Day 1/ 10-6-21
I was dropped off at Buckskin Gulch 5.6 miles from the AZT TH. because the wash was full of water.
I started hiking the AZT at 1pm. Set up camp at 6:15pm and hiked 6.5 miles on trail.
I had a Mountain house chicken faita bowl and a protein shake for dinner.
Day: 2/ 10-7-21
Woke up at 4:45am started hiking at 6:06am. Got water and took a small break at wildlife tank at Mile 10.5 drank a liter of water and took 1.5 liters. Stopped at Mile 13.2 and got some water. Wish I would have got more then I did. Because there was a reroute do to the magnum fire last year. And it was a 21 mile dry section. And I will run out before I get to water tomorrow in 9.4 miles. I made dinner beef stew at 5:30. When I got done eating I didn’t feel like hiking anymore today so I set up camp where the reroute meets back up with the AZT. I hiked 19.5 miles today with 8 miles being on the magnum fire reroute. My shoulders are probably the most sore other then that the rest is not so bad.
I chose to take the fire reroute because there is a $5000 dollar fine for crossing the closer. And I got to thinking that the trail changes all most every year and by time someone go after my record the trail will probably be different. Also the reroute is the trail for 2021.
DAY 3/ 10-8-21
I woke up at 3am and it was pouring so I went back to sleep. It finally settled down around 6am. I started hiking at 7:05am. Made it 4 miles to Hwy 89 at 9:05am. My pack is approx 80lbs without water. Can’t wait for a few more days to go by so the weight won’t be so bad. Then I can start doing the miles I need to. Only have a cup of water to make it 5.5 miles to the Buffalo trick tank. Found water in 2.4 miles at an unmarked tank at Mile 30.2 that had 6 inches in it from the rain. Drank a liter and took ½ liter. The Buffalo trick tank was full of water. I got rained on for a while in the night so my tent was all wet. Set my tent up to dry at the Buffalo trick tank while I got water. Got a liter and packed up as it started to rain. Got 4 liters of water at mile 37.1 at a cement trough. Camped at Mile 40.6 for a 17.6 mile day. I felt good enough to keep going but a big storm was coming in and I didn’t want to get caught in it.
DAY 4/ 10-9-21
Woke up at 4am and started hiking at 5:30am. Dried my stuff out at Crane lake. Got water at 56.3 from a wildlife drinker. Set up camp at 63.8 next to a water tank. Just outside the Grand canyon boundary. I hiked 23.4 miles today.
Day 5/ 10-10-21
I woke up at 4am found a hole my sleeping bag. I had to sow it up. Everything froze last night. Good thing I slept with my filter. Got a couple liters from the heli tank where I camped at mile 63.8. Started hiking around 7am.Made it to North rim around 12pm. Took a break dried my stuff out and eat some food. While I talked to people about what I was doing with such a big pack. I got to phantom ranch at 6:30pm was going to eat dinner but there was a lot of people there so I left. I walked .1 miles or so by the ranger station. There were benches with no one around. So I stopped to eat dinner before the climb up south rim. Got 3.5 miles from the top and had to stop. Went 29.7 miles today. My pack weighs about 73 to 75 pounds without water. I don’t think I have been eating all my food for each day.
Day 6/ 10-11-21
woke up at 5am started hiking at 5:30am. The worst part of hiking with a big pack everyone wants to know what you are doing. Then they want to take your picture. Wich slows you down. Made it to the top of South Rim at 9:20am getting half liter of water then using the bathroom and headed down the trail. Stopped at Mile 97.6 to on trail away from the tourists to eat without all the questions about my pack. Stopped at a water spigot at Mather campground and got almost 5 liters of water. 11:49am walked away. While there I seen the 2 that started with me. Names are going to be hard I think because I am not hiking with anyone. Just got past by Machine while taking a small brake at mile 101. Stopped at Mile 105.5 just past Tusayan.
Day 7/ 10-12-21
Woke up at 5am. There was about 3 inches of snow on the ground. Slowly got packed up hoping the snow would stop coming down but it doesn’t look like it is going to. Started hiking at 6:35am. Hiked all day in a snow storm with 3 to 8 inches on the ground. Camped at mile 126.6
Day 8/ 10-13-21
Woke up at 3am hoping the snow would be solid. It was not so I went back to sleep until around 6am. Started hiking around 7-7:30am. Got 2.5 liters from Russell’s metal tank. Took a break there as well. Started hiking again around 12pm. Stopped and dried my stuff out at mile 133.6. While I was there some guy passed me going nobo. Stopped at about 5: 35pm at mile 144.1 to set up camp. Because the 10 miles of 6 inch snow I had to walk through wore my legs out. Ended the day with 17.8 miles.
Day 9/ 10-14-21
Woke up with everything frozen again at 4:45am. Looked at the numbers today and have to admit it’s going to be hard to make it to the end with what I got. Not saying I am going to give up, just it’s going to be hard. The snow and mud the last couple days messed me up. My left ankle is sore from walking in the snow. It’s so cold in the morning it makes it hard to get up. I am going to try and hike late and sleep in a little. We will see. Started hiking at 6:34am. Just as I started hiking a nobo named White passed me. Stopped at 148.9 wildlife drinker got 2 liters and drank one. Got a liter of water at mile 159 from a tank. Stopped at 164 and got 3 liters of water.. I ate dinner at 5:30 around mile 168. Set up camp at 172.2 for a 28.1 mile day.
Day 10/ 10-15-21
Woke up to everything frozen again. Started hiking at 7:30am. I’m not moving very fast pack is still heavy and m ankles are a little sore. Got water at mile 186.3 Camped at mile 195.8 . I only did 23.6 today.
Day 11/ 10-16-21
Woke up at 5am. Started hiking at 6:20am. Got water at schultz tank 198.6 for 20 mile carry. Stopped at 218.5 got water and ate then went to 221.1 and got water for 15 mile carry to upper Marry lake. Didn’t make it to marry lake set up camp at mile 226.8 for a 31 mile day.
Day 12/ 10-17-21
Started hiking at 5:50am. Got a liter of water at mile 230.2. Passed a lady by the Name of Polar bear going nobo just before I got water at 230.2. Got water from a Creek at 252.6. Got water at Navajo spring mile 257. Set up camp at 262.4 around 9:30.
Day 13/ 10-18-21
Started hiking at 6:35am got water at 273.4 Bargaman tank took 2.5 liters. It got really windy. Got 10.7 miles in by 11:37am. Stopped at Mile 286.3 Homestead tank got 2.5 liters. Set up camp at 8-8:30pm at mile 295.3 for a 32.9 mile day. Stayed cool and really windy all day.
Day 14/ 10-19-21
Started hiking at 6:30am. Got to East creek mile 300.5 drank a liter and took 1.5 liters. Had to switch to my new filter. The old one blew a seal around the side. Made a wrong turn at mile 302.4 went .1 to .2 off trail and had to backtrack. Stopped for 1.5 hours at 311.0 east Verde river. Washed clothes and myself. Started hiking at 2:30pm. Got water at 320.7. I camped just past Moonjuice and Sue. Set up camp at mile 320.8. Ended with a 25.5 mile day. I didn’t want to camp close to Pine to eliminate doubt that I didn’t go to town.
Day 15/ 10-20-21
Woke up at 2am. Started hiking at 3am. Got 1.5 liters of water at mile Got 2.5 liters of water at 332.9 made a wrong turn going back to the trail from water by .1 mile. Stopped at white Rock spring mile 345.8 got 1 liter. Camped at 353.4 on the side of the trail going up the mountain. I hiked 32.6 miles today. It was a long day with lots of climbing and hiking over rocks. My feet hurt today. I got 2 blisters one on each foot. Located on the outside of the heal. I ran a little bit today. Passed Trout at the TH to Pine. He was waiting for a friend to pick him up.
Day 16/ 10-21-21
Started hiking at 6:03am. I got .5 liters and drank a liter at 355.8 bush springs. Stopped at 359.1 and got 2 liters. Left 359.1 at 9:1am got water at 368.5. 1 liter took lunch here as well. Got to 368.5 at 1:40 left 2:12. Got 2.5 liters of water at Bear springs mile 376. Then camped at 385.3. My feet hurt today from all the rocks on the trail. That and I ran a bunch today.
Day 17/ 10-22-21
Started hiking at 6:20am. Had to check supplies. I think I might be a little short. Got water at 388.7. Took a break under hwy 87 to stretch. Got water at Sycamore Creek mile 402.5. Got water out of a trough at mile 411. Got water at 421.8 Shake spring. Did 36.6 miles. Camped at mile 421.9. passed 6 nobos today. Blue bird, and poo bear were the only names I remember.
Day 18/ 10-23-21
Woke up at 5:30 started hiking at 6:44am. Passed a lady named Roadrunner today going nobo. A guy name Calves was sitting at the TH when I came down. He honked at me and asked if I was Happy-go-lucky. I gave him the thumbs up. He came over and offered me a beer and I told him no. He knew what I was doing and said he might meet me at the boarder to give me that beer. I got water from a wildlife drinker at mile 432.6. Then at mile 440.7 from a tank on trail. Got more water from Cottonwood springs mile 442.6. Again got water at mile 444.5 from a tank. At 446.4 got my last water for the day. Set up camp at mile 448.3.
Day 19/ 10-24-21
Started Hiking at 6am. Passed Cotton jaggy on the way up the climb at mile 449.2. Changed shoes at mile 449.2. Got water at mile 456.5 walnut spring. Got water at Reavis Creek. At mile 465.9 roughly I came down to the wash and there was a Mountain lion sitting there looking at me locking its chops. I told it I would rip him a new asshole if he fucked with me. Then it took off never to be seen again. Mile 467.4 got water out of wash just before TH. Got 20 miles and camp water at mile 477 a cement trough. Set up camp at mile 479.2 for a 30.9 mile day. Passed a few day hikers today as well. One offer me water at the TH. I turned him down, told him what I was doing and why I would rather get water out of a nasty wash instead of his clean water. Feet feel better since I changed shoes. Used my first can of fuel up today
Day 20/ 10-25-21
Started hiking at 8am. Eat shit for the 2nd time like I was sliding head first into home plate. Took a break under hwy 60 to get body temp down. It’s already getting hot at 10am. Will be switching to night hiking soon. Took a spill a couple miles from hwy 60. Got a couple more cuts on the right leg other then that I was alright. Got water from rain catch mile 496.5 for 20 miles. Stopped at Mile 505.4 to eat dinner at 9:30pm. I hiked all night. Taking couple naps. Took last couple hours at 511.6.
Day 21/ 10-26-21
Just woke up from a couple hour nap and am at it again. It’s 7:23am. I met Apple sauce, Moonglum, lost and found, Fancy feast at the TH to Kerney. Camped at mile 523.1 for a few hours then I will hike all night long. Got water from a spigot at the Maintenance yard. Wasn’t feeling it tonight. So I stopped and set up camp at mile 531.8
Day 22/ 10-27-21
- Started hiking at 6:38am. At the gate at mile 535.3 went the wrong way .2 had to backtrack to the gate and take the trail. Which will take me close to where I realized I was off trail. Got water from a tank at Mile 542.3 for 15 miles. Stopped at beehive tank but didn’t need any water. Passed Peach fuzz, twinkle toes camping 562.2. got water from mountain view tank at mile 564.1. Took 5.5 liters. Set up camp 564.1 Down the road from the tank.
Day 23/ 10-28-21
Started hiking at 7:35 am. Got water out of a tank at mile 487.8 took 4 liters to make it past Summer haven.. Camped at mile 600.9. Seen Calves at the TH. Taking Peach fuzz and twinkle toes to Oracle for Mexican food. Told them to have some chips and salsa for me.
Day 24/ 10-29-21
Went to bed at 2am so I didn’t start hiking until 8:34am. Got 1 liter of water around 602 mount lemon Creek. past Qtip heading north. Stopped at Hutches pool and took a swim. got 1.5 liters of water and off I went. Got 2.5 liters of water from Sycamore Creek 614.7. Got 4.5 liters of water at Molino basin TH wash. Was really tired so I stopped around 7:30pm to set up camp at mile 621.3. 20.7 miles for the day.
Day 25/ 10-30-29
Started hiking at 6:20am. Got another liter at mile 623.2 at Milagrosa wash. Got water at tanque Verde canyon mile 635.7. Got 4 liters because it was hot. Turns out that would make it all the way to Rincon Creek mile 655.0 where I got water for tomorrow and camp. Set up camp at mile 655.4. Around 12am or so
Day 26/ 10-31-21
Started hiking at 8:10am because I got in late again. Drank a liter and carried 1.5 liters out of LA Selvilla picnic area owned by Pima county. Next water will be Cienega Creek in 6.6 miles. Filled up 2.5 liters from Cienega Creek. Took a 45 min break at I-10 to get out of the heat. Set up camp at 7:30pm mile 679.4. Set up early because I got a kink in my upper back.
Day 27/ 11-1-21
Started hiking around 6am. Got water from Twin tanks at mile 680.6. Then got water from a trough at mile 694.1. Next got water at mile 703.6 Kentucky camp. Headed to bear springs next mile 713.9. Got to bear springs with to much water so I just kept right on going to the next water a windmill at mile 723.1. Well the windmill was turned into solar so there was no water there. Set up camp at 4:46 am mile 723.9.
Day 28/ 11-2-21
Started hiking at 8am. Got a 1.5 liters from the ball field in Patagonia to make it to water at 741.8 down under tank. Then a tank at 749.4. Set up camp at 6pm mile 745.9 for a 22 mile day. Going to get up and start for the finish line at midnight.
Day 29/ 11-3-21
I have 33.4 miles to the finish line. Going to get water in the morning from middle canyon tank at mile 749.4 got 1 liter. Then out of a Creek at mile 756.5 got 2.5 liters. and finally Bathtub spring at mile 771.3. Met horse lip at bathtub spring he’s going nobo