Neither of us meant to sleep in as long as we did, but it was so cold outside and so warm under our quilts that getting up seemed silly, especially since we ‘only’ had to hike 13 miles. I figured we’d sleep in a little and be on the trail by 8 at the latest, but we ended up sleeping in a lot and weren’t on the trail until 9.
While we were just getting up, we heard another hiker pass by our tent - usually WE are the ones who pass by hikers still in their tents and the reversal felt strange.
Even though the terrain didn’t look too crazy, I learned my lesson from yesterday and ingested some Vitamin I with the real vitamins I take every morning. Even so, I struggled for the first few hours. I’m so grateful we took the Big Sky cutoff because that means we can slow down a little and take zeros in every town, which I really, REALLY need.
Despite the rocky start (literally and figuratively), it was a fine day to be hiking. The weather was great, the water sources were plentiful, and the trail wasn’t too steep in either direction. We even had the opportunity to ford a few rivers and the cold water felt amazing on my ankle.
We made it to the trailhead around 3, but I was dismayed to see that it wasn’t a parking area - we still had to walk about a half mile to get there. When we got to the parking area, I was dismayed to see that it wasn’t close to a real road at all, so getting a ride could prove to be difficult.
There were a lot of cars in the parking lot, though, so we figured we might be able to catch someone leaving and get a ride with them. The few people we did see, however, weren’t going to Augusta. Since it was still early, we decided to sit on the side of the road and wait.
While we waited, Nick Bivy-texted a guy named Frank, who is known to give people rides to and from the trail. We weren’t sure if Frank would be able to give us a ride, though, because the notes about Frank (which we should have read more closely last night) said to arrange a ride with him a day in advance. Still, we figured we’d give it a shot.
To pass the time, I started to label pictures for previous blog posts. I labeled a whopping 2 pictures when a truck pulled up. It was going IN to the parking area, not out, so I was surprised when it stopped. I was even more surprised when the guy introduced himself.
It was Frank!
He hadn’t received our messages - he was just up there picking up another hiker, Hungry Cat (we met Hungry Cat on Day 97. Hungry Cat is also the hiker who passed us this morning when we were too lazy to get out of the tent). Since Frank was in the area, he figured he’d drive around a little, looking for other hikers who might need a ride. Well, he found us. It was amazing how it worked out.
Frank is the sort of guy who makes you feel comfortable and at ease the second you meet him. He is full of life and energy and his huge, friendly personality just spills out of him. His wife, Jackie, came along for the ride and she, too, made me feel as if I was an old friend. It was a great ride to Augusta and Jackie and I happily chatted away.
When Jackie and I weren’t chatting, Frank gave us lots of info about the town and surrounding area. He also told us we could stay at his friend’s cabin (for a fee), which turned out to be exactly what we needed since the hotel where we sent our resupply was full (how is it Labor Day weekend already?!? I have lost all track of time).
Frank took us to the hotel so we could pick up our resupply boxes and then, because it we were all starving, he stopped at the Buckhorn Bar so we could eat before the dinner rush. The food was incredible and I had a marvelous time getting to know Frank, Jackie, and Hungry Cat. There was none of the awkwardness you sometimes have when first meeting someone - it was easy and casual and extremely refreshing.
Frank and Jackie, two of the friendliest, unassuming people you’ll ever meet
Another unexpected bonus was seeing Axel, a hiker we haven’t seen since Colorado. In fact, we’re sharing the cabin tonight with Hungry Cat and Axel. It’s been a great evening with them, sharing stories and catching up. At one point, Axel (who is French) came into the living room, where I was working on the blog, and told me that there was deer meat in the back if I was hungry. His French accent is pretty strong so I didn’t quite get what he was saying (or, as it turns out, the joke he was making). A few minutes later, when I went into the kitchen to get the kombucha I purchased at the grocery store, I figured it out and laughed - there were 2 fawns and three grown deer hanging out in the backyard, maybe 15 feet away. The longer I looked, the more deer I saw, just wandering around the yard like they lived here. It was great.
Axel and Hungry Cat are great cabin mates - everyone is quiet and respectful and I feel comfortable and content. It’s nice knowing we have a day off tomorrow.
Along the trail:
