CDT Day 136: Day of the Solar Eclipse

Daily Miles: 24.1, Total Miles: 2,399.4

Ryan got me back to Mcdonald Pass bright and early. By the time I had walked down the highway to head north, he called and told me I had left my rain jacket at the house. He came back out with the jacket and solar eclipse glasses. I got to give the grandkids a kiss and was on my way. Thanks son, sorry for the double trip.

I hiked over relatively low Priest Pass and Mullens Pass and kept an eye on the time and the sun because today’s the big eclipse day.

Clear skies today and the haze is not as bad. Good timing for me as I walked through a grassy meadow with clear visibility as the maximum 93% eclipse was reached. Definite loss of solar intensity and the sky took on a dusky look. The view through the glasses was incredible with just a sliver of sun showing. Coincidence or not, the many cows in the meadow became quite agitated and mooed in unison.

I picked up a long, unexpected new section of trail. John Brown wasn’t around this time for advice but it did eventually tie in with the old CDT.

Finally dropped off on a trail to Dana Spring, my destination and only water source today. A good, fenced spring feeds a piped cattle trough. The pipe was flowing well enough to fill the bottles after chasing off some slobbering cows.

As I set up camp, a young moose was making his way towards the spring.