CT mile 78, burger day!

at 39.4284, -105.8461

Up at 5 today, brewing my coffee in the pre-dawn light, and on the trail by 5:30. My motivation you ask? Burgers. Not just any burgers, but burgers from the Jefferson Depot, possibly the worlds finest. They are located just 5 miles west of where the trail crosses US285 at Kenosha Pass.

So the plan was to be at the pass, 12 miles away, in time to hitch a ride down for lunch. The trail did its best to slow me down, presenting me with one gorgeous vista of South Park after another. I did of course stop to admire, but I did not linger, and made the pass by 10:30.

By 11 I was in Jefferson, happily munching a cheeseburger washed down with a chocolate malted. One of the delights of long distance hiking is that you can shamelessly gorge yourself at every opportunity, knowing you will burn it off in a day.

I hitched back up to the pass at 3, and hiked a leisurely 6 miles to camp at Jefferson Creek. There I found the creek full of nice Brookies ready to take the fly. I also met fellow hikers Veronica and Mark, who are bravely making the CT their first ever backpacking trip, and seem to be doing well and having a good time. They also appreciate the pleasures of conversation over whiskey at the end of a long hiking day, and we had a nice visit. We are all headed up Georgia Pass tomorrow and turned in at hiker midnight (8PM) in order to get an early start.