This morning it was tremendously difficult to get up and move. Last night I was walking until almost 9:30 pm and then stayed up too late in the room. But I also knew I had a big day of hiking ahead of me today. So the longer I stayed in bed, the later I would be walking late into the night. I finally got up and started doing some editing. Then it slowly started moving.
I usually like to pack my backpack first thing in the morning before leaving town. Then I can relax, work and get ready to go out. Sprinter had asked me if I needed any restocking items, so I did. So he ended up bringing a bunch of boxes of goodies straight to my room. The service here is amazing.
This morning I spent a few miles walking along this beautiful river.
Sprinter brought tons of different types of snacks so I could basically completely restock myself for the next few days. If I go far enough today, I should be able to reach Cumbres Pass tomorrow afternoon. From there I could head to Chama to spend the night. The first city in New Mexico! As always, time has absolutely flown. The days themselves seem long and endless. And yet, somehow time passes in an almost mystical way.
After I had my resupply, I had a couple cups of coffee in the lobby. He was finally ready to get back on the road. Today I will walk from the South Fork generally toward Platoro. Which isn’t really a city at all. Just a small place that has a campsite and a store. This time of year it will probably be closed. But the mileage lines up well, so that’s what I’m aiming for today. That will mean walking a bit on a paved road. Then I will be on dirt forest roads most of the day.
The foliage surrounding this river was impressive.
I finally got going and left town. I walked down the South Fork along the road and continued for a while. And just before passing the forest service road junction, Sprinter stopped for some trail magic! I thought I might not see him again for a while after that. So I enjoyed every minute. I had a coffee and an ice cream. I then continued along the road until I reached the National Forest Service road. Which was delightfully quiet compared to the main road.
It was nice to get to the quieter forest service road for the rest of the day.
For the next few hours I walked slowly along the nice, quiet road. The foliage was exceptional and the trail was as quiet as possible. As I walked down the road, a few cars passed by. And a really large group of parents and kids walked past me. I kept moving and trying to make pretty good time. Today is going to be another long day. At one point, I stopped to take a short break and get something out of my backpack. And I ended up staring at the cutest squirrel. At first I was convinced it was a chipmunk. Then I spent a lot of time looking at it and never saw it move. So I had the strong feeling that I had actually been staring at a rock the whole time! Until he finally moved and ran away, much to my relief. I know I’m losing it, but not by that much!
Bright yellow foliage surrounding a hillside.
For most of the day the weather was absolutely delicious. I was bundled up when I went out this morning. But I was able to peel off layers pretty quickly. The sun came out and it became a great day. At least until four in the afternoon, when some dark clouds finally started to appear. The temperature dropped quickly and it was suddenly very cold. I put on my rain gear to stay warm and was so glad I did. The wind picked up and the rain was extremely cold. Within 20 minutes I was wishing I had my alpha in the rain gear, it was so cold. Luckily for me it didn’t last long.
The calm before the storm! It was a lovely day until the nice weather arrived in the late afternoon.
Just after the rain and wind let up, I ended up crossing the junction where the Creede Cut connects to the CDT. It’s actually the junction where a bunch of alternative routes intersect again. And there was the Sprinter van parked! I headed out and was excited to be able to sit down and be dry. And having the opportunity to change my layers and add more if I wanted to.
However, the biggest surprise of the day was what I saw when Sprinter opened the door of his truck. There were 3 other hikers inside! Three women! Hide from the rain and enjoy the wonderful magic of the trails. I met them inside and had something to eat and drink. It was so nice to be warm and comfortable. What absolute luxury here. At this point in the day I was planning to hopefully go another 15 miles or so. So I couldn’t stay long. But I enjoyed as much time as I could.
A rainbow after it stopped raining!
It was getting late so I put on my alpha layers. Then put my raincoat back on, just in case. It looks like it will rain a little more tonight. Sprinter has WiFi in their van, which is absolutely amazing. Being able to upload and review things periodically is definitely a blessing. But it also meant that I could see that the weather wasn’t going to be good tonight.
Me and 3 other hikers inside the Sprinter van.
Before leaving the van, the other 3 girls left. And they informed me that the weather for tomorrow looked complicated. We’re talking 40-60 mph wind and rain all day long. I love it! But these days I barely check the time. The forecast doesn’t really change the reality for me here. I have to walk many kilometers every day, regardless of the weather conditions. That’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of a hike like this.
Eventually, I got going too and continued down the dirt road for the rest of the afternoon. I kept my head down and tried to make the most of it as much as possible. It took us about an hour to catch the girls from before, who were camping before it got dark. I said goodbye to them and continued along the path. It was certainly going to be another night! But Sprinter planned to park and set up camp at Platoro’s camp. So even if they weren’t open, I would have a place to stay. He also has a tent that he keeps in the van. So he planned to set up the shop for me! That way, when I arrived later tonight, I didn’t have to prepare anything. You could spend the night in a nice dry tent. Which is an incredible luxury. Especially if it’s going to rain.
Passing through this beautiful countryside just before sunset.
The views before sunset were really pretty along the way. I passed through some open fields that were stunning. And the sky was so bright and blue. Then it started to get dark and the rain started to stop for a while. Luckily it wasn’t too windy and I could hold my umbrella to keep my core dry. Because it was a particularly cold rain. That umbrella really is my saving grace. I couldn’t live without him.
Getting closer to Platoro! This was right before my last long climb of the day.
The night was long and the rain almost never let up. And to top it all off, I had a nice little climb of 800 feet to end the night. That was the only time I felt like my layers were excessive. But when I started descending again I was glad I had them on. I walked for hours in the dark as I got closer and closer to Platoro. And between 9 and 10 at night the rain was still very heavy and had not let up at all. Although I felt quite comfortable under my umbrella.
I was towed to the edge of Platoro shortly after 10 pm Maybe even closer to 10:30 pm The rain was still very heavy, but I was glad to be done for the day. As I approached the camp I saw some notes on the ground that Sprinter had left me. Just in case I missed the detour to the camp area. The funniest thing was that I knew he was nearby, because my phone automatically connected. to your van’s WiFi!
The sign that Sprinter left me next to the campsite.
I headed towards where he was parked. The campground owners had allowed him to park and me to camp there for the night, even though they had just closed for the season. That was great. Sprinter had already set up their tent outside, so I threw my backpack inside. Then I sat in the truck and had soup and steak with him for dinner. There’s nothing quite as incredible after a 40-mile day, especially one that ends with 3 or 4 hours of hiking in the rain.
After eating I was so exhausted and ready to relax. So I headed to the large outdoor tent to call it a night. Even with the heavy rain, the tent was surprisingly quite dry inside. Those larger car camping tents tend not to be waterproof. But it lasted a lot for me. I was glad I could keep my own tent dry and not have to take the time to set it all up. It was close to midnight when I was relaxing and trying to fall asleep. Tomorrow should be a nice early day too! I will have 36 miles to reach Cumbres Pass, where I can head to Chama to spend the night. And if the forecast is correct, it will be a long, miserable day filled with rain and wind.
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