DAY 142 Heading to Stemple Pass

SEP 2nd

Well I didn’t get trampled by cows last night..phew. But was woken by the bugelling of moose and screeching of elk at 4am so dozed until the cow joined in with the chorus at 5am .

I was awake but it was still very dark, at 5.30 I began to move and let the air out of my mattress
I quickly stripped down put on tea and I was ready.
I knew it was going to a fairly big climb first thing .. and it didn’t disappoint except there was the added bonus of trees to jump over. Half way up I climbed over a large tree slipped and ended upon my back like a stranded tortoise .
It took me a while to get up with the added expletives . Once I had reached the top it was of course time to go down and steeply
I crossed several meadows before once again until I was on yet another forest road that snaked around before splitting into several others that climbed up various hills in the distance.

I headed off and I crossed a small collection of fir trees I decided take a quick break.
I guzzled some water and ate a few snacks .
Of course my trail or rather the CDT choose the steepest route I chugged up it before it began to meander down the other side.
Water was in 6 miles time so cautiously sipped water from my bladder. Typically the sun began to roast me as the temperature began to rise my watch said that it was 98 it certainly felt like it..

I began to drop down and came to a T-junction, the trail headed on but checked my app just in case. Of course I was wrong.
I passed a dad child and dog and kept going. The trail now looked like a tank training ground with huge ruts filled with smelly water. I carefully walked around and carried on shortly coming to another junction.
There were comments on the app that there was water here .so I went to investigate and soon came to a cattle trough.

I filled up both bottle’s then drained one , topped it up again then topped up my bladder.
Okay I need the miles snail. I pushed on into the afternoon. Getting cross when I accidently took a wrong turn. Losing valuable time. After several more hours I took another break under the leafy canopy of a huge tree. As I took time-out a 4 seater quad came flying up the road and quickly disappeared into the distance.
I don’t know why but I am struggling today and my target mileage was nowhere. F*uk that’s crap I said to myself after checking.
I wanted at least 20 today if not more and with what i had achieved so far it was looking doubtful especially as I had a huge climb to do at the end of the day and I still gad to get to water.

At 3 pm I arrived at another water trough, F*ck empty apart from a few drips from the pipe.
I grabbed my bottles and cup and headed up the hill to the source .I climbed the fence and then could see a large rectangular box.
I lifted it up and beneath was the spring although it was about a foot down. I managed to reach the water, it was cold and not too buggy. I filled both bottle’s and headed back to the trough where I had left my pack.
I hoisted it up and strode off down the trail. Its not great to haul water up a steep hill but I had no choice
It was approximately 2 miles up and steep. I passed numerous camping spots but refused to stop until at least 6pm.
By 6pm I was totally exhausted and dropped my pack even though I only had yards to go until I was was the top. I would finish it in the morning and not worry about the poor mileage.