I can’t tell you exactly what it was as I’ve been hiking in grizzly bear country mostly alone for over 3 weeks, but today my gut told me to turn the heck around. So I did. As much as I despise walking the highway, it felt like the only safe option. On the bright side, baby moose and her mama!
The road hit different today. I haven’t shed a single tear over the last 500 miles, but today even a 40 mph headwind couldn’t keep back the river. By mile 8 my neck and abs were sore from bracing into the wind and I had gotten hit in the face with plenty of rocks kicked up by semi trucks. This wasn’t the divide (this alternate wouldn’t have been my first choice-it’s all been to save time), and for the first time I started to question if this was worth it. Dozens of cars have stopped to check on me while I’ve walked the road these past few days, but when Molly and Drew pulled over my heart screamed it was time to surrender.
They immediately put an IPA in one hand and homemade zucchini bread in the other and were so gracious while I gathered myself. Turns out they were headed south to Dubois, WY to climb Gannett Peak. Knowing that continuing alone in the state I was in wasn’t a healthy or safe option anymore and knowing that there were likely dozens of SOBO hikers further south in Dubois, I was officially along for the ride.
We passed geysers and thermal pools in Yellowstone, got a speeding ticket in the Tetons, and I got to enjoy camping with other humans for the first time in weeks.
The trail provides.
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