Day 169 (CT 7)

Day 169 (CT 7): 21 miles

I had a horrible night’s sleep with the wind pounding my tent and making noise all night. But I have been sleeping poorly generally this whole trail. I’m not sure if it’s the altitude or what.

One of my favorite parts of thru hiking is never knowing where I’ll end up at the end of the day. I passed over the trail’s high point early in the day and then started descending down to the highway into Lake City. I was going through phases of running cause I wanted to get there quick, and having cell service so working on logistical things in the future. I was determined to get in and out of town today cause I didn’t want to pay some absurd amount after getting trapped in town after dark again.

I got to the highway around 2:30 and started trying to hitchhike. I waited for over an hour and was getting a little upset at all the passing cars. Then finally, a truck hauling a boat stopped, and it was the most fun hitch I’ve ever had (even more fun than when a guy that had just gotten a DUI started whipping donuts in a field). It was 3 old guys that had just gotten done fishing, and they were just hilarious the whole way into town. All they did was make fun of each other for being old, deaf, dumb, and blind. And they had a great time doing it.

When they dropped me off at the grocery store, the driver gave me his phone number and said he could give me a ride back to the trail later, OR he had a camper in his yard and I could sleep there for the night.

I met some CDT hiker trash in town and chatted for a bit before heading to go get some pizza. It was fun talking to the CDT hikers. They are a much different breed than the CT thru hiking crowd, and a breed I really miss being around.

After scarfing down a 16 inch meat lovers pizza, I called Jerre to take him up on his offer of sleeping in his RV. He brought me back to his house where I met his wife Helen and they loaded me up on cake and ice cream. I even got to shower again which feels wrong having showered twice already not even a week into the thru hike. It’s nice, but I haven’t earned it.

Song of the day: hallucinate-Dua Lipa