REFLECTIONS ON THE CDT

Well, here it is six weeks after we finished the CDT. We had a lot of fun picking up our new car in Whitefish and driving south along the same route we hiked. We slept in the back of the Subaru, ate at some of our favorite CDT restaurants, and slack packed some missed sections. Ended the road trip with six days at the Grand Canyon, visiting Emma.

After lots of time to think about the thruhike, I have these comments. The mountains and camping every night felt like going home. I don’t feel changed by the experience, only reassured that I love long demanding journeys. Dopamine, a good appetite, excitement, deep fatigue, and new experiences make me very happy. I was surprised to discover I enjoyed backpacking—the slow pace, the remoteness, the physical challenges. Also surprised that I’m not a nature lover so much as an exercise lover. While other hikers exclaim about the beauty of nature, I’m in my head daydreaming or making plans, grooving on deep breaths and moving muscles.

Our next adventure is to move back to my hometown, Lawrence, Kansas, where we'll be building a house. It's been over thirty years and we're very much looking forward to living near our ten brothers and sisters. I'll be looking for a new job, squeezing in outdoor adventures as vacation time allows, grateful for the opportunity to have had five months off work to thruhike the Continental Divide Trail.