MRT: Plans

COVID willing, I’m hoping to start the MRT around mid-April, somewhat weather dependent. On the AZT, I got dumped on with snow and freezing temps in the Mazatzals in mid-April. On the GET, I was in the Pinaleno Mountains – not much snow but very chilly above 9,000 ft.

My boys are going to try to join me on a leg of the MRT, maybe Pine to Forest Lakes. That would be cool! They attempted to hike with me on the CDT in 2017 but we got stopped by a forest fire on the MT/ID border. Instead, we went on an epic 4-day flyfishing expedition in SW Montana. By the end of this adventure, I was able to resume my CDT with no further detours until I got to Lincoln.

Took a training hike up on Mt Lemmon yesterday with my son and family, 8,000′ so a good workout. I will need a few more of those before the start of this hike. Hope to start a more regimented workout schedule early in the new year. This seems to have served me well in the past. Maybe even a trip over the Rincon Mountains near Tucson to test new gear.

My ankle is doing pretty well – glad I had the surgery because there is a lot less pain. Just need to do a lot more stretching and will still wear an ankle brace while hiking. My surgeon is reading A Walk in the Woods so may be a future thru-hiker!