Saturday, July 27th

Saturday, July 27th. Day 39

Today's miles = 21.5 Total CDT miles = 569.2

This morning was a standard morning on trail. Woke up, didn't want to get up, got up, didn't want to pack up, was grumpy, packed up, didn't want to hike. Drank coffee = life is better = hike. It was another beautiful day on trail. It was also another really hard hike. The mountains really make you work for the good stuff! The morning went slowly and lunch was only at 7 miles in. There was another afternoon sprinkle like yesterday but when it's so hot and exposed a little sprinkle actually feels really nice. There were lots of passes today and a lot of lakes. It's difficult for me to pass a beautiful picturesque lake with a backdrop of jagged mountainous snow covered peaks without stopping and staring off into the distance for a while, so it was overall a slow moving day.

15 miles in to the hike Baboon and I were stopped to get water when we discovered something on our maps. There was a 3 mile side trail (car trial) that led to a campground. From the campground there was a 12 mile car trail that led to the "town" of Jackson which is home to the hot springs saloon!!! What!?!?! A natural hot spring and a saloon combined into a mecca of trail goodness?? Never mind we have to hike 15 miles out of our way; how the hell could you pass that up? So, we took the car trail to the campground tonight and stealth camped in spot #6. Tomorrow we will take the car trail to Jackson and kick it in the hot spring, beer in hand. Love it.