Progress but no wifi

Well, I have tried in every town since Twin Lakes to update my blog but the wifi has been so crappy I cant upload photos.

I'm in Lake City now nursing some blisters which apparently are caused by my boots which got wet and when they dried they shrunk and are now rubbing on the sides of my feet. 

So I'm trying to dry out the blisters.  Sigh.  I'll have to keep my feet taped now when hiking.

I met a couple from China who are hiking with their 7 year old son!  I told them I'd try to catch them along the trail.

The scenery has gone from just forest to spectacular vistas above treeline.  The next 2 segments are primarily over mesas and are boring but will become spectacular again.

My next goal is to get to Molas Lake campground.  When I get back to the trail there is no water for 23 miles.  There is a rumor that there is a spring about 10 miles in but I'm going to play it safe and haul extra water.

It is 52 miles to the trail to Molas Lake Campground.  Some hikers have told me it will take them only 2 days to get there!!  The trail is mostly over 11,000 feet and quite a bit is over 12,000 feet.  I hike slow in high altitude so it will take 4 - 5 days for me depending on the weather.

Then after Molas Lake the trail heads towards the burn area.  Apparently the trail is not affected.  Every day more and more hikers are posting on FB that they completed the trail so it must be ok.

I doubt there is any internet between here and Durango so hopefully my next post will be about finishing the trail.  Pics will follow once I have internet!

I have amazing photos.  No bears but I have seen a non poisonous snake, a ptarmagin, lots of mule deer including a couple of bucks with large antlers, a momma and baby moose and a male moose with fuzzy antlers.  I've met so many kind and generous people.  It seems that wearing a backpack and saying you are hiking the CT makes you a celebrity in CO.  Or maybe it's because I'm doing it alone and I'm a 55 year old woman.  Who knows and who cares.  It's just nice to meet so many nice people.

A couple of gals I mt thru FB want me to meet them in Denver after my hike to take me out to dinner and tell trail stories.

Everyone who has helped me in some way has given me their contact info so I can let them know when I finish and how I am doing when it's all over.

Many many people on the FB page "Colorado Trail Thru Hike 2018" have said I inspire them and I am their "shero".  (If you join this page you can see photos up to now)

Hopefully all goes well and the weather holds out.  Just hoping it doesn't snow!  It certainly can.  It has hailed on me about every day which is no big deal.  Its just quinoa sized hail, not NE golf ball hail!

If you received an email or text from me thru my Garmin Inreach you can reply to that note to contact me.  

Looking forward to sharing the pics.....

Twin Lakes bound and a respite after going downhill

Nomad was up early and left about 5:15.  The two gals left just before me and I left a little after 7.  The kids Snowbird and White Toes were still in their tent.

Saw these as I crossed the creek by our campsite. 
I liked the texture of these plants.

How do some logs get so twisty like this?

I tried to imagine the force it takes to RIP apart a tree like this....

I am fascinated with the twisted textures found in tree stumps.

Been seeing a lot of this along the trail.  Horse poo.  No bears yet.  Just lots of horse poo.

Another beautiful stream. 
I need a wider angle lens to really capture some of these.

These flowers are always around water.  Very pretty and about waist high or more.

I am weird.  I searched around for these and laid them down on a log to take this pic.  Thought it would be different.  Just a way to entertain myself.

Imagine how long it would take to cut THIS with you CT hand saw.
The CT saw is a hand cord saw you hold on each end by 2 loops.  You can wind it up small to put in your pack since it is just flexible cord. 
Not practical for cutting anything larger than a stick!

A view of a baby pine from above.
Getting artsy here folks.

Looks like a hat or a secret door to Wonderland.  Right Alice?

This trail sign made me laugh the first time I saw it.  It still makes me smile.

Grow baby spruce!
The baby spruce around her are beautiful.  Some are very blue.

This is the trail everyone takes to hike the 14er Mt. massive.  

Moss on a rock.
A close up view.

Another view from above.

One of my favorite pics.
Not sure what these are. 
Will check my book when I am home.

It is fun to take pics of raindrops on leaves.  Water is an interesting subject.

Not sure what these bushes are but they get fantastic red berries.  Lusterous ruby red berries.

Just another view from above.

Mountain view from the trail.
I believe this is Mt. Elbert?

It doesn't show up but the mica on the trail was so reflective it looked like diamonds.

These cute yellow flowers are everywhere.

I'm in the area where a lot of the trees are down.  Appears cut down due to beetle kill.  I heard it is better when they are laying on the ground vs sticking up in the air.

This couple passed me as they went up the trail.  Their dog didnt stop but then the owner called him back and he let me let him.  On their way back down to the car he walked up to me, stopped next to me as if to say, I'm here, pet me.

This moss only grows here and there.  It is so very orange!

This father and son are "headed to the top!" according to the dad.  He seemed a little too ambitious given the late hour of the day.  The son even said "look at the sky dad."
The kid was right  

At the Mt. Massive trailhead.

Some lost items.
Hopefully their owners will find them.  I've seen similar items like car keys at trailheads.  Yikes!

White Toes and Snowbird.
On their way to Leadville to rest and finish their vacation.
Nice kids.  

It is starting to warm up a bit.
(Not muggy though!)

A lovely restroom!
And a rock to hold my bag.

These two guys came out to hike the day before with heavy packs.  They talked to other backpackers, went back home and to wal mart and got lighter gear that was recommended and are now headed out to hike with comfortable weight in their packs.  

Cars from all over the country come here.  This is a popular spot to do 14'er hikes up mt Massive and Elbert.

The stream where I got water.
A tempting pool....

I settled for soaking my feet.

A new adventure starts.
I have not been beyond this point before.

Can you see the blue and black colored bird?  No idea what kind.  About the size of a blue jay.

Raspberries are forming!

The trail just goes up.
And up.
Came across a day hiker who sai "Lord take me now so I dont have to walk anymore". 
He will never be a backpacker.

Look, a chair. 

This fence has been placed to keep hikers from camping here. 

The trail junction.
Finally able to leave the day hikers behind me.

This is Otto and his stick.
He carried it quite a ways.
Reminded me of our old dog, ginger.

How would you cross this stream?

Another new flower I have not seen before.

Hmmmm.need to find out what this bush is.  I only know you can eat raspberries.  Avoiding all other berries!  

Why people, why?

It doesn't look like it but this is going up.  

A different kind of trail reinforcement and crossing

I love all the little waterfalls I see along the trail.

Another texture photo.

This lone Columbine is the only one i have seen in quite a while.

Wow.  Lots of cutting here.
Obviously NOT with a hand held CT saw.

I met "Straight Up" on the trail and as we talked we found we are both huge LOTR and GOT fans. 
His friend "Optics" has binoculars and whenever he uses them they ask him "Legolas, what do your elven eyes see?"  That made me laugh.  Nice kid.  Fun to talk to.

Another interesting creek crossing.

This bridg went over a wide area of a shallow creek and willows. 
The whole area around here looked different than any other part of the trail so far.

Our first view of Twin Lakes.

And this is where I exited.
Took the sketchy trail to town.

Immediately it was obvious this is not maintained like the CT.
I hate this type of trail surface.
Gravelly and slippery with a dropoff on one side.

Ugh, it is not getting closer.

Stunning view through the trees momentarily took my mind off this crappy trail.

I passed this large campsite.
It's on private property.

The crappy trail turned into this God awful rocky steep jeep road.
Killed my knees.

And it just kept going.

Getting a little closer.
What a pretty area.
I can see the water level is low.

This is a friend of Straigt Up. 
They call him Drogo or Jesus.
He hadn't decided what trail name to use.  He ran past me to get to the food truck before 6 which is when it closes.  He was getting food for the group.
Yes, he RAN downhill past me.
I'm so jealous.
I used to be able to run downhill like that.  Big sigh.
Keep hobbling downhill girl.

Finally made it. 
Not much for town.
Or for restaurants.
The food truck is very popular and known on the trail.

I went to the general store.
The new owner helped me find my box amongst hundreds of boxes.  He appreciated my gummy bear duct tape.

Found.  And rather quickly.
Glad he helped.  I would not have been able to find it.  It was the new owners first day.  Computers and internet kept going down.  Busiest day of the year so far.  He and his wife went above and beyond to help me with lodging.  It was 7 PM and no rooms available.  They did find a resident who let me camp in her yard and use her shower!

Here is Drogo in the market.
He must have picked that trail name because that is what he told me it is.

My hostess came with me to dinner.  She introduced me to the bartender, a local resident who is an actor and stars as the deputy mayor in Chicago Fire.

My campsite with the log home my hostess rents.  Tiny and adorable.

Her neighbor.  A lovely lady.  Retired nurse.  I'm jealous of her hot box which someone had built for her for her tomatoes.

And here is the fire dept.
They are supposed to be getting another bigger station built nearby.

My hostess even made me breakfast!  We found we both like fishing.   She was headed out to do this.

This is the Lodge.  I was able to find a room with them for 2 nights. 
The general store owner told me I am the luckiest person he knows to have found the lodging I did on the busiest weekend so far this year.

This is the Inn where I had dinner with my hostess.

A view down one of the streets.

My tent before I took it down with the mountains behind it.

The hummingbird feeder in my hostess' yard.

A little squirrel looking for food.
I had my box food out but didnt share.

A view across the road from the general store.

Straight Up and his gang getting ready to head out.  He didnt recognize me all clean and with my hair showing.  I promised to let him know when I get to Durango.

I was invited to a presentation by a Ute Indian about the history of the tribe in CO.  Very entertaining.  A soft spoken man with a good sense of humor.  Afterwards the general store owner told me I am basically an honorary resident since I have met everyone in town.  I laughed and said I look forward to coming back for a visit.

A free book exchange.
How cute.  Love the box and the idea.

This is the gallery.  There were small quilts.  Nothing like what my group makes.  Also needle felted wall pictures.  Gave me good ideas.  Some nice pottery, glass and turned wood .  And of course photos and paintings.  Nothing I felt I had to buy but the owner was very pleasant.  Her adorable grandson (?) Was helping to welcome visitors.

Long line at the food truck.
They could use another restaurant or even a Mexican food truck.
And they need a good hostel for hikers.  They used to sort of have one but there were issues.  Never found out what they were.

Hummingbirds at the gallery.
They buzzed all around me and my head.

My tiny home for 2 nights.
I was told it was a brothel before. 
The inside was about 15' x 15'.

Another cottage with a garage attached with the washer and dryer which I didnt use.  It cost $7.

The Lodge owners garden.
He told me I could forage and make a salad.  I thought of doing this for dinner.  I didnt because it poured rain later on.

The view of the patio and hot tub next to my room.  Didnt use them.

Everyone's yards were lumpy and bumpy like this due to round squirrels.  Looks really hard to mow!

The sofa bed opened up.
Surprisingly comfortable.
You can crawl off it onto the toilet.

A view of the tiny bathroom.

And the tiny kitchen.

Another view of the tiny kitchen.

Stopped o get lunch at the food truck and hung out by the hummingbirds while I waited. 

captionI took a lot of pics to get this one!  Surprising to see how well they share the feeders.

Another house just down he road with a gazillion hummingbirds. 
They swarmed the feeders like moths.

After seeing the forecast I was glad to have my room rented.

The cupboard with the eclectic dish collection.  Looks like the owners wife had fun at auctions or antique stores buying items.

The silverware drawer.

The doors under the sink had skeleton key in it!

The utensil drawer.

And the pots and pans.
Pretty well stocked to be able to make a meal.  

The rainy view out the front porch.

And it rained the entire rest of the day into the night.  The windows were all opened so during the night I did hear a lady nearby scream in the middle of the night.  Must have had a nightmare.  I was ready to leave and continue on the next morning!