31st August
21.7 miles
Ridgetop camp (2267.2) Dry Spring camp (2288.9)
I slept like the dead last night. But in the morning I couldn’t get moving. Every part of my body was fatiqued. It took well over an hour to eat breakfast, pack up and get hiking. 78 year old hiker Fix It blasted past me with His hiking buddy Third Monty. I’m struggling.
By 1pm I hadn’t even hiked 10 miles. My whole body was shutting down and it’s time for me to modify my hike in an attempt to make it to Canada. I looked at my maps. There was a major highway up ahead that would take me to the metropolis of Helena. My new plan is to make it to that town for a rest. I don’t feel sick or otherwise ill in any way. I’m just worn out and exhausted. My body is just not coping with the three years of constant physical exercise that I’ve put it through.
Hopefully I will only need a day in bed with some healthy food. Then back on the trail for 3 days to the next town of Lincoln. From there it should be 7 days to East Glacier I’m Glacier National park, from there next stop is Canada. I’m awefully close yet so far away.
I managed to shake some of the fatigue during the afternoon and made some good miles. But I had to carry several litres of water between sources, adding to the fatigue. This is the continental divide trail so it skips many of the large river valleys a lot of the time in favour of the high ridges and mountains. As of my campsite tonight I have exactly 370 miles to Canada. The countdown has begun. I just need my body to hold out a little longer.
Next – Day 137 Trail Magic in Helena
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