CDT - Day 129 - Leaving Darby
Darby is a really nice, hiker-friendly town, definitely the type of place that has a vortex. I could have easily stayed another day, but Canada is calling my name and I need to keep moving north.
I didn't sleep particularly well last night. After sleeping in the cool mountain air for so many days, the stuffy hotel room just wasn't comfortable. It also might have had something to do with the cacao latte I had at the Sapphire Restaurant.
I woke up at 6:00 a.m. excited for my usual big town breakfast. At Montana Cafe, I ordered the "ample" portion: eggs, sausage, potatoes, French toast, and fruit. I'm not sure how I managed to fit all of that into my belly, but it's in there.
Getting back to the trail required a double hitch. Our first driver picked us up in Darby and took us to Sula. From there, we needed another ride to Chief Joseph Pass. A really awesome couple in a decked-out camper van stopped for us. They were excited to hear about our hike and told us they're planning to hike the PCT next year, so Greg was able to give them all sorts of information.
One of my favorite parts of this hike has been meeting so many amazing people along the way. It always makes me feel good when someone is genuinely excited to hear about our CDT adventures. Even when we first arrived in Darby, the barista at the coffee shop was excited to hear about our hike. Those little interactions with complete strangers have become such a memorable part of this journey.
The hiking itself today was nothing to write home about. It started off nice enough, but after a few miles we entered a massive burn scar. We spent mile after mile walking through depressing, burned-out forest. Finding a safe campsite was especially challenging, but eventually we found a clearing away from the dead trees.
With all the soot out here, everything is going to be black by morning.