Highlights:
- Scenic lookout with hot coffee.
- Lunch with llamas and duck eggs.
- A breathtaking sunset.
Daily Summary:
- Distance hiked: 50+ km
- Starting point: Below Lookout 512
- Ending point: Campsite km 563
- Weather conditions: Hotttt
Daily Reflections (challenges, insights, musings):
Today was a lesson in hydration, and I failed spectacularly. I waited to fill my bottles, confident there was a stream ahead. When I arrived, it was dry. Seven extra kilometers up and down, and I was already parched. Add to this that the last thing I did at night was to spill a precios deciliter from the liter I had saved for the next 15 kilometers before I could hitchhike in to Helena (the capital of Montana).
Nonetheless, the Llama ranch was a highlight. Lunch with duck eggs and a swim in a cold little lake provided a much-needed respite. For a moment during the day before the before mentioned 7km climb, water was everywhere.
Listening to David Goggins “Never Finished” kept me motivated until 17:00, when I realized I needed to backtrack for water. My feet started peeling at the soles again, just like two days ago, and I still had 20 km to go. Now I feel rather low, and I smell like a dead animal.
Despite all this, the sunset was beautiful. It always is.
Morning on a mountain
Beautiful winding road
Magical hill
The Lama Ranch (a generous place for hikers and bikers)
The sun sets and I forgive myself for spilling previous water. This is what I came for. The views, experience and emotions produced, be they awe or dissapointment