I started this update when I was sitting in the Jefferson Market in Jefferson, CO which consists of several buildings and a post office. Using their wifi to do this update and call home.
I hope to post more pics and info when I get home. This is just a summary.
My trip started off well until I got to denver. The airline lost my backpack. 2 1/2 hours later they located it and I headed down to take the 30 minute train to Denver. Well the train was broken so they were giving everyone a free bus ride to union station. That took an hour and 45 minutes. During all this I tried to reach my shuttle ride. Called, texted, emailed but no response. I posted my dilemma on FB and our trail angel from our trip in May came to my rescue.
Whew! I was finally able to relax.
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| A lost bag that is found is precious! |
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This is what all REI stores should look like. Oh, it was 90 degrees in Denver. They were also holding Riverfest when I arrived. I walked from union station to REI. Hot walk. A band was playing and people everywhere. Kayakers and tubing in the river.
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I camped Saturday night and then started hiking in earnest on Sunday. It rained most of the day. Thunder, lightning, hail, I got it all. The temp dropped which was nice.
Got these at REI. They are awesome.
This is Juliet. She is from the UK and goes to school in Glascow. We have the same packs and red hair. She hiked waaaaay faster than me. Very sweet kid. She tries to do 15 miles a day. (I am tired at 10 miles)
We had a beast of a climb this day. Something like 2,500 feet of climb. Then w dropped down into this valley. Everyone dropped into the campground and moaned about the climb. Brutal section with no switchbacks. Just a rocky straight up jeep road on the worst part. The campsite was great. About 15 people total camped in the valley.
I was able to soak my feet. Ahhh. Love my water shoes.
Got water and even did a sponge bath. Felt more human. Doesn't this water look yummy? Urine yellow.
We had a full moon again.
It was like a flashlight shining through my tent!
Juliet's phone did so I gave her a charge. She gave me oreos.
The next morning it was 37 degrees! I packed up and left at 6:23 with no breakfast and just tried to get warm. I kept singing my song...."down in the valley, where it is so fucking cold, I'm losing my fingers and probably my toes. Saw 2 deer and these guys. The dog is Otto. Its his first trip. The guys are from WI.
Saw lots of wildflowers and these cool flowers. White thistle. Big too!
This guy does not filter his water. Hmmmmm.....no way. It works for him but would not for me!
For quite a ways the forest looked rather junky. Full of tangled brush. Steep slope and nowhere to camp. So I had to keep walking. And walking. And walking.
Nowhere to camp!
I pushed through the tangled woods, through a pretty aspen grove, a huge open area with a vista view, over a good water source, past several undesirable campsites, up a big incline and then wandered across a slope and this valley came into sight. This was the last water for a while. I saw a tent at the top of the far hill.
I trudged past a tent near the creek and saw Jordan. The kid who had blisters and I helped out. Then when I got up the hill I met Barb. She had no problem with me sleeping by her. (She probably did later when I dumped my sinuses that night into my bandana)
THIS was the view I had that evening. I had plenty of time to make dinner, get my tent up and settle in.
I slept in since I did 16.5 miles to get to this campsite. Barb was long gone. Jordan left as I was making breakfast. I ate a double egg scramble, got water from the stream and filtered it then did laundry and let stuff dry while I packed up my tent. It was 90 degrees when I woke up that morning in my tent!
This young law student stopped on his way by. Nice guy. I will never see him again. He does big miles.
I saw several bluebirds when I got on the trail! This is my best pic. There were not a lot of trees as I headed over Kenosha pass. A few mountain bikers.
The view from the pass was beautiful.
I met these gals from FL. Umbrellas ruled on this sunny hot segment.
I met this group just after taking a "break". (Never fails that a crowd shows up if you take a "break". The couple on the right are from Ohio. The blonde with the green shorts is Pia from Germany. The other two are from CO. They guy on the right loved the info I gave him about my hands free umbrella.
Hands free umbrella. I also had tie downs attached so the wind wouldn't invert it. It worked well. People were jealous. I felt I looked like a hiking dork and looked like a tin peddeler. I should have had lots and plans hanging off me.
I met this gnarly kid and his grandpa as I dropped down into the valley on a rather rocky trail. This kid will likely be an extreme sport superstar. He had the fire in his eyes.
I made it to the end of this segment and there was trail magic. The water jugs were empty. That's ok I didnt need them.
Inside the box were lots of items hiker ditched. Usually to get rid of what they dont need and lighten their load.
I gave a couple directions, crossed the highway and ran into the Ohio couple. They were on their way to jefferson. Then I ran into the trio with Pia. Pia will continue on so maybe i will see her someday. I found a great spot and got change from the couple I gave directions to so I could pay for my site. I talked to them for a while about what I am doing and then they invited me over for dinner!
I had a lovely pork chop dinner in their camper and showed them some of my gear. We talked about places we have been. Very charming couple. We exchanged contact info to keep in touch. They are headed to Breckenridge to spend time with their family.
While we were talking a moose walked by the camper! We ran out to get photos from a safe distance. I zoomed so I could get good pics and video.
The next morning I met this young man and his dog. It is her first trip with a pack.
It was 4.5 miles to Jefferson. I couldn't get a ride so walked it. I saw an antelope which was cool. It was running towards the highway on a collision course with a camper. Fortunately he stopped in time. Then about a mile from town a former thru hiker named "Ryan" stopped to give me a ride.
I then spent about 4 hours in the market. They had my box for me. I saw on the register that a couple of guys I met earlier were still to come in for their boxes. I had breakfast and some snacks, charged my power brick, talked to Alan and drank a lot of water.
Chris showed up and we got a ride back to the trail from a generous couple who were in the area for a wedding.
Chris got water and I went to the trail. I met another charming couple who had a million questions and hiked a short way with me. They were soft spoken and very sweet when they wished me well and blessed my joirney.
I passed thru several Aspen groves. Aspens and columbines seem to do well together. Blue columbines are my favorite flowers.
The view from the trail was beautiful once I was out of the trees. I could see the Fairplay fire. It was far, far away.
Chris met up with me and we hiked down to a stream and a nice meadow. Two gals and a guy showed up. Laura, "Homemade", shared a beer with me after we set up our tents. Chris and John played frisbee. Then Homemade realized when she was talking to me that she had been following me on FB and had wanted to meet me because I made a lot of my stuff like she does. We were talking and suddenly she got a wide eyed look on her face and said, "You're Betty Cook!" What a small world. We bonded instantly and found later we have so much in common.
It felt like wilderness until several vehicles drove by.
It was a beautiful evening with camaraderie, conversations and bonding. All topped off with a beautiful sunset. We didnt want it to end because we knew this was a special night.
I took a pic of the stars that night.
The moon came up and it was like a flashlight shining in our tents. This is Homemade's tent. It was a beautiful evening after a beautiful day.
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