Posted by 25.7 miles
A completely uneventful day today and into the town of Lincoln.
I left the Llama ranch farm in the dark at 6am with just enough light to see without a headlamp, grabbing a can of coke from the fridge for lunch on my way out. It would be six point something miles of road walking back to the CDT Redline. I then had an option to either continue on the forest road I was on, which was flatter ground, or hike the CDT on undulating single track with a few extra miles and some pointless ups and downs with no views to be gained. The road it was.
Reaching Stemple Pass Trail Head the road reconnected with the CDT again and it decision time two. Turn left continuing on roads direct to town which was all downhill or continue on the trail to a highway junction and hitch into Lincoln. The idea of walking direct into town seemed like the better option. I wouldn’t have to muck around trying to hitch into town and I’d arrive mid afternoon leaving plenty of time at the back end of the day to rest and eat up. Hitching could take a while and meant a latter arrival in town. I’d rather maximise town time.
I followed Stemple Pass Road all the way into town stopping around half way for lunch and enjoying the Coke.
Lincoln was famous for a couple of reasons. One being named after a famous president. The other, it was the home base for Ted Kaczynski aka the ‘Unabomber’. What I didn’t know until in town was that his tiny cabin where they eventually arrested him was located on Stemple Pass Road which I would have walked right past, the cabin long since removed. Eerie for sure. I can see why this was a good hold out. Many remote cabins dotted the road walk in.
I made it in to town early afternoon, checking into the Lincoln Log Hotel for two nights. I’d take another zero day tomorrow.
Lincoln is a really small town. Everything is within a 5 minute walk and it had all the essentials that a thru-hiker needs, general store, laundromat and a few different eateries. I headed straight to an eatery for a burger and beer.
The hotel was pretty basic, but again had everything that a thru-hiker needs: bed, shower and outlets to recharge electronics. Plus a fantastic outdoor area to relax in adjacent to two streams. Deer wandered around freely.
Mick Beckers 