Aaron Unscripted A blog about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings…

And it Begins, CDT

I can't believe it has only been 15 days. I feel like so much more has been going on, and I was really getting behind. I'm the worlds worst journal-er. I managed to write only one entry in my notebook.  A notebook I decided was a little too much (weight) and dropped into my bounce box, only to be seen from town to town. I did replace it with a smaller waterproof one, but I guess I have found it too pretty, neat, and clean to mark the pages up just yet. I guess my real excuse for not writing is that I've been more or less extroverted, my concerns being in the moment and I've been simply moving with the flow of things. Not necessarily a bad place to be, but it certainly doesn't fulfill my want, or need, to share my experiences with my family, friends, anons, and my future self. So!, let the catching up begin.

Train Ride

My (former) roommate, and long time friend, Ben dropped me off at the main train station in Eugene OR, where I soon boarded a bus to Portland OR. At the Portland train station I managed to get in line to board the train right next to another CDT hiker. His trail name is Suge, but I didn't know that until the fallowing day. We had a few conversations over our trip, and I was constantly reminded that I somehow had heard his story(s) before. After learning his trail name it instantly dawned on me that I had read bit's and pieces of his journals. It turns out that I would know a great deal more then people would know I knew, simply from my masterful online lurking and research.

The train ride was great! I would recommend it to anyone. It was simply hassle free. I boarded wearing my pack, threw it in the lower storage area with my bounce bucket (all of which I always had access to), and sat in a generously spacious seat above. I can't even count the amount of airline contraband I had in my possession, some of it, like my ice ax or pocket knife, clearly visible.  Not a word, or even a thought?, came from the train powers that be.

It was interesting to see Oregon from across the Colombia. It seems I am always on the opposite side of the river when traveling. Night fell, and I managed to get a few hours of sleep. In the morning I sat in the scenic observation cart, drinking coffee. Before we entered Glacier National Park, a few NP employee's cam aboard to give as some commentary and share information as we watched the park wiz by our windows. They where full of lame jokes, and partially/misleading bad information. Things started to look a bit better when a young, attractive, curly haired, dirty blond sat with me at my little booth. She had been home schooled and now was an art student going to her first year of college in Ashland OR. She was on her way home to see her parents for the first time since leaving.  She was fun to watch, to follow her curious wondering eyes as she doodled in what I would describe as an art journal, capturing little moments of the passengers, as well as the scenery that flashed by. I found myself interested yet self-aware, wondering if she was/had doodled me, but soon enough it was my stop, a new arrival to East Glacier, Montana.

East Glacier the First Round

As I exited the train it was quickly made apparent that there where more then just a few people here to backpack. Further more, all of us where in some form looking to do the CDT. It was also exceptional weather, I had been expecting it to be a bit more chilly, but it was relatively clear skis and warm enough to shed the light jacket I was wearing.

To backpack in the backcountry of Glacier NP requires a permit. Permit's where limited to 4 individuals, camp site availability was based on a first come fist serve basis, and permits were only awarded 24 hours in advance. As there where a good number of CDT hikers looking to do the same route and the designated camping sites where virtually the same we managed to break ourselves up into little groups and stagger ourselves in such a way we could all get out in the next two days. The first group of travels seemed to be on a real big push to move, so I found myself (in) a group that was leaving a day later, as a few more people where going to be showing up.  This was all fine with me because I was getting along/cliquing well with the appointed group organizer Freefall.

Freefall is an older, mellow mannered, gentleman, yet his character is lively with a youthful splendor and presents. He is knowledgeable, easy going, and loosely organized in a way that is open for the spontaneity and other curve balls that life has to offer. I took to liking him quick and easily.  I also figured that the company he was expecting would certainly round out to be a great bunch.

ADZCDTKO

Annual Day Zero, Continental Divide Trail, Kick Off. That night we had an impromptu party at Brownie's Hostel. Complete with fiddler, and accordion player. Freefall and ZQ, had cooked up some grub for the bunch using what they could find in the "free" box found in the kitchen, and a little bit from the grocer. The traveling fiddler and his father the accordion player, had heard of our tales to backpack the CDT through meeting some of the other CDT'ers. Like minded soals in travel and hospitality, wanting to play for us and wish us luck in our travels. I managed to get some great HD footage on my video camera that I can't wait to share. After food had been served and cleaned up there was a showing of scarlet and wildflower's CDT hike, that we all say down to watch, even the employee's of the hostel came and enjoyed

Brownies Hostel

For my time in East Glacier, I spent my time staying at a Hostel called Brownies. Down-stairs was a small bakery and grocer. Up-stairs you would find the bunk rooms, and several other more private rooms for couples and such. The rates where great, and the atmosphere was very pleasing. It was a crooked wooden building built in the early part of the 1900's. Lot's of character. Morning came with a wakening from the fresh pastries being made below, and nights where spent on the patio bullshitting over a few drinks.

Downstairs there also happened to be a couple very beautiful foreign girls with dark hair and light blue eyes from Lithuania, that where working for the hostel and grocer. They spoke amongst themselves in there native tongue, and it sounded a bit Germanic to me, although altogether there language was there own. At the kick off, I found it amusing to watch and listen to them work through the language barrier, as there English was fairly poor. I saw many a men trying to flurt with them, unsuccessfully trying to bridge a gap using other languages from their part of the world.So much for my idea that all Europeans are multi-lingual. During the Kick Off video show, I at least gave it my own go, speaking in English, to flirt, and managed to get some giggles and laughter, anything more was far too complicated. I couldn't even figure out how they managed to find themselves working in a hostel in East Glacier, but I think they vaguely understood what we where about to embark on and at least for the remainder of my time there I was greeted with particularly warm smiles and grins from the girls. Given more time it would have been fun to try and see what their world was all about.

June 15th

The following day, after the ADZCDTKO, I was late to rise, most everyone had taken off for the boarder to begin their journeys south to Mexico. Freefall had managed to get up with the rest and had made it into Two Medicine, MT to secure our parties permits. We where to take off the following day, Two more members, So-Far and Luna, where to show today, and another two, Gazelle and her BF Marlow, the following morning. So-Far and Luna showed up that early afternoon.

So-Far and Luna are younger characters.  So-Far happens to be from Portland OR, and Luna from LA. They both provide some definite entertainment, all-be-it, by very different means. After there arrival most the the afternoon was spent finalizing gear and packing food and supplies.

Luna and I found ourselves following our bellies. I had, after all, missed breakfast, and we took off in search of a grill to get some burgers for lunch. Our encounter was fairly tame, and much of the conversation was reserved as we felt each other out. After a couple false starts, we found Two Medicine Grill (in East Glacier), and I had a delicious buffalo jalapeno burger. At the grill we found out some interesting information from the cook who was preparing our food within view and easy talking distance. East Glacier has a city wide warning against using the tap water for drinking or cooking, turns out there is water treatment facility, but it is being unstaffed. East Glacier is on reservation land, all the employment opportunities must be filled partly by Native Americans. The problem with the water treatment facility is they can not find a qualified engineer to run the facility. As the town drama and story goes... At the grill we also met a young cute 6th grade teacher, who had just taken time off to teach English to students in China. She happened to know a bit about the CDT, and wasn't completely lost on our idea to hike it. She happened to be locked out of her house and was spending the afternoon bugging her friends at the grill, and doing the crossword puzzle unitl her (prasumed) roommate showed up, as we where heading out the door.

I quickly learned that So-Far is an Eagle Scout too (like me), and (was) a professional Boy Scout, as he had been working for the organization in Portland. So-Far is hard to explain, he is very upbeat, positive, and has a peculiar energy/goofiness to him. He is an ultra-superlight backpacking maverick. He has built his own backpack, or should I say he's using a sil-nylon dry bag, sewn together some straps, cut up some foam mattress padding and arranged it, with socks and more, into something that he can carried over both shoulders and has a hip belt. I applaud, and slightly envy, his entrepreneur-ness. However, this is his first "real" go at testing it out, and most of us aren't sure if this is the best environment for it. He also has a few other multipurpose gadgets. We all want the best for him, but we are also secretly ready for the entertainment that he will surely provide.

The night was concluded with a few games of cards between myself, Freefall, So-Far and Luna. I happened to take the $4 pot in a short game of Texas hold-em style poker. I was exceptionally lucky with my cards, and the game was fairly short. We returned inside and played a game of hearts before heading off to bed.

Let the Big Show Begin...