Almost there 8/26

We have hiked 66 miles in the past 3 days, over multiple mountains, through holy cross wilderness, among others. We did 25 miles including a night hike, in beautiful weather with a little bit more than a full moon, to a waterfall and camped there in a field setting up a "short" 17 mile day into Copper Mountain. It was very strange seeing Copper, and even more strange seeing I-70, and eating over priced, ski resort pizza, which I probably would have paid more for.

We stayed with an old friend of mine who also worked for Sports Authority, but now lives in Dillon, Charlie Fox and his family. The stay has been the best stop on our trip, and it is going to be very hard to leave this relaxing oasis. But we are only 117 miles from Denver, and being homeless until we find a room, house, apartment, or old refrigerator box to live in. So it looks like it's back to huge days trying to get back in time for work.

23 miles is a long day 8-23

We did another 23, it was not fun. We were on the trail by 8:15, had 13 miles in by lunch, and were totally exhausted when we got to camp. I did see a bull elk this evening as we were climbing up to the peak of another mountain, he was pretty big. I think I startled him more than he did me. When he heard me, I guess, he kinda jumped, then took off running from the left side of the trail maybe 20 yards out, across the trail away from me. I totally could have hit him with a football on a perfect slant. Stephie was behind me so she didn't get to see him. Should be a bit easier 19 tomorrow starting with a gradual down hill. Currently we are 159 miles from the end, and about 32 miles from our next shower, burger, beer, and real bed!

I want more time. 8-21

I'm getting sick of 18-23 mile days. I want to be able to slow down, and enjoy this a bit more. But right now it feels like we either try to do bigger miles and finish before August 31st, maybe on it, which would mean I literally would have to be at work the next day, or relax, take our time and don't finish. I don't like the idea of either of them, but once I start something I like to finish it so for now we're still pedal to the floor.

Buena Vista was awesome. Thank you so much for all the boxes!! We had a ton of food to snack on while we were in town, and have plenty of snacks now.

Surprises 8/22

Today was full of surprises. Starting from the moment we hit the trail, at 8:30!! That's pretty good for us since we normally don't get on trail until around 9:30-10. As we went down a hill we noticed some raspberries, lots of raspberries, so naturally we sat down and ate our fill. Coming up a mountain that was very dry, and hot we both smelled a camp fire, which would be weird that early in the day. Upon summiting I saw a pile of smoking embers near the bottom of a dead stump, and no one around. I did Smokey proud by putting the fire completely out, all naturally, and honestly feel like I prevented a wildfire. We passed a fold up sports authority chair, which I relaxed in for a moment, brought to you by Sports Authority. After the desert environment, we entered a wet, green, luscious aspen forest, that changed from all aspen to all pine in a matter of steps, very cool. We ended our 19 mile day on the edge of twin lakes, which is huge, watching the sun set over mountains reflected in the lake below them, sitting by a nice warm fire.

8/19 Buena Vista

Well, we made it. I don't think 4-5 of my posts published, so here's what you've missed...

We got Bo taken care of, and a ride to Denver with people to watch him.

Watched the Animas river turn yellow, glad it was not a water source!

Crossed through 2-3 wilderness areas.

Passed the half way point, and hiked over 200 miles.

Did lots of road walking to get from mountain range to mountain range.

Hung out in a cool horse trailer for an afternoon.

Ran out of fuel, so it has been fire, or don't eat. We've been having lots of fires. Hope to get fuel this morning...

Split with the continental divide trail.

Camped on the top of a mountain and saw literally every star in the northern hemisphere. Was awoken by a furious thunder battle, and after that passed, we heard a chorus of coyotes all morning.

Hiked 5 miles the wrong way, yes we hiked the 5 miles back making it a 10 mile detour. However, we did get ice cream and sandwiches.

Stephie is pondering between Fievel, and Tiger Lilly for a trail name.

And made it to Buena Vista.

8/11 not a thru hike until Bo makes it one

There are lots of similarities between the AT and the CT. People are amazing, views are some that no one else will ever experience, same with the entire experience. But Bo wanted to make it feel more like my first thru hike. He wanted me to freak out, think my trip was over, then realize I have some pretty incredible friends, finish the hike, and make me feel bad when I see him again. So far we're still waiting on the incredible friends to come through, but it looks like we might luck out after all. If anyone is available to watch him for a week, weekend, or 3 weeks in Denver let me know. I'm antsy to get him all squared away, but the fact that some people are so willing to help out is not only humbling but also renewing of my faith in humanity. It seems like every time I lose faith in humanity, spending so much with people who are only looking out for themselves, all it takes is for me to go to the middle of nowhere, and have a problem before I realize: 1. My previous problems weren't that big (don't make a mountain out of a mole hill) 2. Good people tend to look out for each other and 3. There are good people every where you go, you just have to find them.

8/10 the end?

Well Bo has managed to make me question yet another thru hike. I thought bringing him with us would make it easier, ha! He did great, for a while, until he took off after a marmot on a cliff one afternoon. He came back with some blood on his paws but kept up with us off the leash, and seemed alright. But this morning he wouldn't even get up to eat his breakfast, I had to put it in front of him. Stephie carried him across the street once we got into town, and he limps when he walks. I think his trip is over, but now what do we do?

Right now we're in lake city, who's post office is inept.

8/7 half day Friday

We woke up kinda late this morning, and as we were packing up, Maleak showed up. We flip flopped with him as we climbed, and descended various mountains through the end of the San Juans. Which were absolutely amazing! We got into a wilderness area and climbed up a mountain that has a couple creeks running through it's valley meadow at 12,300 feet just outside Silverton. Bo was the happiest I've seen him this whole trip today as he ran around next to the trail off leash for a bit. We joined up with the continental divide trail today as well... I could see us doing that. We climbed pretty much all day, ups and downs, as we were getting close to another climb that would put us near 13,000 feet  Maleak came walking down the trail towards us, going South. He told us the from the ridge he could see a couple of storm systems coming our way. We decided we would wait them out rather than run 6 miles on a ridge that goes from 12,500" - 13,000" with absolutely no cover. One storm has passed, and the other is on the way. I think we'll stay here tonight and get up early tomorrow to watch the sun raise from the ridge.

A cold morning 8/8

Last night didn't get above 50 degrees, when I got up at 5:30 to go to the little boys tree it was no where near 50, and it was wet. I was grumpy, to say the least. We camped at the head waters of the Rio Grande, and eventually made our way to the continental divide trail, crossed the 100 mile mark, and reached the highest peak on the Colorado Trail 13,271 feet. I felt so good climbing to that point that I decided I would go another 100 or so feet up to the top of the mountain. I put a rock on the highest peak and by the time I got it balanced Stephie was at the top, she didn't take one break, I am still impressed. Tonight we camped about 400 feet altitudinaly down from the trail, but are still at 12,600 feet. It's gonna be another cold one, but I will not be getting up at 5:30. We didn't really think about days for mailing foods so now we can relax and take 2 days to go 14 miles because tomorrow is Sunday and as Harry Potter put it so well: "There's no post on Sundays."

Town vortex 8/6

We spent last night in Silverton at a hostel, we had real food, hot showers, and a soft mattress. Stephie chose to leave town and come back to the trail, she volunteered! I'm still surprised. Today we did 11 miles after starting at 1:00, gaining 2,500 feet of elevation. It was straight up. Bo was so tired that I took him off the leash and surprisingly he followed along as well, I don't know what is wrong with those two, guess I'm stuck with them. Although when we got to the top of one climb with Bo off the leash, Stephie spotted a deer; then Bo did too, and there was no stopping him. Even when I jumped in front of him he was so intent on saying hi to that deer the his royal highness took off after it. It was good to him he still has some spunk in, him I must admit. We got a great spot about half way up a mountain, with a roaring fire, and now it's time to eat!

8/9 Another cold one

Woke up this morning to frost inside and outside the tent, so I pulled my sleeping bag up over my head and went back to sleep. 11 miles in 2 days means we get to sleep in!

The frost has all melted... we're all still in the tent enjoying the heat of the morning sun, while our gear dries out.

Finally hit the trail around 11am ridge ran for 14 miles above tree line all day... it was hot and sunny, and basically no water. My neck is radiating heat, and my cheeks feel swollen.

When we got to the road where we planned to camp there was a small SUV and three people. One hiker, Mike and his parents. They gave us beer, cold, cold, wet, cold, beer, chips and guacamole, water, and just lit a fire. Could be in for a great night, we'll see.

Oh ya! I love when good people just do something good for no reason. Especially when trail angels don't know they are being trail angels, at the mention of the word they get a strange what did you call me / sheepish grin look on their face and seem to love the idea of what they accidentally did. That was the case tonight with this family and they fed us chili mac and sent us to bed happy.

The day after 22

We woke up sore this morning, but we were only a half mile from the summit of the mountain. After some coffee we tackled that beast, then hiked the top of a ridge for a few miles through beautiful wildflower meadows, in great weather. His royal ceph-ship still carried nothing, but kept up great. We ended today with another climb setting up another early morning summit, which keeps us off summits and ridge lines during peak lightning times. Our campsite tonight may be the best yet, right by a lake that mirrors the main mountain behind it, absolutely beautiful. As we were eating dinner with our fire blazing a deer walk up the hill and stopped to watch us for a while before heading back down the hill. The AT has nothing on the views here, well maybe in a few spots, but here it's everyday. Still no other thru hikers heading North. We can hear mountain goats across the valley from our tent as we go to sleep. Great clear, dry night.

8/5/15 slow decent

After walking up to a gorgeous lake, no moose unfortunately, we have a bit of a climb before a giant 4,000 foot decent. We are leaving the high country, and getting back to tree level. It's a pretty standard day, hike, see something amazing, trip on a rock, tell Bo to keep up or slow down, hike, have a snack, drink some river water, go up a hill, kill a mosquito, hike. Until I realize the road we are supposed to get a hitch on tomorrow is a mountain jeep road, then I have a minor panic. Luckily before that road was another road that went to Silverton, which we got a hitch relatively quickly. Not short into the ride to Silverton, I find myself thinking "We are going to die in this little Asians Subaru." We didn't die, he was a student at cu boulder studying computer science, but he could have used a driving lesson. After he dropped us on the opposite end of town we managed to find the hostel. Now I'm clean, dry, and going to sleep on a mattress tonight with a belly full of hot food, and beer. Silverton is a cool little town, I've never been here before, but I like it!

Day 1 8/1/15

We did it, day one in the books! Fourteen miles, that's right Stephie and Bo absolutely crushed it today and we hiked fourteen miles. I was so impressed, and proud. We saw a couple of elk skulls, got rained on, saw tons of South Bounders (Sobos) finishing their thru hikes, met another North Bounder (Nobo), and made it into camp to set our tent up right before the afternoon shower. It was a great first day. Now we are sitting in our tent next to a babling broke, about to go start up a fire to cook dinner. Shooting for ten miles tomorrow, but we're going up 4,000 feet in elevation.

The climb 8/2/15

We started today at 9:00am in overcast conditions that changed to and from rain as we hiked. We climbed three thousand, six hundred feet up in 8 miles through gorgeous wildflower fields, and beautiful mountain views, ending around 2:00pm. We planned to go farther, but a storm asked us nicely to stay where we were, which was fine because we were right next to Taylor lake, around 11,600 feet. We hid from rain most of the afternoon,  but after a while the rain let up long enough to let us eat, and then watch
the clouds roll in, literally. We could no longer see the lake, mountains, or people's tents around us. It was so cool to watch. Supposed to be sunny the next few days, which would be nice.

22 mile day 8/3/15

Today while you were at work sitting or standing at your desk we hiked 22 miles. From 8:30am to 8:15pm, talk about a full day. Bo was being rubbed by his pac so today at decided to carry his stuff for him. I personal felt like Bo was the Prince, and I was his guide/sherpa through the woods, so Bo's trail name is his royal highness Prince Bocephus, or any variation on that. We went through beautiful wildflower meadows at 12,000 feet, with mountains as far as the eye could see, crossed saddles between mountains, got rained on, and hailed  on on top of a mountain, luckily there were trees for cover and we made a fort for Bo out of our pacs. Then ended the long day with a 2,000 foot climb to camp. Needless to say Stephie, and his royal Bo-ness are passed out after big meals, I'm not to far behind them.