Day 80: A Cold in the Hot

Approx. 32mi

- Woke up feeling somewhat sick with a sore throat but not that bad.

- At the top of the climb coming out of encampment I saw a Porcupine scaling the mountain adjacent to me not even caring, I was probably 6 feet away from it as it passed by.

- Insane amounts of heat, blow downs, & thick brush midday really tested my patience.

- Decided to take a alternate route to Rawlins because I feel like I might be getting sick, it cuts off around 15 miles from the official route. Hopefully I can survive off of 4.5 liters of water for 30 mi of road walking.

- After a bit of time in the great divide basin soon I'm starting to realize this place is the thing spaghetti westerns are made of.

- It's hard to take a piss in the desert, you can't just choose one plant to water because every plant looks like it's dying and dried up.

- I camped just off the road after jumping a barbed wire fence. A truck stopped adjacent to me on the road. It made me worried about trespassing. Eventually, the truck putted off. They must have just stopped to watch the great sun set.

Day 79: Riverside, WY

22.6mi

- Walked passed whiskey Creek and had to backtrack only to find that the water was whiskey colored and barely flowing. 8 mi to the next source.

- Passed through several marsh like areas where you couldn't even see where you're stepping in the grass.

- Got a hitch into Riverside, WY from a fella named Pat and His grandson who owns Ladder ranch the country's biggest supplier of "broken" wild horses. They apparently catch them and tame them because they are actually detrimental to the environment in such large numbers. The area is overpopulated with them. He also mentioned that a lack of interest in agriculture in the generations coming up is going to be a major issue in the future, we need to have food.

- Got a hitch out too, without too much trouble. Hiker Mac saw me hitching and came by for a brief chat while I was sipping on a Pepsi. I camped two miles up hill, it rained all night for the first time, luckily it wasn't windy.

Day 78: Into Wyoming

36.5mi

- I woke up in the middle last night to the crunching of plastic and heard something scurry away. I grabbed my flashlight to find two eyes staring at me just behind a rock. Upon closer inspection I saw a huge bushytailed Darding away followed by the two glowing eyes staring back at me again, you stole my cream cheese and pasta sauce you asshole, I said.

- Saw a heard of bighorn sheep in the morning. 

- I slipped and fell 3 consecutive times coming down Degrassi went slope caught me off guard.

- Saw an entire family driving ATVs just before the Colorado Wyoming border.

- Hit the border late, around 7pm. It had a proper sign and even a line across the ground supposedly marking the actual border with white rocks. It was so quiet, no wind, nothing that night.

Day 77: Big Agnes Trail Magic

29mi

- Talked with Robert the bus driver of the free bus around town about the trail on my way to the edge of town to hitch. He was to do a section of the Colorado trail the following weekend

- Got a hitch out of Steamboat from two hikers Mac and Oppa and the hosts they were staying with.

- Had trail magic from the Big Agnes seamster at summit Lake Campground just along the CDT.

- Learned that people design backpacks tying together pipe cleaners and measuring out panels that way. Thought it was a clever way of design.

Day 76: Zero

- Had Corned Beef Hash for breakfast at the The Shack with Quicksilver, Buddah, Apache, and Treeman.

- Had to resupply at Walmart, something I'm not used to since I've been sending myself maildrops of pre-prepared food. Came across hikers Mac & Oppa after not seeing them since New Mexico.

- Went to KFC with Treeman & Apache and debated buying a 10,000 calorie 16 piece chicken bucket. Settled for only two pieces combo, wimped out.

- Transferred to the antique Rabbit Ear Motel in the afternoon and watched the movie The Girl Next Door and passed out early.

Day 75: Steamboat Springs, CO

- I kept my shorts dry under my wind pants by letting the pants sag down mostly when going uphill when getting sweaty, a new technique I've developed.

- Met hiker named Winter again. He's been solo and might see a movie in town together if the selection is good. He said he camped in a bowl at the skate park in Steamboat Springs before on another trip.

- Lots of trailers parked along the long road walk to Highway 40.

- Cows and their poop are back on trail as well as no trespassing signs. Like back in New Mexico.

- Met little Buddah and Quicksilver at highway 14 hitching, tried to call a cab but they were playing stupid trying to understand where we were, eventually got a hitch and picked up hikers Treeman & Apache road walking along the way.

- Shared a room with Little Buddha & Quicksilver. Buddah made a joke with the owner asking if we all get the good looking discount. I later heard the same owner playing an accordion in the lobby at night.

- Quicksilver who was a staff sergeant who worked as a Technical Controller and Multiplex Specialist for the Marine Corp. for 12 years. Little Buddha worked for American Express as a marketer.

Day 74: Rain Rain Go Away

29.1mi

- Saw not a single soul today.

- Started hike in a light rain that nearly didn't stop the whole day.

- Realized I'm getting into Steamboat Springs tomorrow. SO many towns.

- A weird fire watch tower hut on top of climb for the day. It just might have been the last real climb of Colorado.

- Slipped a ton today.

Day 73: Failed Hitch

8.6mi

- Met Scavenger and Spam at Sagebrush for breakfast.

- Acorn and I crossed paths at the post office. She took the bold role of returning several lost items back to their rightful owners, a wallet, trekking poles, socks to name a few.

- Had bad luck hitching back to the trailhead where I slackpacked yesterday so I walked the highway about 4 miles up the highway. Must be starting to look too convict like with my growing beard. It started raining by the time I made it back to trail.

Day 72: Slackpack Back

24mi

- Ate breakfast with Spam and Wire Rims, who happened to be in town, at the Sagebrush BBQ. I liked the awkward way the two greeted each other for the first time. It was somewhere between a fist bump and a handshake, typical for thru hikers.

- Slackpacked southbound back to Grand Lake, CO for 24mi. Slackpacking is where you leave the majority of your gear out of your pack except for snacks, water, and anything else you my need for the weather for the day. The elevation profile for today resembled something like a parabolic curve topping out at just over 12,000ft. Averaged 3.3mph for 7.25hrs.

- Saw two HUGE bull elk on the downhill back into town. 

- Stayed at the Shadowcliff Hostel one more night.

Day 71: Big Miles = Big Shits

38mi

- Woke to SPAM telling me he really had to shit, rather than goodmorning. Guess I did too. I stepped in it too, gross!

- Met up with recalculating after not seeing him since the San Juan's.

- Saw people fly fishing at Monarch lake, further along Recalculating, Spam, and I came across two baby Moose and Mom & Dad from a safe distance of course.

- Much of today was flat and/or downhill, so Spam and I decided to book it and try and make  it to Grand Lake, around 38 miles away.

- We made it into town around 7:30pm. Was greeted by a little kid with flowers in his ears, and a man named Robert who handed me two ice cold beers who was about to do a section of the CT.

Day 70: To Grand Lake

17.9mi

- McDonalds in the morning, Mailed microspikes home along with a few other little items.

- Ate shit going downhill knocked rock skipping. Cracked my knee on rock and tweaked my shoulder, after walking it off a bit I deduced that I only bruised my kneecap.

- Heard gunshots descending into a valley followed by a sheriff patrolling through the dirt roads that weaved through the woods.

- Met Tennis Steve and Tour Guide today.

- Amazing sunset coming down James Peak after not thinking we could get over it with the inclement weather.

- Ended up hiking 'till sundown and camping on the ridge, beautiful.

Day 69: Winter Park

25.5mi

- Cars everywhere in the morning heading the the Greys Peak Trailhead, probably 30 cars passed by 7-8am...

- On top of the ridges today if you made an "O" with your mouth just right the wind makes you whistle.

- Passed over a sketchy ridge right as the afternoon storms were about to hit.

- Hitch from Berthoud Pass by a guy named Tyler in a bronco with no windshield wipers barreling down the mountain in the rain...

- Got a room at the Sundowner Motel after feeling a slight bit feverish.

- Drunk people in McDonald's were funny to listen to while sober. I ordered 4 cheeseburgers and medium fry, ate everything at 10pm.

Day 68: Greys Peak

28.7mi

- Woke to a great sunrise.

- Lost my soak bottle and rain jacket after a windy break in the morning.

- Met hiker SPAM, hiked off and on with him throughout he day. We waited at the base of Greys Mountain. feeling out the weather for a summit of the 14,254ft/4,345m peak, just missed a thunderstorm. Spams trekking pole was making a weird buzzing sound coming down the mountain, touched it and got a small shock. It snowed briefly, hailed, then rained, and then was sunny with a rainbow by the time we made it to the trailhead. This mountain weather is wicked.

- Exhausted, probably the most tiring day yet, but probably one of the most beautiful too.

Day 67: New Fire

21.7mi

- Had breakfast with Kyle the morning along with his mother denny's in Denver. Thanked them both for all their hospitality. Then headed back to the trail to start the next section.

- After driving to Gold Hill trailhead forest fire must've broken out just west of the Gold Hill trailhead. Even before Kay and I came to a complete stop a police officer was telling me the trail was closed through my opened window. Two fire trucks were sitting silent with lights on. They said they haven't even located where the fire was located yet. I caught a glimpse of the fire about an hour later, it looked to have flaired up at an alarming rate.

Day 66: Independence Day

Notes: 

- Slept in again today, so so nice.

- Rode bikes with Kay & Dan to a country club to watch fireworks. There was a healthy variety of people there, a funk band played off in the distance on a stage.

- Some kids lit firecrackers in the middle of a crowd. Everybody near dispersed, startled and laughing.

Day 65: Healing Time

Notes:

- Slept in today, probably the best I've slept in awhile while hiking.

- Ran errands with Kay, cruised to REI, Dispencery, and Walmart

- Watched "Man on Ledge" with Dan & Kay at end of day.

-Kyles Dad was working on a jukebox all day, the house was filled with old tunes off and on all day.

- Cleaned out the spots where the doc cut me up around the infection and coated everything with betadyne & gauze. I'm a little nervous about keeping things sterile out on trail. The time in Denver will help a ton though.

Day 64: Another Old Friend

Notes:

- Cruised out from the apartment in Boulder with Soleil to Denver to meet Kyle, an old friend from back in Michigan at his parents place

- Had a big dinner with everyone. We all played a heated game of shuffle board over a couple beers. Kyles Dad being a shuffleboard shark.

- Soleil showed off the van she was living in to the others before taking off

- A few fireworks popped off at night as we watched from the porch.

- Slept in my own room on a comfy bed. Backpack exploded everywhere.

Day 63: To Boulder with an Old Friend

13mi

Notes:

- Arrived at Gold Hill Trailhead around 1pm and met Soleil in the parking lot at her Van. Eggs, Bacon, Pancakes, and Dr. Pepper were already in the works. I was grateful for such quality trail magic from an old friend.

- After picking up my maildrop from the Bivvy Hostel we cruised towards Boulder. There was a MASSIVE line of cars heading the opposite direction, probably people heading into he mountains for the Independence Day holiday weekend.

- Lots of tunnels to pass through mountain we had to pass through on the way.

- I was impressed with her van, solar panels on top, sink with running water & grey water tank, LED lighting, refrigerator. There was even enough space to stand up straight.

- Did laundry and had a great lunch at an Argentinian restaurant in Boulder.

- Ended the day catching up over the cartoon Rick and Morty while playing with pet rats in an apartment that she was house sitting for a friend.

Day 62: Copper Mountain

25.9mi

- Planning on getting to Gold Hill Trailhead tomorrow to meet up with old Appalachian Trail hiking buddy, Soleil. "I'm going to trail magic the shit out of you.", Soleil said. She's living in Boulder, working for Sender Films, the guys who produce the Reel Rock films. After catching up I'm getting a lift to Denver to my friend Kyle, who I've known since the 4th grade.

- I've had a sore on my lower back for a week now. Probably should go see a doctor about it once in Denver, I think it might be infected...

- Passed by an area that looked to be military barracks. There were signs everywhere warning people of explosives in the area. 

- Ate at Eagle BBQ at the Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Met hikers Mudslide and Party Saver there briefly. I started feeling mildly feverish after eating so I camped no more than 5min to get some good sleep.

Day 61: Fly Eye

30.6mi

Notes:

- Woke to a young girl singing in a high pitch while hiking along the trail around 4:30am, it was eerie.

- Amidst allowing a large group of day hikers Pass in the morning, a fly flew directly into my left eye, my greeting of them all turned into a hunched over no eye contact slow wave.

- Met up with Gut Punch and hiked off and on with him. He introduced to me dehydrated whipping cream on Amazon. Apparently mixing it with breakfast essentials makes something that resembles a chocolate milkshake.

- Slept on a rock overlooking a cove of mountains for lunch, woke with that damn fly out of my eye. What a relief.

- Ran up on hiker Catwater from Anchorage, AK (named for pulling a dead cat out of water ) an who I met at the midpoint of the PCT with my old hiking buddies Pounder, Twist, and Ninja and she played a joke on me saying that she knew my uncle.