Reach the Colorado border in 26 days

This morning I woke up quite well and early and made my coffee. Then I turned and fell asleep for a long time. When I really woke up, it wasn’t very early. At least I know I can do 35–40 miles in one day, even if I start late. But it’s always good to start before. I also thought that perhaps the other southern hiker would catch me due to my late beginning. I couldn’t remember for my life how far I had walked after seeing his store last night. But it never happened to me in the morning.

I packed quite fast and then began to move again. And honestly, the first two hours of the day were not the easiest path in the world. There were some climbs, which were not so bad. But more than anything, the path was really steep and very rocky sometimes. In general, I found that I slowed me more than I expected. In the morning it crawled! I don’t remember the last time it seemed that time passed so slowly.

A CDT marker.

Every time I looked at my watch, it was as if I hadn’t moved at all. I think I woke up about 10 miles north of the Wyoming and Colorado border. And it seemed that it took me half the day walking there. I really can’t say why. But I suppose that from time to time I have days when time floats absolutely, then I have to pay the price with the occasional day where it does not.

Upon arriving at the Wyoming and Colorado border!

I walked as quickly as I could, and I had to stop for the water at some point. Then, early in the afternoon, I left Wyoming and in the great state of Colorado! I cannot believe that I walked from the Canadian border to the Wyoming border in Colorado in 26 days. What a whirlwind has been. It feels really good to be here and honestly surreal. I have had my place in Colorado for quite some time.

Colorado here I come!

I spent some time on the border before continuing. I couldn’t take too long because I really seem delayed today. It will definitely be a later night of what I hope. But I need to get the miles today so I can stay at Steamboat Springs tomorrow night. It was not the best day to feel slow, that’s safe.

It’s strange to think that I really didn’t feel emotional when I got here last year. But today it was very different.

When I left the border crossing, I lowered my head and kept pushing. And shortly after, I actually arrived at a crossroads of land that I recognized. It is curious that sometimes I can reach a cross and immediately I know that we take an alternative route there. I cannot necessarily remember what we did or why we did it, but there is generally at least one strong memory there. When I checked my map today, I realized that this dirt road basically cut a small and unnecessary climb. I will take what I can get, especially with the way I will move today.

I did not stay on the dirt road for a long time. Maybe just one mile or two. At some point while walking, a truck stopped and the guy inside asked me if it was fine. Apparently he worked in one of the nearby registration operations. We were talking for a while and you could say that the guy would have hung all day. She had a very nice Corsican cane with him and let her out so she could caress her. She was super sweet and that was really pleasant. Then I continued along the way. What went through your registration camp. And just after that, I was back on the road.

In the next hour or so, I was walking along an ATV track and I saw a couple of coolers in the distance. But there is so much hunt in the area that I thought the hunters had established a base camp or something. And that the coolers stayed there to store meat after killing something. But when I approached, I saw Small Sharpie writing in the refrigerator, which said «CDT hikers.» That was so exciting!

The sky on earth in a refrigerator.

Although I had really seen photos of this magic of paths in particular, I had completely forgotten and completely surprised me. When I opened the first refrigerator, I did not expect it to be filled with those Frappuccino Starbucks Starbucks glass drinks. And the other refrigerator was full of soft drinks, sweets and snacks. At this point, there is literally a hiker to the south behind me. I was the last until literally one day ago. So it was a pleasant feeling to know that I could have some things from the refrigerator and I didn’t have to feel bad.

More incredible treats!

Usually, when you arrive through Trail Magic and you are walking around many people, it is a common courtesy not to take too much. If only 10 soft drinks remain, then there is the possibility that the hiker reach an empty refrigerator. And honestly, there is nothing more disappointing than appearing in a trail of trails, which is empty. But because there are literally no hikers, the refrigerator will sit here for maybe another week or two. Then the person will come and take him to the season. I sat there and took a soda, a couple of snacks and two coffee drinks. I really needed caffeine.

The bones dispersed next to the path.

This was probably one of the best surprises I have had. And it was exactly what I needed to overcome the rest of the day. I still had so many miles! When I went there, I had my head down and advanced during the following hours. For the first time throughout the day, he really felt as if he was moving at a normal pace and time passed quickly. That was a great relief. He felt as if he took me all day to reach 15 miles. And then those next 15 miles passed in the blink of an eye. I will never understand how that happens.

It seemed that the land became easier as the day progressed.

The rest of the day was really beautiful. Some dark clouds rolled, but climate was never formed. I passed tons of hunters during the day. The path was practically the entire ATV track most of the day. Soprar would on the real path for a time here and there. But while walking along the ATV road, I saw tons of vehicles arrested. I guess the hunters lead their Atv to the forest and then keep them. Then they enter in search or whatever they are hunting.

The poplars have been so beautiful.

I remembered that later in the day, the designated camp area would pass. I remember that I stop there last to drink water. But this time there are more water sources, so I didn’t have to worry too much about that. During the next two hours, the foliage along the path was absolutely beautiful. He has really been spinning quickly, and there are so many sections in which the poplars are bright yellow. And other areas where trees are already becoming red. I had a great time and practically I did not stop for anything else. I knew I would be walking in the dark, but I expected it to not have to be too long.

Walking around a valley, surrounded by a beautiful changing foliage.

When I went through the crossing for that camp area, I basically ignored it. I didn’t need anything and I would only have taken a little time since my day. I knew that the path was pleasant and flat. But then, so shortly after, a fairly long climb would begin. I would have at least 2000 feet of elevation gain to reach my camp. In fact, camping very close to where I camped the last time I was here. There is a great mountain pass and it is super exposed. So I want to camp before that so as not to be caught on tonight.

When the light began to fade, the views became so beautiful.

In fact, I was quite happy to finish the day with a climb. It was gradual during the first miles and then the last miles were quite steep sometimes. But he felt really well and kept pressing. Finally, it obscured, and I had to put my head lamp. Then, after walking in the dark for 30 minutes to an hour, I had to stop and take out other batteries for my lighthouse. I am so happy to have maintained my old lighthouse and have a new one. Because I’ve been making many night walks recently!

Enjoying the last little light before walking in the dark.

When the front headlights get down, the light becomes very boring. Which makes it difficult to see what surrounds you. And the full point of a lighthouse is that you can see animals if there is something in the nearby bushes.

I’m just looking to see if there are alces near the path. I don’t want to surprise anything at night and I wouldn’t like to get too close to an alce. In the course of today, I really saw two classes! One was just 50-100 feet away, and I ran when I approached. The other was much further in the brush. And I just have to check it while it passed.

I am excited to continue seeing the change of leaves.

Of course, on my first day in Colorado I saw two classes. I imagine that I will see them almost every day I am here. At least that was the case last time. As I had seen a couple of alces, I definitely took it into account while walking in the dark. Although I was very happy not to end seeing anything at all. There is nothing better than that.

I ended up walking until some time after 10 pm I really wanted to reach 40 miles per day if I could. Just so that I can get the mileage for tomorrow in a reasonable range. I have a script in the Walmart pharmacy that I need to collect before it closes. And I imagine that the closing time of a Saturday is probably around 5 pm. Hopefully it is later than that, but I have no service, so I can’t verify and find out. So my hope is to go as far as I can tonight and then have a quite early start tomorrow. If I have to wait in the city the next morning to get the script, that will only stink. But it would not be the end of the world.

In fact, I ended up camping right at the same time as I did last year. I was already dark, so I couldn’t see the big lake that I was walking. The last time we camped somewhere in the grass right next to the lake. But this time I continued for a while to get a little more protection. Camping in the grass only means waking up with a wet tent in the morning. The place I ended up stopping was not particularly pleasant. But it was flat enough to have a comfortable night.

I can’t believe how late it is! He does not usually walk until after 10 pm but I feel that recently anything is on the table. I have been aligning it and walking the hours I need to get the miles. And honestly, I have felt really good. My energy remains better than I would have expected. When I set up the store, I went to spend the night. Then I ate something and lay down for a while. But after a while, I had to force myself to lie down. I’m trying to start very early tomorrow morning, and I’m not going to sleep much.

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