Monday, April 7, 2025
Miles: 30.7 miles
Gain/Loss: 1621’/1329′
I was up at 5:45am and out hiking by 6:20am. I saw a few birds in the morning, including a hawk and a black bird. I got off track by 0.2mi once on the way towards town. I also saw a praying mantis egg sack about ready to hatch! It was in the mid 60s, but felt 12 degrees hotter. When I got to town around 1:30-1:45pm, everyone had their heat on and was shivering in puffy coats while I was sweating.
I did laundry, town chores, and charged my battery brick at the Motel 6. The man working the desk was very kind and let me hang out for an hour or two. I resupplied at all 3 stores in town to get what I needed for the next section, which included a town grocery store, a Family Dollar, and a Dollar General. I didn’t eat a meal in town, but instead got a few protein milks and yogurt drinks. People in town were quite friendly. I had one older woman ask me questions in a parking lot about how the trail worked.
I left town by ~4:45pm, after walking along the road through town for ~2 miles of walking. I had 3 people honk and wave when they drove by, seeing a CDT hiker, and a 4th stopped to ask if I wanted a ride to the trailhead 2-3 miles away. I declined but it was very sweet and lifted my spirits.
After crawling under a full-fledged barbed wire fence, I walked a long way on flat terrain. I saw so many birds in the afternoon and evening. There were multiple hawks hunting and other birds flitting about. I saw more cows, but they were pretty chill; mostly moms with calves.
I had great phone chats with Toby in the morning, and Laura, Toby, and Calvin in the evening, along with a dozen texting buddies.
I stopped at 8:05pm as darkness started to fall. I set up my tent, had dinner, and went to bed by 9:30pm.
Transcending Mountains 