It is seriously impossible to stay on track planning for this trip. I’ll give you an example: I sit down with a goal of spending an hour researching trail navigation.
11 p.m.- I may as well check the CDT 2015 Facebook page to see what today’s chatter is amongst the community. The moderator has updated the profile picture to a pika.
SOON! Yeah!!! I can’t wait!!! I love pikas, reminds me of hiking in the Wasatch and Nepal. I wonder if there are many pikas on this trail? I google ‘pika continental divide’, a site pops up with a picture of a ridgeline trail against a panorama of mountain peaks, pine valleys, blue skies and sunshine. I want to jump through the computer into that scenery. It hits me, that’ll be me, I’ll be standing there, in that panorama, warmed by the sun, inspired by the view, excited by the trail! I wonder where it is? It’s Alberta Peak. Hmmm, where’s Alberta Peak? Oh, it’s in the San Juan Mountains in Southern Colorado. I wonder if i can find it on my map? That’s right, i’m supposed to be researching trail navigation.
11:15 p.m.- Close the page on Alberta Peak. Okay, navigation. Oh, look there’s a new post in the CDT 2015 Facebook page. Someone is considering doing an alternate through the Teton Mountains in Wyoming. Ohhh, wow, that would be cool. I google ‘cdt teton alternate’ and land up on someone’s blog who hiked the CDT in a prior year. Cool page. The photos! Ohhh, i want to be there now! Wow, look at that, he passed through the San Juan mountains in early May. I thought i’d be needing to leave it until early June because of snowpack. I read all about his trip through the San Juans, seems totally do-able. If I did that I could leave earlier and spend more time doing alternate routes along the trail like Rocky Mountain National Park, some of CO’s 14’ers and slowing down for a few days to spend some time with friends along the way in Colorado, the Winds, Yellowstone and Glacier. I wonder what else i can find about getting through the San Juans in May? I find myself on another blog site. Wow, great site, look at all of these great posts! A photo gallery- ooohhhh cool. Maybe i’ll just watch slideshows and read trail stories for a little while…….
2 a.m. – So, what was I doing? Navigation, that’s right. Darn, is it really 2 a.m?
Just like a kid might do if left unattended in a candy shop, I made it to the first chocolate display, indulged myself stupid then passed out in a content and happy pile.
Usually you do your best work at 2am. I think the problem is you started too early in the night. And maybe next time, have chocolate first.
Ha, you know me too well! 🙂 Sleep has always been overrated in my book!
Ps. Pikas really ARE cute!