It’s a cold night and a colder morning. Sleeping by water in a valley is a fool proof recipe. The trail gets right back to climbing though and beats the chill outta me quick. It’s the same format as yesterday: up and down and up and down, tagging the peaks of the divide as they come. Highest elevation yet and I am digging it! Ugh. I love hiking and mornings and everything in sight. Cue Wide Open Spaces and all the 90s lipstick.
The CDT markers are manic today. At one point, I pass four within a few hundred meters. Then the trail will disappear for miles with no markers in sight. Some markers are better than none!
The climb up to the top of Green Mountain is mega steep. My lungs and legs work at full tilt. Ted finds a tiny lockbox up top with a crispy, yellowed notebook inside signed by forest service fire crews and hikers. I add my name to the scroll.
On the descent to Highway 200, I start to feel a tweak in my right knee. Ruh roh. All the uppy downy is catching up with me. I can’t handle a bum knee right now, I just can’t. I think feather light thoughts and try to use my muscles rather than my joints on my continuous controlled fall downhill.
I put my thumb out on the highway — and would you believe it — the first car to pass pulls over. I still got it! The drivers name is Grace and she rearranges her car that is currently serving as her home to accommodate both me and Ted. Grace has buzzed grey hair and is on a road trip from Canada. She’s very excited about the American tradition of free camping in national forests (something I’m grateful for too, now that she mentions it). She drops us off at the Lincoln post office, 15 minutes before it closes. Whew!
As I wait to check into the Blue Sky Motel, I sit on a bench and poke my tweaky knee. Be happy, knee! Please be happy. Suddenly a woman on a motor bike materializes in front of me. “You want biofreeze for your knee, young lady?” Why the hell not! She goes into her bag and squats down by my knee to lather it in freezing hot gel.
Lincoln, I love you.
The Importance of Elsewhere 
Gotta like the touch of the yellow wildflowers in Wide Open Spaces matching the photo of the yellow wild flowers in Day 14 Post. Nicely done.
LikeLike
I find that when I use KT Tape (or Rocktape) my knee stays “together”. If you haven’t used it, it is worth a try…lasts about 3 days then reapply for maximum benefit. Videos online (YouTube) for application(s) for what ales you.
OneSpeed
LikeLike
Oo thank you for the tip! I’ll order some to the trail. Knee tweaks are new for me and I’m open to all advice
LikeLike
Hey! Ed and I have been wondering how you’ve been doing, so I did some searching and found your blog. Two things I’ve been meaning to tell you… First, it really was a wolverine that we saw at Morning Eagle falls. Second, I told Ed about our triple creek crossing… About 200 yards down the creek was a bridge that we missed… haha. I found it on my way back because I didn’t want to do that crossing in the same spot again. Anyway, hope you’re having a blast! It was so good to have met you!
LikeLike
Amanda!!! No way! So glad you found me. I’ve been singing Many Glacier ranger praises to every north bounder who will listen! Is there an address I could use to send you, Ed and Sarah a postcard?
LikeLike
Loved you sharing Wide Open Spaces by the Dixie Chicks, really miss them! Hope your knee is better.❤️
LikeLike