Since I’ve been walking for a little over a week and Michelle and Maggie say, “Good-bye” tomorrow, we decided I should take the day off. A zero mileage day. 

A little rain greeted us this morning at National Forest Campground at Summit, MT. Marias Pass is at Summit. Finding the pass allowed the Great Northern Railroad to construct a direct route from the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Pacific Ocean. 

After a slow start due to the rain we headed to West Glacier to see if the Going to the Sun Road had opened. The road has just opened for the season. It made for a nice late morning/early afternoon drive through the mountains. 
Tomorrow I’ll have a heavy heart and a heavy pack. Michelle and Maggie, who’ve slackpacked me through Glacier National Park, will head home to Michigan. (Slack packing is where you don’t carry all of your gear because you’re meeting up with the car that is at a road crossing. Through the park I’ve never had to carry more than two night’s worth of food because of the numerous road crossings where I could meet up with them. It’s been a nice way to break in my legs.)

When I lit out from Marias, my eyes were filled with tears.

Didn’t get to sleep that night till I wrestled with my fears. 

Said I’ll walk but I’ll take my time. A friend of the mountains is a friend of mine. 

If I get home before December, just might have a hike to remember. 

Then, I head into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for 11 to 12 days. The Bob, as it’s known, is one of the biggest designated wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Grizzlies, blacks, mountain lions, and wolves all call it home. 

I have a resupply box in Benchmark 7 days and 110 miles in. From there it’s another 70 or so miles to Lincoln where I’ll resupply again. Lincoln is near where the Unabomber used to live. The trail passes within a few miles of where his cabin was. 

So this is it for 12 days or so till I make it to Lincoln. 

Kindness matters

Truckin’ on

Tree