483 miles, 31 days and only $ 750: Did I stay with my budget?

I woke up for my last week on the way to a cold and humid morning. Audably Gemené while I caught my wet socks caution. Keeping my dry sleep socks is a rule I live for, unless I’m going to spend the night in the city. I was a mile from the Creek Ford car, so I remembered that putting dry socks would be nonsense when I am about to have newly wet feet.

The sun came out only briefly, and I used the time to dry my team. Unfortunately, the place he had chosen was the home of ants and everything, including my calves, was soon covered with them.

The bad weather continued and I was received with storm clouds at the top of the mounting chair first thing in the afternoon. San Luis, a nearby 14th, was just one mile away at this point, but I hate the beak bag and with the weather as a lightning was imminent, I continued with pleasure in the lateral search for CT Sin.

I arrived at the place of the camp that my group was attacking vaguely, but it was early and it seemed that everyone had pushed forward. I found Snapchat and decided to get another 700 feet vertically under our belts before camping so that the next day is easier. The sky seemed sinister, and every cell of my body shouted me as I rose more and more. I trotted on the other side, happy to be descending, and found a tiny tent site for the night.

The next day, it was my most difficult on the way with an average of 800 feet/miles. I was probably moving 1 mph for a good majority of the morning, which was unfortunate because I knew there was a storm at 2 pm this worsened by the fact that the land before Lake City included a long, flat table and without trees without any place to hide from the storms. I also woke up later than expected because I slept badly due to cold. Around Leadville I began to use the straps of my bedspreads as temperatures fell to a greater elevation, and now that measure did not even keep hot at night. I really regretted not bringing my silk eyeliner on this trip.

Although this day was the most difficult, it was also exceptionally beautiful. The path continued to improve while walking south! To surprise me, I was not out of the table when the storm arrived and I ran a 15 -minute mile with my backpack during the last section with thunder booming in the distance.

City lake

I was collected by the first car I pointed out and happily took a hook in the bed of his truck, grateful for not having to stink someone’s car. They had spent 6 days since my last shower.

Lake City has a hiker center and a Rodante Casa Park with a special hiker for tents on his property, so I expected this city to be an additional economy!

I registered in the RV Park and started working washing the clothes (included in the stay), showering and classifying which food I still had. I could also work using the FLIP Fuel device that I had found in a Leadville hiker box! I had already used it once at the butterfly house to fill my fuel, but I was going down again. Aterre my gas boat in the ice chest for 10 minutes to facilitate the transfer. Not having a scale, I put my gas container and the hiker cash boat on my bear vault with water to test their fuel levels to make sure I would not overload. Both were exactly a full room, so I considered it safe and proceeded. This gadget is my new favorite frugal trick and I will take him with me on all future long distance walks!

Everyone went to dinner, but restaurant meals were not in my budget, so I raided the hiker box and found a DIY hiker meal that someone had ruled out: cuscous with chicken, vegetables and a unopened velveeta cheese sauce. There was a Sharpie that said «the chicken is not rehydrated» and at first I was not sure of what that meant. I soon learned. The chicken in this meal was small and hard pieces that would not soften. Periodically I spit them while ate. In addition to this unpleasant aspect, the food was fine, but I felt dejected for the first time by my budget limitations.

Then I walked to my friend’s shelter and assaulted his hiker box, finding some coffee gels and a backpack commercial meal. I had also frozen and cakes at stake, so I had some of that. The friddle of the shelter can be magical sometimes. In addition, I have hit 3 boxes of hikers separated at this point.

The next morning I went to the bakery and bought a roll of spinach and cheese for $ 9.18, but it was worth it. Thanks to the assault of the hiker box, I didn’t need much more food, but I made a quick refueling in the general store where I got some tamales to try for the first time. Then I took the transport of free hiker to the path, where he acclaimed me and snowed.

The San Juan

The San Juans are a magical place and everyone should go there. This was in fact the most beautiful part of the trip. It included the highest point of the Colorado path, two full days above the tree line, and surprisingly there are no storms! Not a single rain drop fell on me while walking or sleeping. I should have played the lottery that week.

When I descended 12,000 feet, I was ready to see trees again. In the long descent to Silverton, I was walking until late at night trying to catch up with the group I had not seen in a few days. At sunset, I found an alce and his baby. They saw me first and they became and escaped, which is the best of cases honestly. I waited a few minutes and then proceeded, shouting at the top of my lungs and having flashbacks on my first day on the way; At least it was light this time. About two miles later I felt great, ready to enter the camp around 8 pm knowing that I would be camped with friends. Then, I saw the Authes duo again, they had escaped from me taking the way! Not wanting to risk a third game, I grabbed the closest place I could find just before the crossing train stop at the epic railway of Durango and Silverton Narrow on. Hikers can mark the train here and pay $ 35 to go ahead to Silverton.

I woke up early the next morning and just when I was about to cross the railroad tracks, I found another alce, drinking in the river. I lost some time seeing it majestically drinking, but then I grew antiques and continued once he turned his back on the road. I had to do a little because the alce was too close to the real CT for me to pass safely. Seeing three alces in 12 hours was definitely a pleasure.

I arrived at the Molas Lake camp, half a mile at the foot of the CT, around noon, ready to collect my box and lock. The camp employee kindly offered tips on where he could get water, clean my socks and load my phone. This is definitely a friendly place for hikers! I stayed here for approximately 5 hours, while most of the crew had gone to Silverton for the refueling and food of the city. Buti in helmets and I didn’t buy anything from the store. This was my last stop before finishing the path in 75 miles! The group had decided to end up taking more than 20 miles, so the end came quickly.

The last sections of the path were impressive and definitely saw an increase in the number of weekends and hikers I found. I saw many days from days to only a few miles from the terminal, and many congratulated me. A man and his dog decided to finish his break just when I approached them. Little knew it was a lean hiking machine at this point and I had to spend it awkwardly after a few minutes. I arrived at the sign, took a selfie and hooked in Durango, excited by the city’s food and my first royal bed in 31 days.

Money spent

In Durango, I stayed in a 4 bed bedroom in the junction shelter, which is basic but has everything you need. I ate everything that my heart wanted, starting with breakfast at the Durango Denner, a beer and pretzel in Carver Brewing (free beer for hikers with food purchase), ice cream at Cream Bean Berry and dinner at Himalaya Kitchen. I ate and set myself well, and I passed a little about the budget for that.

Lake City RV Park: $ 20
Lake City Report: $ 17.57
Lake City Treat: $ 9.18
Lake Molas box rate: $ 10
Durango Hostel: $ 58.82
Durango restaurant food: $ 57.74
Trail Angel Ride: $ 20

Total spent: $ 774.59

Scimp of the Week: Do not buy food or shower in Lake Campground molas
Waste of the week: Eating everything I wanted in Durango

I had already paid the flight and the reviewed bag, so this was all that I had to take into account. A kind Angel path took me to Durango’s airport and did not want any payment, but after hearing that it was his third airport in two days, I practically forced the money in his hand.

I believe that my goal is known, despite spending $ 24.59! This was an incredible trip and, despite not having a lot of money to spend, I really did not feel that I would affect my happiness. I was able to have fun in thermal waters, buy a expensive fashion of hikers and eat delicious baked products. Have you ever challenged yourself to walk with a budget? Did the CT walk the cheaper? Avise me in the comments as I would love to listen to your story!

I shout at the MVP of my trip:

My upoople ultraventure pros (trails of trails) for having 700 miles at the time I finished
My stomach to eat mysterious food for walkers in the newspaper without complaint
My sleeping pad to get so comfortable at night that I didn’t feel a real bed needed
The Flipfuel I found in the hiker box that allowed me to fill my free fuel boat