It froze again last night and I did not sleep well.  It was too cold and my tent was on a slope that caused me to keep sliding all over.  I heard an owl and what I’m calling a wolf around 5:00 am.  It was a very low and deep howl.  Just one.

I passed a small lake named Lake of the Woods around lunchtime. The trail goes around the southwest side, but the map showed a dirt road going around the northeast side that looked slightly shorter so I opted for it. Big mistake. I soon passed some sort of para-military or religious camp. Someone had just blown a whistle and about 10 adults were lined up around a table listening to some guy. They didn’t look over at me so I just kept going. I don’t know – maybe they were just out on their ATv’s for fun but I got this weird vibe I didn’t like. Shortly after the road dead-ended and I wasn’t about to go back so I had to bushwhack around the lake inlet for a ways before picking up the road again.

I passed another camp on this side of the lake and this time a couple of dogs came charging up the hill to me. One was a pitbull and he didn’t look friendly. I said “Hi dog!” to it and kept going forward. The dog kept barking and got behind me and I saw it make a lunge from the corner of my eye. I immediately stopped, turned around and pointed my trekking pole at it, “I don’t think so”. It stopped in it’s tracks. Maybe it knew I was more than willing to stab it a good one. It was about then that the dumb-ass owners finally called it off. I waved and smiled, but got no response from them. I don’t know – maybe they didn’t hear me or they were too busy planning their attack on the other bunch across the lake. I was just glad to get away from these weirdos and back on the official CDT.

The trail was interesting and the great weather with no bugs continued.  
Around 3:00 I was starting up Gunsight pass when I see no other than Terry Conner, the “Concon Hikes” YouTube guy coming towards me.  I talked with him for a bit and he was every bit as nice and positive as he is in his videos.  Shortly after we parted, his sidekick Jason (Jesus) came roaring past with barely so much as a “Hi”.  The girl that was with them named Two Slice apparently quit.

I’m currently camped near the bridge over Hell Roaring creek.  There are a few mosquitoes here, but not too bad. I did 23 miles today.  I think I’m finally in the Winds, but nothing spectacular yet.  I hope tomorrow will be when I finally get to see things.

I’ve been feeling like I am the last Sobo of the year, weeks behind.  I don’t see hardly anyone anymore.  Even the NOBO’s have tapered off to just a couple every other day.  Terry assured me though that there are like 20 just in front of me. Of course I won’t see any of them because we are all going the same speed in the same direction.