle. For close to half an hour, we were covered in a muddy concoction of who knows what? But we managed to make it through unscathed.

Shoshone Lake was our reward! It is the largest lake I’ve seen in this area and crystal clear. We cleaned up all the mud and debris, washed my butt from a couple of sit downs I took while navigating the banks and walked into the lake. I could’ve walked for what seemed like miles. It was as deep as my shins! Such a nice way to spend lunch. Fearless, Atsuko and I stayed awhile and soaked up the sunshine. It was a great place to chill for a bit.

Our camp was another fives miles and so we hoofed it to Moose Creek. It was flat except for the part that wasn’t! But for the most part, it was a walk in the park literally! Groomer trails with log poles and lots of shade. Just as we were finishing dinner, our suspicion has been acknowledged. Rip, a thru-hiker circumnavigating the PCT north to PNT east to CDT south and reconnecting to PCT by any way possible told us, that we are, in fact, the last Sobo’s. Not a huge surprise but it puts things in perspective. We need to get a move on, if we plan to finish this thing before winters frost!

During this journey, I have questioned myself if I’m going fast enough to finish what I started. But I keep getting reminded that this is exactly where I am suppose to be. If the Lord wanted me to go faster, He would’ve given me faster legs, more quick twitch fibers and stronger cardiovascular endurance. But He made me like I am and so I do what he asks me to do. Fast, slow or slowest, I believe I am where I need to be.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”” Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After five days off, all good things must come to an end. My hubby George returned to California, Curt found a new place to park his trailer and I kidnapped Atsuko! She is joining us for the next week and hiking with me and the girls!

Curt drove us back to the trail and we hiked into Yellowstone. Our first bit of business was visiting the Ranger Station. Hogged Up is a kid at heart and, like the rest of us, needs to feel that something is being accomplished. After hours of coloring, answering questions, doing word search, drawing animals seen in the park, it was time to get our work accessed. We waltzed into the Park Headquarters in search of a Park Ranger.

Ranger Zander obviously takes his job quite seriously. There was no rubber stamp happening today. He thumbed through every page of our Junior Ranger Book, asking pertinent questions and reviewing all our cumulative results. Thank goodness we were deemed worthy of Junior Ranger status, took a pledge and are now equipped with stickers and badges! I have always wanted to become a Park Ranger, and now this dream is I fulfilled!

Afterwards we were ready to have lunch and head off into the park, knowing we were a bit more knowledgeable than days earlier. All except for my navigational skills. I have always deemed myself as a full on compass-head but I totally blew it today! I hit the trail and made an abrupt right turn, heading north. Atsuko, aka PT Cruiser tried to correct me to no avail. It wasn’t until I saw Hogged Up hiking towards me that I told her she was going the wrong way. Ah, no I am not,while conferring with her map and continued south. Oh boy, there is one thing that this trail will do for you and that is, keeping you humble. I ate crow, turned around and started my Sobo journey again. Sorry Atsuko. Who I am to not listen to you, especially when it comes to all things navigation? Needless to say, Atsuko is on the premier Search & Rescue Team of NorCal! She knows what way is south!

Being back on the trail after a five day hiatus is tough. I felt like I was starting all over. The terrain was pretty darn forgiving but the heat was not! Gosh, I should’ve been praising the Lord for the fact it hasn’t rained for days instead of complaining about the heat. I’m sorry Jesus. It seems like I’m saying sorry a lot today!

After meandering around the trail for a few more miles, we arrived at our assigned site on Upper Firehole Creek. Just like Glacier, Yellowstone requires permits and designated campsites. It was a great spot, right next to a lazy river with plenty of beach and areas to get in and soak. I was the first one in and just sat in the river. Before long, all the gals followed suit and relaxed by the rivers edge.

The Bear Hang was a bit challenging as the throw was close to 50’ tall. After a few try’s, Hogged Up and Fearless had rope secured and our bags were hung! No bears will be eating our food tonight. We had dinner and took a late night stroll to a few of the active calderas that surrounded us. Hogged Up led the field trip being careful to follow Bison Pies and not venture off into the unknown abyss. There are both active, inactive and dormant geysers around us. I had no idea that we would be camping right next to these melting pots. Pretty dang cool!

Well I’m glad to be back at it again. But it was another bittersweet day saying goodbye to George. He truly is my heart and joy, and I am counting the days to be back home. Until that happens, this girl and her friends will keep trekking towards Crazy Cook Monument.

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This has been the nicest reprieve that I’ve had on trail. My hubby showed up with friends, Curt and Atsuko. They are as close to me as my immediate family! We spent a couple of days near Mack’s Inn at the very fancy Marriot’s Springfield Suites.

For my birthday and anniversary, which happens to fall on the same date, we had a one week party! I know, birthdays are only one day but honestly I’ve missed oh so many as it seems, I typically am hiking in the woods in August. So I milked it for everything I could.

But honestly, the best gift that I received was a song that George wrote for me! I know, my hopeless romantic, love of my life, is a musician. He was stressed as there are few things you can give your wife when she’s measuring every item that goes in her pack by the grams! But a song, that is perfect!

During the past few days, we played tourists in Yellowstone. Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic were the highlights of our first day. We saw a herd of Elk and lots of foreigners. I believe just about every country was represented in the park, and I know this by the numerous languages that were spoken as we milled around.

The girls and I headed back to Yellowstone for another day without the men. They had unexpected maintenance on our Van. After an hour or so, they isolated the leak that was making a wet mess on the floor. Thank you Curt and George for being fix-it kind of guys and then knowing what to do about it. That’s the key!

Our loop in the park was long and distinguished. We stopped at just about every scenic overlook from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, to the many waterfalls, Geysers at both Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Basin. But the highlight was Lamar Valley and the hundreds of Bisons.

Our first sighting of Bison was just as we entered Lamar. There was a large herd to the north of us, and as we pulled over to check them out, Jen warned us that there was a Bison on the same side of our truck, way too close for comfort. We could hear him snort as he walked by.

We quickly returned to the truck and found a group of Photographers at a large pullout. There was a huge nest for a family of Ospreys across the canyon. The parent osprey swooped down, grabbed a trout, then brought it home to feed the family! What a show that was.

After all the excitement, we headed back down Lamar Valley towards a dirt road. As the driver, I made the observation that many sightseeing vans were also headed that direction and maybe they knew more than I did. Sure enough, about a mile down the road was a large herd of Bison across the river. We stopped, pulled out our lunch as we watched the herds doing the same. Eating lunch!

There is so much to see and do in this park, and honestly you would need a week to properly see it all. We continued onward to Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Basin. Both areas were spectacular with different appeals to each one of us.

These five days were filled with sightseeing and tourism but more than that, it was a beautiful fellowship of combined new friends and old. I am so grateful for this unexpected gift to spend quality time with my family and friends. And to end it all and put a bow on it, I have to say that it doesn’t matter what you do, or where you go, if you’re all alone! This life is best lived when you share it with others and have memories that can never be erased. This has been one of the greatest birthdays of my life, shared with some of the most important people. Thank you Lord for the countless blessings you have poured over me, in me and through me!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Since yesterday afternoon, we had nothing but constant rain till early this morning. So much rain, that I actually had drops dripping inside my new Durston X-Mid Pro tent. That is not suppose to happen, but even Dyneema must have a saturation point.

I was up bright and early as today is town day and my hubby is coming to meet me on trail! I was packed up and ready to hit the road by 6am. The three of us took off with Indian close behind. It was a glorious morning as the rain had stopped, the clouds were lifting, leaving a low hanging fog over the lazy flowing river and lakes. It was dancing on the water like a slow rhythmic wave that swayed and moved with grace.

Our first bit of business was to find the trail, cross the river and parallel it for the next 5-6 miles. The river crossing was a bit deeper than expected. We all left our shoes on being they were already wet from our morning walk. The creek had a deep hole, about knee to thigh high, which isn’t a problem if you have shorts on. Fearless was wearing pants and her legs are a big stunted, so she was going in for a swim. We all made it safely across, a bit damper than when we started.

There were small ups and downs all morning. After five miles, we stopped for breakfast. Fearless and I broke out our stoves and had adult beverages, strong dark coffee. We ate a bit and then Fearless spilled the beans. What??? You haven’t eaten anything for the past 24 hours? Well to her defense, she had Hot Cocoa for dinner but was too tired to cook dinner last night. Oh girl, you need to consume some calories! We all ate, then carried on. And Town Food is around the bend!

Hogged-Up headed out ahead, then Fearless and I followed. We met up with an older guy and his two Border Collies in training. Lucas and Levi were super happy to see us. We talked with Rick, the dog owner for a bit. He was planning on hiking about eight miles out and back. You go!

Once we hit Sawtelle Peak Road, it was a downhill march to Mack’s Inn. Ends up that George drove in early and was waiting for our friends Curt and Atsuko to arrive. The skies started to darken pretty quickly and thunder was a roaring. Hope you can get here before the sky begins to fall! Within an hour, Curt and George picked us damsels in distress from the impending doom of rainfall! Along with Hogged-Up, we were swooped away and heading into town.

Sometimes life can be so sweet! This past week, we experienced afternoon thunderstorms daily. Each day they would come a bit earlier. Today, the hail, thunder and deluge of rain came at 1pm. But we were seated inside a nice restaurant drinking beer and eating yummy food, and along side me was my wonderful husband. How much better does it get than that?

Just a disclaimer: When I write these blogs, I am in my tent, on the trail and devoid of WiFi. That is the reason for the delay as to when these writings are released. Without internet connection, nothing can be posted. Typically, when I arrive in town, I upload pictures and send out my blogs. So for my friends and family who are wondering why they haven’t received an update, now you know. No WiFi = No Blog.

This week happens to be my birthday and anniversary. George and I will be celebrating with my friends, both on and off trail. I will be playing tourist in Yellowstone, not thru-hiker, for five days. I have never taken five days off in a row while thru-hiking so this will be unusual. But I will return on August 21st and resume posting once I get WiFi. There will, most definitely, be a long lapse in posts but rest assured, that I will be back to finish this Sobo adventure. Until then, know that l appreciate each and every one of you for your prayers and support as I follow my calling to spread God’s love on the trail!

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Last night around 7pm, Indian walked up. We met her just north of Anaconda. She’s originally from Belgium but moved to the UK about eight years ago. She has a six-month visa and plans to hike nothing but the red-line. Well until we talked some sense into her.

It rained off and on last night but was dry when I packed up. That’s a downright miracle, because packing up in the rain is the absolute worst part of backpacking. I left after Hogged-Up, and Fearless left after me. Indian was the last to pack up. The game plan was to walk five miles, meet up and have breakfast.

But plans change! Once I left it was obvious that this was gonna be a cold day of hiking. I was walking in the clouds from the moment I left camp and the clouds didn’t lift for hours. I met up with Hogged-Up who was huddled up behind a rock. Poor girl. I told her that we don’t need to follow our plans when the weather is so miserable. She bolted and I followed suit.

When weather is bad, wind, rain, freezing cold, walking in clouds, rarely do you stop to eat. Typically I’ll eat as I walk or not at all. Bad choice but sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. What I did manage to do was walk ten miles by eleven. The thru-hiker motto is walk ten by ten. So I was just an hour behind but I did make twelve by twelve. This is the difference between stopping for breaks or continue trekking. I like taking breaks but not when I’m cold!

The clouds started to lift and it truly was a remarkable day. The high mountains with the low valleys, add in some wildflowers and desert sagebrush, equals into a stark contrast. This has to be another one of my favorite sections!

I must say that I’ve turned a corner. Usually it takes me a week or two to get into my groove. This time, it’s been weeks before I really can say that I’m enjoying this thru-hike. I’m not sure what has changed but there have been many times that I could’ve easily walked off trail and gone home. It’s a hard trail but I’ve been on difficult routes before. The Appalachian Trail was no picnic but I loved being there, most of the time. Maybe not the bouldering or the endless rain, muck and mud, but I never considered walking off the trail. The CDT is different. I’m not sure what it is or isn’t, but I have had a change of heart this last stretch. It’s about time!

The last sixteen miles was waterless and finally I made it to the first creek. Indian had just passed me and we decided to have lunch at the watering hole. The sun came out ever so briefly and I was hungry. We sat down, caught up on all things politics and health care, then ate lunch together. Still no sighting of Fearless but Indian passed her at the mountain overlook, so she was definitely on her way.

Within an hour, Fearless arrived. She had already stopped, had plenty of water and was ready to finish up the day. I packed up and we headed down trail to camp. Hogged-Up was already there, and found a grand spot for us to camp for the night. She is becoming our personal assistant and guide to all proper camp spots. We may need to start giving her reviews for Top Picks of Sites.

The gray menacing clouds chased us all the way to camp. We rolled in a little after 3pm as Fearless hung her hammock and I plotted out my best possible tent placement. As I was pitching my Durston, Indian walks up. Her plan was to continue a bit further but with the rain, thunder and lightning, she made the command decision to hang out with us. So now we have four! We are growing our little community.

With everyday on the trail, I realize how deeply connected I become with the people I meet, and especially the ones I hike with. We have a bond that connects us as hikers, a goal that keeps us striving to move forward, and a love that makes us stronger when we surround each other in God’s light.

“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬