Aug 29th
Marias Campground(2732.5)-E Glacier(2747.5)
15mi
Today was our final town day!!! We have gone 10days without showers or laundry and were really eager to get through the 15mi to town today. I set the alarm for 5:15am and got ready with the moon and stars still out. We were hiking by 6am and needed headlamps for about 15mins before it started to lighten enough. We were given a warning that these 15mi were very overgrown and brushy, so we wore our rain pants guessing it would still be wet from yesterday's rain...I was not amused!
To look at this with a sense of humor, I guess you could say we were reenacting Field Of Dreams as we seriously waded through the tall grass and couldn't even see our own feet. If it wasn't for the CDT hikers, I seriously don't think this trail would exist. It's only here because us crazies walk over the grass to stomp it down and make a faint path for the next one. The rain pants came in very handy!
We made it to town by 11am and who is walking towards us, but no other than Beacon! It was perfect. He is waiting to hike the final section with Balls and Sunshine who will come in tomorrow and will finish two days after me. My plan was to shower first and then eat and I even tried to eat a ton of bars this morning on the walk in to hold off the hunger...it didn't work. Everything in E Glacier is on one short street and I couldn't stand the smell of the burgers and sights of milkshakes. I took my stinky self next door and got it to go to spare them of my stench and then ate it in my glorious king bed room I got all for myself. Thanks to my family members who contributed to this motel stay. It is just what I needed and being on my own with my laptop here to get things done has been great!
My final resupply came too! I had many cards and letters and those were really great to get as a final motivator. I want to thank Cowpie, Carla, Loren, Mama Bear & Monkey, Heart, Katy & Chad, Michael & Jenny, Dan, and Christy(Shark) for everything you sent. What a collection of goodies! Including my very first dark chocolate Snickers...how has this not happened yet!?
I was able to get some blogging and emailing done and then it was time for dinner next door at Serranos Mexican Restaurant. I've read about this place in every CDT journal and it's the celebratory place to eat for those on their final leg and finishers who (like me) will return to E Glacier to depart on the train. Along with Beacon, many others were in town. Adam, Sweet As, and Aquaman who will finish the day after us. Dain (who will finish two days after us with Balls and Sunshine) and his mom Kathleen. And then Tatu Joe who I've been wanting to meet all trail! He just finished his triple crown today and this was his celebratory meal! Way to go Tatu Joe! I also have to point out the photo bombers in the background...gotta love it!
Well, this could be my last post until after I finish...I really hope to have service through Glacier, but there is a chance that I'll have to wait. At the worst, all posts will go up the night of Sept 3rd when I return to E Glacier and find myself a celebratory steak in this town! I will be finishing with Bloodbath and Rampage and we have all our campsites reserved through Glacier and it all just looks to be spectacular. Plus, the forecast shows sunny skies as it has rained the last two days (really hard tonight!). A main reason for my pushing through to finish early is to be able to enjoy Glacier as weather can get serious up here. I'm hoping we're in the clear and I'm totally PUMPED about this EPIC hiking I'm headed into for the GRAND FINALE!