Day 79 - road walk continues (40.6 miles)

July 27, 2021

Miles: 40.6 miles

Steps: 83,544

I wanted to get an early start as I had 42 miles on the road and figured it would be hot and unsure of my water sources. However I kind of slept in until 6am and still had to get back into the building to pick up my laundry. Then I waited around for a cinnamon roll. Before I knew it was 7:45am so I got to hiking.

The first 10 miles to Bannock State Park were all on a gravel road. That’s where most get their next water but it’s a mile down another road so I left Grant with 3 liters of water, enough to get me 24 miles.

From the turnoff to Bannock State Park turned in paved road and took me to the more traveled highway that would take me all the way to Jackson, MT.

I knew it was going to be tough to get to Jackson before dark since I left so late but knew I could get close as it was only 42 miles but mainly flat.

I didn’t take many breaks, just 1 to fill up on water next to one of the few streams and stopped for lunch and dinner.

I only had one kind of hill to climb, it was a named pass but it was only 2 miles long.

As it started to get dark I started looking for a place to camp but not many flat areas. I ended up hiking about a mile from Jackson, camping right on a closed road. Pitched my tent right behind the closed road barrier.

Right as I was about to go to bed I fell into the corner of my tent and ended up breaking a tent pole. I did my best to duct take it together, well enough to sleep. I just hope it doesn’t get windy or it rain otherwise I’ll be in trouble.

The haze wasn’t too bad today but it will probably be bad tomorrow as I’ll be much closer to the fires.