#idahocentennialtrail

[idaholovething-blog]

Eighth day. A quick recap.

So much to say but as I fall exhausted into bed (a cozy sleeping pad and bag) - it is difficult to capture the past days in a few words. Thus, I won't try. Quick run down: we are currently about 235 miles into the ICT. We have had tons of support on this first section and are extremely grateful. Now, we head out on our own relying on resupply boxes and a couple of preset drops. We have both lost weight and will likely continue to do so. Our goal is to minimize that as best we can. One of the oddest and most unexpected things for both of us is the lack of appetite after a 7-10 hour day of running/hiking. It becomes more of a chore to scarf something down before we pass out. Today was an epic day of climbing. I am not sure Taylor or I have ever used so many choice words as we climbed grades so vertical that you could face plant without actually falling. Ha! Brutal. Satisfying. Trail conditions have varied from non-existent to completely unmaintained to so-so to GREAT! We are forever appreciative of the work that has been done and will strive to bring more awareness and resources to this awesome trail. We will be fairly scarce with reception the next two weeks but will do what we can to keep everyone updated. Thanks for all the love and encouragement. We feel it. We need it. See you on the trail, AB & Taylor

[idaholovething-blog]

And on the third day...

We rocked out 33 miles...for a total of 83. Yes, we hit the trail a day early (July 30th), sometimes just ripping off the bandaid is the best strategy. We were transported up to our starting point by Taylor's super rad dad, Bob or, Coach Bob as we refer to him. And boom, we were off! A 1 pm start could have proven quite warm but, we couldn't have asked for a more perfectly shaded trail for most of it. We wound up to Upper Priest Falls to the true 'start', took a dip in the falls and turned around to run back a mile and a half the way we came up. From here we continued on a great trail, minus some boggy spots, to where we came out on a dirt road which we ran for several miles - long, straight road - before we hit another trail. Eventually, we were spit out onto Upper Priest Lake and ran our way to Lion Head where Coach Bob had set up camp . Eating our way through a couple burgers each, some ice cream bars, a bag of Fritos and a couple of beers was a simple task. Sleep came quickly and soundly. Miles: 23 Wildlife: a tiny frog Day two found us rocking out 10 paved (yuck!) miles to Indian Creek where we may have eaten ice cream cones and burritos. The pavement continued another several miles before we started climbing hunt creek road for the next 9 miles - dirt never felt so good! We were joined by our videographer and friend, BK who hiked with us across the boulder field toward Hunt Lake where we set up camp for the night. 28 miles of some pretty hefty climbing had us knocked out early. But, it proved to be a cold night for both of us with little sleep. Miles: 28 Wildlife: a huckleberry picking woman Day three...started with a wild, trail-less scramble up and out of the lake bowl. As we looked down into the pack River drainage, it was glorious. Idaho in all its raw beauty. A long jaunt down and we ended up navigating easily to the trail and from there it was a grind of a day. Down into the pack River drainage, up and over another peak and down again into our final destination, Naples. The day was brimming with gorgeous views. Miles: 33 Wildlife: lots of dead things, + a rabbit, grouse, deer. We have had phenomenal help from Coach Bob and now joined by Taylor's mom, Mama Lynn. We are sleeping soundly in their home away from home. We were able to clean up, roll out our sore muscles and fill our bellies to the brim. All in prep for another day, on the ICT. See you on the trail, AB & Taylor @visitidaho

[idaholovething-blog]

The Final Countdown

“We’re leaving together...And maybe we’ll come back to Earth, who can tell? It’s the final countdown.”

Just as the band, Europe belts out the familiar lyrics of an over-played anthem - we are currently in the final prep stages of our epic adventure. 

Ten days out from stepping onto the Idaho Centennial Trail, the last-minute details drive our thoughts, consume our ‘free’ time and keep us awake at night, furiously writing notes and making checklists. Texts fly back and forth between Taylor and me as we hash out food/gear drops, schedules, and a slew of ‘other stuff’. 

As we dial in our support crews, our drop boxes, our gear...the main concern now is chilling out (physically) and trying to consume extra calories in the hopes of putting on a few pounds before we hit the ground running - to quote another great band, Reckless Kelly. The 15-30# loss that many thru-hikers speak of just isn’t a viable option for the two of us. This means a LOT of food. More food than either of us is accustomed to consuming.

In addition, we both have full-time jobs that don’t just go away while we are on the trail. Prep, prep, prep and then more prep. What seemed so far away when we started our serious planning a year ago is now urgent; it feels like an over zealous dog nipping at our heels that we are about to turn around and try to tame!

To some, this is crazy. To others, epic. To still another, it may seem stupid. Believe me, we have had the same sentiments and more run through our heads on innumerable occasions. However, if I may, to quote my fearless trail mate on a text from earlier this week...It is going to be ugly, glorious and extreme. We got this Drij!  

See you on the trail,

AB & Taylor

Your @idaholovething duo