46: Monarch
A hiker asked me yesterday, why bike the CDT? I guess the answer is simple: 1) mountain biking is fun; and, 2) the CDT goes really pretty places. (Oh, and I guess—not something I would necessarily tell an inquiring stranger on the trail, but the fact that only a few people have done so. Getting to do something somewhat original is a huge part of the appeal.)
Morning was glorious—easy climbing into the alpine on efficient road and newly constructed trail.
Afternoon was hard—lots of hike-a-bike!
I took my first real crash of the trip today, pitching myself ass-over-teacups into a scree field. Fortunately, nothing is damaged that won’t heal or can’t be readily repaired with needle and thread. (I *did* put on my rain gear before sleeping to keep from bloodying my quilt…)
Overall, a nice mix of inspiring and challenging. Getting to finish the last ten miles on ridable trail today helped end things on a positive note.