Glacier, Day One

On the morning of Monday, Aug. 2, Laini and I embarked on a week-long backpacking trip — Laini's first backpacking trip ever.

The afternoon before, while at Apgar, we'd gotten a walk-up backcountry pass for our seven nights in the park. (The reserve-in-advance passes booked up in March, a few weeks before I planned our trip). Because many backcountry campsites were already booked, and because we didn't have a car, our options for where to hike were very limited. Therefore we ended up doing 16 miles on our first day, with full packs and multiple stream crossings.

This would've been fine, except that it was raining, and the hike views were very monotonous due to no elevation gain. Also, for the last five miles or so of our hike, the trail was so overgrown we could hardly see the trail — sometimes simply following our feet on the packed earth underneath all the bushes.

I didn't take many photos, because of the rain, but here are a few:

The most scenic view of this day's hike

Laini under her backpacking poncho

In the last few miles of that day, we were both very tired and hungry — almost to the point where exhaustion overcame hunger. We were both trying very hard to keep our own and each other's spirits up, making silly conversation that nearly became nonsensical. Needless to say, there wasn't much conversation at all after we finally arrived at camp, as night was falling. We set up our tent, cooked dinner, and found the pit toilet in the dark. 

Unfortunately, the next day wasn't much better...

Glacier, Day 0

 Upon arriving in Kalispell, Laini and I took a pre-scheduled shuttle to the Apgar Visitor Center at Glacier National Park. We then rode the Going-to-the-Sun-Road shuttle all the way across the park to its east side, an area called St. Mary (not Mary's; adding the possessive will out you as a tourist!).

us on da bus 

views from the shuttle through the park

very hazy from wildfire smoke!

From the St. Mary Visitor Center, we walked about a mile to a campground just outside the park, having a leisurely dinner on a picnic table and appreciating the access to running water — knowing we wouldn't have it for the next few days.

Night one in our tent: all smiles!

Denver, Aug. 2021

On Friday, July 30, I completed my last day of work at the Carolina Center for Public Service and then went straight from the office to the airport. Denver or bust, baby!

I was there visiting one of my favorite people, Brooke Eller: my bff from my college semester abroad in Pamplona, Spain. 

We started our weekend with a HIIT workout at Brooke's gym, after which we made and ate a delicious veggie egg scramble. Then Brooke went to get a covid test (long story, but it was negative) while I worked on activating my GPS device for check-ins and emergency SOS signaling (happily, turned out not to be needed) on my upcoming hikes. 

Prepping my first-aid kit! 

Then we biked to REI so I could stock up on a few items I still needed for the trip. It was a lovely bike ride, even if the massive Denver REI was a bit overwhelming. Brooke and I both ended up finding some good deals in the clearance/garage sale section and I spent way too much money for someone who'd just received her last paycheck for a while. 

That evening, Brooke made pad thai for me and her gf Meg. 

Then our friend Kemper came! And focused most of her attention on Meg's dog. 

Laini arrived in Denver late that night and stayed with me at Brooke's house. The next morning, Kemper kindly drove me and Laini to the airport for [drumroll] our flight to Kalispell, Montana!